4 Night South Downs Walking with Sightseeing Holiday
These holidays offer a perfect mix of short, guided walks (4-5 miles), combined with time spent sightseeing. Visit a selection of standout highlights in the South Downs with hassle-free coach travel and the help of an HF Holidays Leader.
What you’ll love
- Following the river to the historic market town of Arundel
- Walking from the harbour village of Bosham to Fishbourne Roman Palace
- Visiting Petworth Park, created by Capability Brown
- Exploring the National Trust-owned Petworth House
- Staying at Abingworth Hall, a skip away from Thakeham
- A more personalised experience thanks to small group sizes (maximum 15 people)
What’s included
- Comfortable en-suite accommodation in our country house
- Cream tea on arrival day
- Cooked or continental breakfast every morning
- Daily packed lunches
- Three-course evening meals, plus tea & coffee
- Guided walks and sightseeing visits with an experienced HF Holidays Leader
- All transport to and from walks and sites of interest
- Easy-to-follow routes, maps, and information in our Discovery Point if you want to explore independently
Please note - Entrance fees are not included. See more information tab for details.
Trip Notes
Easy to download as a PDF, our trip notes provide detailed information for every holiday. Please click below to find the trip notes for your departure date.
All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. While we make every effort to adhere to the described itinerary, we may take alternative routes or adapt the running order for weather and/or operational reasons.
Check-in at the hotel is available from 4pm. Enjoy a complimentary cream tea on arrival.
Distance: 3 miles (4.5km)
Total ascent: 330 feet (100m)
A day spent in and around Arundel with a chance to visit the spectacular Arundel Castle, home of the Dukes of Norfolk for nearly 1,000 years. We start by visiting the cathedral as we make our way to Arundel Park. We have a leisurely walk through the beautiful park passing Swanbourne Lake and the Wetlands Centre on a circular loop that takes us back into the town. We've left plenty of time for a visit to the castle with its exquisite collections of furniture, tapestries and paintings, and its wonderful gardens, or the chance to explore the shops and tea rooms.
Distance: 4½ miles (7km)
Total ascent: minimal
We begin with a walk taking us to the picturesque winding streets and quaint cottages of the pretty harbour village of Bosham, a honeypot for arts and crafts shops. Leaving Bosham our walk takes us across fields to the Fishbourne Channel estuary of Chichester Harbour. Following the estuary inland we reach Fishbourne and the impressive Roman Palace, with its museum and gardens. There's time to discover the reconstructed Roman gardens and probably the best collection of Roman mosaics in the country, plus there's a good tea shop too!
Distance: 4 miles (6.5km)
Total ascent: 450 feet (140m)
We begin our walk near the village of Lodsworth, taking us through rolling countryside to Upperton, where we enter Petworth Park. Created by Capability Brown, we take one of the various routes through this beautiful park, looking out for fallow deer as we make our way to magnificent Petworth House.
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way home.
Abingworth Hall
Country living just got cosier at this former farmhouse. Abingworth Hall is just a skip away from the village of Thakeham at the foot of the South Downs – a landscape of ancient woodland, hidden valleys, chalky cliffs, and high-backed hills so deserving of its national park status finally bestowed in 2010. While the views from the doorstep are as wow-worthy as you’d expect, the walking opportunities around the sightseeing greats such as Devil’s Dyke, Seven Sisters Country Park, Kingley Vale, Parham House, and the Clayton Windmills (known locally as Jack and Jill) are equally standout. You’ll also be within easy driving distance of several historic towns and cities, most fabulously Arundel, Chichester, and Brighton.
Rooms
Designed with your comfort in mind, Abingworth Hall has 27 well-appointed guest rooms available in two categories: Classic and Premium.
Classic Rooms are comfortable en-suite guest rooms, ideal for a peaceful night's sleep. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, and shower gel), and a TV.
Premium Rooms are more spacious en-suite guest rooms*. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel), and a 32-inch TV. Extras include bathrobes, slippers.
We love: The Premium Rooms for views of the impossibly pretty surroundings.
The Choose Your Room service is available at our UK country houses, allowing you the option of choosing and confirming a specific room for an extra charge of £30 per room. This is subject to availability. Upgrade supplements apply.
