Chesworth Farm, Horsham — Attraction in Horsham

Chesworth Farm, Horsham, is a wonderful countryside escape tucked just ten minutes’ walk from the town centre—a surprisingly wild, spacious and peaceful place given how close it is. Spanning some 90 acres, the farm showcases meadows, ancient hedgerows, wet grasslands, and multiple footpaths and bridleways that invite both gentle strolls and longer walks.

One of the best features is the newly developed Wildlife Garden near the Volunteer Centre. Local volunteers have transformed what was once overgrown bramble into a vibrant haven complete with ponds, bug hotels, hibernacula, log piles, and pollinator-friendly planting. It’s an inspiring and accessible spot for a picnic or just a quiet moment enjoying birds, insects and maybe even frogs.

As a wildlife site, Chesworth Farm’s importance has been officially recognised: in 2021 it became a Local Wildlife Site in part for its high-quality hedgerows and wildflower meadows. Grazing animals—cattle, sheep, goats, sometimes llamas—add character and help maintain the habitats.

Paths are mostly good: the main ones are wheelchair accessible, there are viewing platforms in wet areas, boards and bridges over damp spots, which helps in wetter weather. The site is free, open all day, and charmingly unmanaged in places, so you feel like you’re exploring. Just note that some fields get closed in breeding season for ground-nesting birds, and you might encounter muddy patches.

Overall, Chesworth Farm is a gem — accessible, beautiful, rich in wildlife, and relaxed. It’s ideal for families, nature-lovers, dog-walkers, photographers, or anyone needing a peaceful patch of green...

I'm really not sure why people get so excited about this place. It is pretty small for walking in. In summer, it is nice, with a lovely view from up on Horsham hill, but a lot of the land holds a lot of water in winter, making wellies very advisable if you move off the one made path. South of the Arun is not good walking as many footpaths are fenced in, which really spoils the feeling of being in the countryside.

Before the last three years, I lived in Guildford and there were a dozen places much nicer to walk around on the outskirts of the town like this. Sussex is really poor in comparison to Surrey for nice places to walk (I mean shortish walks around 5km / 1 hour) within about 15 mins drive of my house. This might be why a lot of people like the Chesworth area, as there is not a lot else close by, especially areas you can walk around during winter in shoes without getting...

Since I found this walk I cannot get enough of it. No matter the time of day it is stunning. There are open fields to run ones dog or easy paths to tread. The only thing I will say is that the footpath leading through the horse farm comes out onto a road with no directions. Us and some other ladies were a tad confused as to where to go next. They turned around, but we decided to walk on the road and see where it comes out. We came across a footpath e trance and took it. It lead us back to the fields and paths. So beware when walking the horse...