local

The South Downs is ideal walking country, and for guests who want to forget their cars for a while and take to the Sussex byways, there are many delightful villages with ancient churches, manor houses and pubs within a few miles of Southdowns Country Hotel.

Goodwood, with its racecourse and historic house; Petworth, with its antique shops and ancestral seat of the Wyndhams; and the Cathedral towns of Chichester and Winchester. Literary pilgrims are not far away with the homes of Gilbert White at Selborne and Jane Austen at Chawton.

It should be pointed out that most of the churches in the area offer comprehensive guide books for sale, or at least a potted history framed somewhere on the walls. Official guides for the Midhurst area are also available from the local Tourist Information office in Midhurst.

Further things to do and see in the area

• Historic Uppark House - National Trust
• Petworth Park and House - National Trust
• The Mary Rose and the Victory - historic ships at Portsmouth
• Queen Elizabeth Country Park
• Golf at Cowdray Park, Petersfield and Goodwood
• Goodwood House and Motor Racing Circuit
• Horse Racing at Fontwell and Goodwood racecourses
• Antique shops and fairs at Petworth, Midhurst and Petersfield
• Cowdray Park and historic ruins at Midhurst
• Weald and Downland Museum at Singleton
• Chichester and Portsmouth Harbour and south coast beaches
• Arundel Castle
• Chilsdown Vineyard
• West Dean Gardens

Further information about Midhurst and the surrounding area, can be found at the Midhurst Chamber of Commerce website.