Room supplements
| Premium single | Premium double/twin | Choose your room |
| £20 pppn | £20 pppn | £30 per room |
*Views and layout reflect each properties unique character and location
*Please note, pool opening hours are: 07:00am – 09:00am and 16:00pm – 18:30pm
About your stay
A warm welcome
We want you to feel comfortable from the moment you arrive. You’ll find a welcome pack in your room with guest registration forms, menus, order forms for dinners and picnic lunches, the Wi-Fi password, and the front door code. Our houses are locked at night, so we recommend noting the Duty Manager’s number on arrival in case of an emergency (or getting locked out).
Evening entertainment
While evening entertainment varies from house to house, HF Holidays Inter-House Quiz night held after dinner on Wednesdays is a weekly staple. Your HF Holidays leader may be around for tips on guided and self-guided waking routes as well as visit-worthy local attractions.
Walks talks
Our HF Holidays walk leaders host guided walking information briefings before dinner on guided walking holiday arrival days. This is followed by a group Walks Talk for information on the following day’s guided walks (held before dinner every evening). Self-guided walking guests are, of course, welcome.
The walking day
Prior to setting off on guided walks, your HF Holidays Leader will run you through a short safety briefing. There’s also an up-to-date weather forecast on display at the house to ensure you have appropriate clothing and footwear. If you choose to do your own walks or are on a self-guided walking holiday, we ask that you please complete an Independent Walker Card each day. These can be found near the Discovery Point in the house.
Food & drink
Seasonal dining, tailored for you
Our team of skilled chefs design our dinner menus to showcase the best of each season, from warming winter comfort food to vibrant summer dishes, including vegetarian, vegan and high-protein options. We also source fruit and vegetables within a 40-mile radius of each house, open every break with a Chef’s Special menu inspired by dishes and flavours of the local area, and are able to adapt dishes to suit special dietary requirements.
Welcome Cream Tea
What better way to start your stay than with a cream tea, served fresh on arrival to make you feel instantly at home. A quintessentially English tradition, our scones are baked in-house and served with preserves and clotted cream, providing the perfect opportunity to meet fellow walkers.
A hearty breakfast to start the day
Start the day with a freshly-prepared cooked breakfast and a wide choice from our continental buffet, including hot drinks, juices and fresh fruit. Our team offer a quick and friendly service, leaving you fuelled and ready for your day’s adventures.
Our famous picnic lunch
Our personalised picnic lunches are perfect for a day out walking, ready to enjoy when hunger strikes. Choose from a large selection of fresh sandwiches and salads, freshly baked cakes and snacks, including the ever-popular Freddos chocolate bar! Everything is designed to fit neatly into your rucksack, and all of the packaging we provide is recyclable or compostable.
3-course evening meals
Our à la carte evening menus feature a wide choice of starters, mains, and desserts, made with seasonal ingredients and, wherever possible, herbs and vegetables from our own gardens. Shared around sociable tables, dinners are relaxed occasions, with drinks available to order at the table or from the bar, and a traditional Sunday roast to round off the week.
Accessibility
For accessibility and assistance information, please contact our expert team on 020 3974 8865 or view the accessibility information online for Abingworth Hall
Getting to Abingworth Hall
Find out more about this location including travel details and room types.
More InformationAddress
Abingworth Hall
Storrington Road
Thakeham
West Sussex RH20 3EF
Tel: +44 (0)1798 813636
By train
The nearest station is Pulborough.
Pulborough station has a short platform, so you’ll need to check the departure boards for which carriage to sit in.
National Rail have up-to-date routes and train times.
By taxi
The six-mile journey from Pulborough railway station takes about 15 minutes.
It’s best to avoid arriving at Pulborough station between 2:50pm and 3:20pm as there may not be any taxis available due to school pick-ups.
For pricing, please contact the taxi company directly.
MJ Cars
You can pre-book a taxi from with MJ Cars*. We recommend booking your taxi at least seven days in advance by contacting:
Tel: +44 (0)1903 745414
Email: mjcars@btconnect.com
A return journey can be arranged on your behalf by the HF Holidays House Manager at Abingworth Hall.
*MJ Cars is not owned or managed by HF Holidays.
Sue's Private Hire
You can pre-book a taxi with Sue's Private Hire* by phone, text or email. Please pre-book asap as there are no taxis based at Pulborough Station. Your journey will be mostly with a lady driver and an electric car.
