This self guided Sussex wildlife tour can take anything from an afternoon to five days depending on how you travel and how much wildlife you want to see. For keen walkers, you can walk between the three destinations of Horsham, Pulborough and Amberley. If you’d rather not walk, there is a train service that will take you to all three towns.
There is a good mix of wildlife on this tour with some that you are guaranteed to see and other wildlife that requires a bit more patience due to its wild and shy nature. Your overnight stays have been chosen to immerse you in the countryside (whilst still giving you a hint of luxury).
Destination 1: Horsham
Stop 1. From Horsham town centre, start by going east and visiting Huxley’s Bird of Prey Centre. They have over 80 birds here including hawks, falcons, eagles, owls and raptors, and they host flying displays and meet the birds sessions, so it’s a great start to a wildlife tour. The birds are magnificent and you may later be lucky enough to see some of them in the wild later.
You’ll find the centre at Hillier Garden Centre, Brighton Road, Horsham. You can walk from the town centre (it’s just over 2 km) or you can hop on a bus from the Carfax in the centre of town.
Stop 2. Back in Horsham, pick up the West Sussex Literary Trail. It starts near The Lynd Cross (where Worthing Road meets West Street) but you can pick it up in Horsham Park too. From the centre of town, it’s approximately a 2 km to Warnham Nature Reserve.
This is a 92 acre site, with a 17 acre millpond, marshes, grassland, reed beds and woodlands. Wildlife you might spot includes over 100 species of bird, including herons, wildfowl and three species of woodpecker. There are also over 400 species of plants and a café.
Stop 3. From the nature reserve, carry on along the West Sussex Literary Trail for about one kilometre. You’ll cross a busy road but soon come to the Warnham Deer Park.
The footpath takes you straight across the 200 acre park which is home to a sizeable herd of red deer. You may also spot birdlife such as geese. Once you cross the second road (Bailing Hill), you’ll pass even more of the younger deer.
For the walkers: If you are planning to walk to Pulborough, you carry on from here. The West Sussex Literary Trail will take you via Slinfold, Itchingfield and Barnes Green to Pulborough. It’s a 20 km walk from the Deer Park to your overnight stay at Cattlestone Farm on Harbolets Road (just outside West Chiltington) and the footpath takes you almost to the door.
For the train: If you’re travelling by train, head back to Horsham from the Deer Park (you could stop for a pub lunch at one of the two pubs in Warnham).
Optional stop 4. Horsham is becoming famous for the Knepp Estate just outside the town. It is home to a 3,500-acre rewilding project but to get there you need to hop on a bus.
There is lots of wildlife and a great time to visit is just before dusk as the birdsong is really quite remarkable. There are a number of walks you can do around the estate and if you do, you’re likely to see deer, Exmoor ponies, the famous Knepp storks, cattle and pigs.
The Knepp Estate also host a variety of different wildlife safaris and experiences and have a café, shop and overnight accommodation.
Destination 2: Pulborough
You can catch the train from Horsham to Pulborough or Billingshurst. Cattlestone Farm is just outside Pulborough at West Chiltington and is your next destination and overnight stay. Contact the farm owners for the best way to get to them. They are super nice and helpful.
Stop 1. For the second part of your Sussex Wildlife Tour, start your day at Cattlestone Farm. This is a working farm in 60 acres of wild-flower meadows and surrounded by ancient woodland. They have wildlife in abundance with bats, butterflies, birds of prey and wild deer as well as Highland heifers and bulls, pigs, pygmy goats and chickens. Their accommodation has a touch of luxury and you can watch the wildlife from the comfort of your bed after a soak in the bath on the deck! Kinsbrook Vineyard is close by where you can enjoy wine tasting in amongst the vines.
Stop 2. It’s 13 km from Cattlestone to Pulborough Brooks Nature Reserve (or three km from Pulborough train station). Again, you can opt for the bus if you don’t want to walk but if you are walking, pick up the West Sussex Literary Trail to Pulborough and from Pulborough centre, follow the footpath that takes you directly across the wetlands of Pulborough Brooks to the Pulborough Brooks Centre.
The walk will take you past vineyards, a windmill, along the banks of the river Arun and through the wetlands, and look out for the bird life as you walk. With views across to the South Downs, you’re looking for warblers, nightingales, lapwings, wildfowl, white-tailed eagles, peregrine, kingfisher, sparrowhawk, kestrel and more.
Spend some time exploring Pulborough Brooks and nearby Wiggonholt Common and Greatham Common. The further you walk from the Nature Reserve centre, the more remote it feels but when you head back, there is a café for recuperation.
For the walkers: Re-find the West Sussex Literary Trail. To do so, walk south through Wiggonholt Common and Northpark wood and you will meet the footpath in Parham House Park.
This park is part of the Parham House estate and includes 875 acres of working agricultural and forestry land (some of this land is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest) and 300 acres of ancient parkland in which dark fallow deer roam. These deer are the descendants of an original herd which was first recorded in 1628. The herd today numbers 300 animals. The Parham deer are completely wild.
Stop 3. It’s a 6 km walk from the Pulborough Brooks Nature Reserve centre to The Sportsman in Amberley. They serve great food here but more importantly, they have an incredible terrace which overlooks Amberley Wild Brooks. The views are quite remarkable and you will see herds of wild deer and very possibly, the white-tailed eagles which are regular visitors here.
For the train / bus: You can catch a bus from the Pulborough Brooks Centre to Amberley or head back to Pulborough town and hop on the train to Amberley.
Destination 3: Amberley
The train station at Amberley is really close to Amberley Museum (where you can learn about rural working life of years gone by) and Houghton Bridge. Cross the road at the bridge and make your way to Riverside South Downs, your final destination. They have accommodation here as well as boat and bike hire, a restaurant, riverside seating and access straight on to the South Downs.
The reason Riverside is your last stop on your Sussex Wildlife Tour is because there is a seal who visits frequently, as well as lots of birdlife. So why not hire a boat, and see if you can spot them or just grab a drink on the terrace and wait.
For the very intrepid
You can catch the train home from Amberley. However, if you want to keep on walking, you can walk all the way from Amberley to Guildford via the Wey South Path. It’s predominantly a canal path and is about 58 km.
Alternatively, just hop on the train home from Amberley (perhaps stopping for afternoon tea at the castle before you leave).
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