Chichester Ship Canal — Attraction in Chichester

Chichester Canal is lovely especially on any of the boats that is available to float on. Been visiting for 15+ years & most years I may use the service 6-8 times throughout the spring & summer months. I’m a carer & I’m always supporting disabled children/adults on these canal trips & they absolutely love the day out on the boats! After the winter break I booked a place with a disabled young man for the canal trip over the phone & upon arrival i was told that I, as a carer now has to make a payment of £5 as before this was always a free journey. I was a bit upset as i wasn’t informed over the phone when making the booking & to be told at the office where i had no choice but to pay as the young man that i was supporting was really excited & looking forward to the trip! I will now seriously consider any future trips with this service as being a carer on a low income & having to pay after years of not paying is a lot harder now! I understand that the service & the trust is squeezed for funds & they have a whole group of great guys who volunteer, but it sort of leaves a bad taste in my mouth...

Try this place to get away from the pressures of life, you can walk or cycle along several miles of towpath to Chichester Marina, hire a rowing boat in season, take a trip in one of the two covered boats or use your own canoe or paddle board. Lots of ducks, several swans, moorhens, coots, the odd heron and little grebe and if you're very lucky a kingfisher and little egret. Lots of photo opportunities and from the Hunston bridge you can see the view of the cathedral just like the Turner painting. The cafe and shop at the Chichester end does great coffee and cake etc and has an upstairs viewing gallery (Covid19 permitting) as well as toilets that are wheelchair accessible next to the canal's information centre. All this is run and maintained by a group of friendly and helpful volunteers. A great place to unwind and feed the ducks (duck food available from the cafe), try it once,...

We’ve come here I would say almost every year for the past 13 years or so for the Father Christmas trip down the canal. Currently £12 each, each child also gets a decent Christmas present from Santa too. Teas, coffees and mulled wine, mince pies and usually another sweet and savoury snacks (cheddars/sausage roll/ mini roll that sort of thing) included. You do you have to book quite early on after booking opens really I would say, we’ve left it too long some years and missed out.

There are other trips too, a Christmas lunch trip, an Easter trip etc.

There is parking, there’s a very nice fairly recently built tea and light snacks shop (sandwiches and toasted sandwiches, cakes etc), also sells very reasonably priced gift shop type items.

We will continue to come each year as it’s become a family tradition now... I keep meaning to try...