Tel: +44 (0)1798 874848 / +44 (0)7918 137066
Email:- sueph520@yahoo.com
*Sue's Private Hire is not owned or managed by HF Holidays and prices are subject to change
By car
From the M25
Take either the A24 or the M23 and then the A264 towards Horsham. At the Great Daux roundabout go south on the A24 towards Worthing. Go straight over two roundabouts and then at the traffic lights turn right onto the A272 to Billingshurst and Petersfield. After three miles turn left onto the B2139. Abingworth Hall is approximately four miles from this junction on the left hand side (go past Abingworth Meadows and Thakeham Pre-School).
From the M27
Continue onto the A27 around Chichester. At the second roundabout take the first exit on to the A29, then the second exit on to the B2139 to Storrington. At the mini roundabout, take the second exit onto the A283. Continue through Storrington then turn onto the B2139 towards Thakeham. Continue straight ahead at the traffic lights, and then take the first exit at the mini roundabout then the first exit. Continue down this road until you reach Abingworth Hall on the right.
By air
The nearest airport is Gatwick Airport.
The easiest way to get from Gatwick Airport to Abingworth Hall is by taxi, a 29-mile journey taking around 40 minutes.
The UK has a famously unpredictable climate so it's best to be prepared for weather that’s sunny one minute and raining the next. To make it easier, here’s a list of items you should consider packing.
Essentials
- Suitable footwear such as waterproof walking boots that provide ankle support and good grip
- Waterproof and windproof jacket
- Comfortable clothing (jeans & waterproof capes are not suitable)
- Mid-layer(s) to keep you warm. Fleeces make a good choice
- Waterproof overtrousers
- Gloves and a warm hat
- Rucksack with waterproof liner
- Flask for hot drinks
- Water bottle (at least 1 litre capacity)
- Sunscreen
- UV sunglasses
Recommended
- Several base layers (long-sleeve or short-sleeve)
- Cushioned walking socks to avoid blisters
- First aid kit, including plasters and insect repellent
- Sit mat
- Waterproof pouch for valuables
- Rubbish bag (remember to always leave no trace)
- Wallet/purse
- Camera
- Walking poles
Please note
Admission fees are payable locally and aren’t included in your holiday price, apart from what is stated in the what’s included section. This gives you greater choice, freedom, and flexibility to only pay the entrance fees for the attractions that interest you most. Should you choose to visit all the highlighted attractions during your holiday please see the table below for the approximate totals. If you have National Trust (NT) or English Heritage (EH) membership, please be sure to bring your membership identification with you. We recommend bringing some cash with you for any entrance fees to sites you wish to visit. We recommend bringing some cash with you for any entrance fees to sites you wish to visit.
2025 prices
|
Approx. cost of entrance fees |
3 night holiday |
4 night holiday |
7 night holiday |
|
NT & EH members |
£31.50 |
£41 |
£72.50 |
|
NT members |
£31.50 |
£41 |
£72.50 |
|
EH members |
£31.50 |
£60 |
£91.50 |
|
No memberships |
£31.50 |
£60 |
£91.50 |
Abingworth Hall Calendar
- Guided Walking
- Self-Guided Walking
- Special Interests
- Unavailable to Book
Guest reviews
All holidays are subject to availability. Supplements may apply.
Members save £30 on all prices. Join today! Click here or call us to find out more.
All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. While we make every effort to adhere to the described itinerary, we may take an alternative route, or vary the running order for weather and/or operational reasons.
Holiday prices
| Date (Start - End) | Itinerary | Double / Twin Room | Single Room | Notes / Offers | Trip Notes | Book | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | ||||||||
|
01 Jun - 05 Jun 2026 4 nights |
Sightseeing Walk Single from £709 Double from £809 pp |
from £809 pp |
from £709 |
Trip Notes
|
Book Now | |||
|
07 Sep - 11 Sep 2026 4 nights |
Sightseeing Walk Single from £809 Double from £809 pp |
from £809 pp |
from £809 |
Trip Notes
|
Book Now | |||
|
12 Oct - 16 Oct 2026 4 nights |
Sightseeing Walk Single from £759 Double from £759 pp |
from £759 pp |
from £759 |
Trip Notes
|
Book Now | |||
80Kg of CO₂e
Average carbon footprint per person Learn More
