# Day trips from West Marden: Petworth, Arundel, Midhurst, Portsmouth and Butser Hill > From The Marden in West Marden, Petersfield and Queen Elizabeth Country Park are about 15 to 20 minutes by car, Midhurst about 25, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard about 35, and Petworth and Arundel about 40. Butser Hill, 11 miles away, is the highest point on the South Downs chalk ridge at 271 m. Several places shut for winter: Arundel Castle reopens on 25 March 2027. - **From the farm:** 8 to 21 miles, 15 to 40 minutes - **Open all winter:** Petworth park, WWT, Dockyard, QECP - **Closed for now:** Arundel Castle, Butser Ancient Farm - **Best for:** One big outing in a week’s stay ## Petworth and Arundel Petworth is about 19 miles and 40 minutes east. The National Trust house is a 17th-century mansion holding one of the Trust’s best art collections, with Van Dyck, Turner and Gainsborough. Around it is a 700-acre deer park laid out by Capability Brown and painted by Turner. On the 2026 listing the house opens 10:30am to 4:30pm and the deer park 8am to 8pm, with house and garden closed on 24 and 25 December. A Christmas season is reported from 28 November 2026 to 3 January 2027. We could not confirm the rest of the winter, so check the [National Trust page](https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/sussex/petworth). Parking is £4, or £3 in the north car park, and free for members. Dogs can run under close control in the park and go on short leads in the Pleasure Garden, but not in the house. Arundel Castle is about 21 miles and 40 minutes. Its history starts in 1067, and the Norman keep, medieval gatehouse and barbican survive beside a house rebuilt in Gothic style in the late 19th century. It is closed for the winter and reopens on Thursday 25 March 2027. The tulips are usually at their peak in mid to late April. Just beyond it, [WWT Arundel](https://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/arundel) is a wetland reserve with guided boat trips through the reedbeds. It opens 10am to 4:30pm on 364 days a year, shut only on Christmas Day, with last admission an hour before closing. Assistance dogs only. ## Midhurst, Cowdray and Petersfield Midhurst is about 12 miles and 25 to 30 minutes. The Cowdray Ruins, the shell of a great Tudor house, are closed for general visits and open only for heritage events and guided tours, which cost about £7 to £12 in 2026. The Cowdray Farm Shop at Easebourne is open Monday to Saturday 9am to 6pm and Sunday 9am to 5pm. Polo is a summer thing: the 2026 season ran from 18 April to 20 September, with the [Gold Cup](https://themarden.co.uk/events/cowdray-gold-cup-polo) final in July. Petersfield is about 9 miles and 20 minutes. Its Christmas Market, with 100 stalls, is on Sunday 13 December 2026. It also has the fastest trains to London, in just over an hour. See [getting here](https://themarden.co.uk/local/getting-here). ## Portsmouth Historic Dockyard About 16 miles and 35 minutes. HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and the Mary Rose are all here, most of it under cover, which makes it the best wet-day outing within reach. From November to March it opens 10am to 5pm with last entry at 4pm, and it is closed from 24 to 26 December. Some ships have timed entry or close for maintenance in winter, so book ahead on the [Dockyard site](https://historicdockyard.co.uk/). The Spinnaker Tower, 170 m tall, is close by. ## Queen Elizabeth Country Park and Butser Hill The nearest of the lot: about 8 miles and 15 minutes. [Queen Elizabeth Country Park](https://www.hants.gov.uk/thingstodo/countryparks/qecp) is Hampshire’s largest, 2,000 acres of woodland and downland. Entry is free and you pay to park. The visitor centre and café open from 10am to about 5:30pm in summer and 4:30pm in winter, and close on 24 and 25 December. Dogs are welcome and there is a dog activity course with eight obstacles. E-bikes can be hired at the park, and the South Downs Way runs through it. Butser Hill, inside the park, is 271 m (889 ft) and the highest point on the South Downs chalk ridge. Its own car park is about 11 miles and 25 minutes from the farm. It is also a Dark Sky Discovery Site. Butser Ancient Farm, with its reconstructed Stone Age, Iron Age, Roman and Saxon buildings, is closed for general admission until spring 2027. Events and workshops carry on through the winter and are booked online. ## From the farm A week gives you time for one or two of these and plenty of days when the car stays put. For a short winter stay, pick by the weather: Petworth park or Butser Hill if it is dry, the Dockyard if it is not. Two couples sharing the driving usually take [Keepers](https://themarden.co.uk/stay/keepers). Families take [The Old Stables](https://themarden.co.uk/stay/the-old-stables) or [Barley Cottage](https://themarden.co.uk/stay/barley-cottage). Outside school holidays we take shorter stays, and there is more on [short breaks from London](https://themarden.co.uk/breaks/short-breaks-from-london). ## Questions ### How far is Petworth House from West Marden? About 19 miles by road, around 40 minutes by car from The Marden. Parking is £4 in the main car park and free for National Trust members. ### When does Arundel Castle reopen in 2027? Thursday 25 March 2027. It is closed over the winter. The 2026 season ran from 1 April to 2 November. ### Can you visit Cowdray Ruins? Not on a general ticket. The ruins at Midhurst are open only for heritage events and guided tours, which were about £7 to £12 in 2026. ### Is Butser Ancient Farm open? Not for general admission until spring 2027. Events and workshops continue through the winter and need booking online. ### What is the highest point on the South Downs? Butser Hill, at 271 m (889 ft), is the highest point on the South Downs chalk ridge. It is in Queen Elizabeth Country Park, about 11 miles from West Marden. ### How far is Portsmouth Historic Dockyard from West Marden? About 16 miles, around 35 minutes by car. From November to March it opens 10am to 5pm with last entry at 4pm, and it is closed from 24 to 26 December. ## Related - [Days out near Chichester with kids, by age and for when it rains](https://themarden.co.uk/local/family-days-out.md) - [Singleton and West Dean: the Weald & Downland Museum, West Dean Gardens and the Trundle](https://themarden.co.uk/local/singleton-and-west-dean.md) - [The South Downs Way and other long paths near West Marden](https://themarden.co.uk/local/south-downs-way.md) - [Getting to The Marden: by car, train and bus](https://themarden.co.uk/local/getting-here.md) - [Where to stay for the Cowdray Gold Cup polo](https://themarden.co.uk/events/cowdray-gold-cup-polo.md) - [A two or three night break in the South Downs, from London](https://themarden.co.uk/breaks/short-breaks-from-london.md) ## Booking Book direct with The Marden at https://themarden.co.uk (no booking fees), or message us on WhatsApp: https://wa.me/447822026091. West Marden Farm, West Marden, Chichester, West Sussex PO18 9EN. Page: https://themarden.co.uk/local/day-trips · Last updated 2026-11-14