700 Portsmouth – Bognor – Chichester

Journey Overview

This is an invigorating journey that meanders its way through fascinating sights and places between Portsmouth and Littlehampton, with a change in the historic and delightful city of Chichester.

There can be few more contrasting cities than Portsmouth with its incredible maritime culture and past, dynamic, landmark Spinnaker Tower and fashionable Gunwharf Quays retail and entertainment hotspot. From such incredible beginnings, the interest deepens as the bus makes its way through Fratton and Hilsea, past the gateway to Hayling Island and Emsworth, a pretty old fishing village nestling on the end of Chichester Harbour, with its narrow streets, Georgina houses, walled gardens, mill pond and sumptuous waterside views.

The bus continues to the mesmeric Chichester City Centre with its Roman baths, city wall, amphitheatre (which is now a park) and the old State Street, linking Chichester and London. Here’s there’s roman heritage aplenty, along with fabulous shops, culture and entertainment. Then, it’s a change for a connecting 700 bus onto the bright lights of Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, a picturesque coastal town dating back to Roman times but with modern day seaside fun and games, culture and charm.

A Fab Day Out!

There’s no shortage of things to do to kickstart the day in Portsmouth, including the ultimate retailing and dining experience at Gunwharf Quays, thrills and spills in the amusement arcades along the beach at Southsea or exploring the Historic Dockyard, including one of the several fascinating museums and visits to the Mary Rose and HMS Victory.

Our first recommended place to stop off is in Emsworth and a visit to the Emsworth Museum narrated by the famous author P.G. Wodehouse who incorporated many local names into his books, to the films and oral history recordings produced by other locals. Then, a bit of pleasure boating is worth partaking of and maybe a peruse round one of the art galleries or a coastal walk, with a view over the incredible Chichester Cathedral which will be a taster for a visit which could follow once you’ve got on-board the bus again to Chichester.

Lunch in one of the many fabulous restaurants in Chichester and then the next leg on the 700, this time to Bognor Regis to check out the famous Pier, maybe a round of crazy gold, ride on the promenade train or walk to Hotham Park. If its some bathing on the beach, then Bognor’s brilliant – the East beach is popular, but the West is quieter and also with plenty of sand to devour!

Then the 700 bus beckons again and it’s onto Littlehampton with its pair of award-winning beaches, the delightful River Arun and spacious seafront green. The Littlehampton architecture has also won awards too, including the Stage by the Sea, East Beach Café and Britain’s Longest Bench. From Spring to Autumn, the Littlehampton Ferry also provides invigorating tours of the harbour, whilst a visit to Norfolk Gardens offers great fun – crazy golf, a 9-hole links course, tennis, bowls and a miniature railway offer more enjoyment on a day-out that’s been the ultimate experience of seaside’s finest heritage, scenery and pleasure, with every passing bus stop on this incredible route.

Gateway to the 700: By train to Portsmouth Harbour – the bus starts and finishes at The Hard Interchange outside the station. www.nationalrail.co.uk