SWC Free Walk 167, Chichester to West Wittering, 8/7/13.

This was a lovely 12.5 miles of walking from the cathedral city of Chichester to the West Sussex resort of West Wittering. Utilising the 'New Lipchis Way', the walker is soon passing the old basin in Chichester and walking along the pleasant Chichester Ship Canal, which is still used by pleasure craft as far as the village of Donnington. Beyond here, the canal is more overgrown, but this provides a home to more wildlife; indeed, as the walker enters the marina, the least interesting part of the walk, it even provides a watery home to a number of humans! After the canal enters Chichester harbour, the path moves inland slightly for lunch in the village of West Ichenor. Thereafter, it was much quieter, and very pleasant walking along the shoreline, often under welcome tree cover on this very hot day. Several miles later, the walker arrives at the National Trust's East Head, a classic sand dune spit. Then, it's along West Wittering's busy (even on a non-school holiday Monday!) expanse of sandy beach, prior to a small detour back into the village for a bus back to Chichester. (Though technical difficulties were experienced with the handicam today, it was possible to film some glimpses of the cathedral's famous resident, the Peregrine Falcon! A real bonus to what was a delightful day's walking!).