A gorgeous location just over an hour from London looks just like a ‘fairytale’ come to life – as it has idyllic gardens to walk around in and breathtaking castle views
You could escape to a “real-life fairytale” location just a stone’s throw away from London. We all want to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life once in a while, and if you’re looking for a day trip that will whisk you away to somewhere peaceful and serene, then this walk through stunning castle gardens might be just what you need.
Getting out and about in nature can do wonders for both our physical and mental health, and there are countless gorgeous places to go for a walk in the UK. One idyllic walk that comes with gorgeous gardens and breathtaking castle views was recently posted on social media – and it takes just over an hour to get to from central London.
A Sussex couple named Cat and Nathan shared the walk on their TikTok account, where they described it as “a real-life fairytale” that they had no idea had been “on their doorstep” for years.
The location in question is Arundel Castle, a restored and remodelled medieval castle in Arundel, West Sussex. It boasts gorgeous gardens that you can wander through at your leisure, and you can also explore the inside of the castle – or simply take in its stunning view from the outside.
Arundel Castle is the current holder of the Historic Houses Garden of the Year Award, which they won in November last year. The gardens, which are spread over 38 acres, are split into various distinct sections, including a tropical garden, a rose garden, a wildflower garden, and even a kitchen garden that is full of fruits and vegetables.
It’s not all flowers, either, as there are plenty of landscape pieces such as the Earl’s garden, which has Italianate terraces, pergolas, and the recently refurbished Antler’s Temple.
In the caption of their video, Cat and Nathan wrote: “Can’t believe this has been on our doorstep for years. Honestly, this was the most beautiful day, seeing the castle up close and walking around the grounds, just wow. I’d definitely recommend bringing a picnic on a nice summer’s day, too!”
Commenters on the couple’s video were blown away by the stunning scenery they’d captured in their clip, with many asking how to get to it. Others who already knew about the castle even jokingly told the couple to delete their video, stating that they don’t want their peaceful getaway ruined by other people.
One person said: “I went last week, and I try to go every year for the tulip festival. It’s just so beautifully stunning.”
Another added: “Absolutely amazing, just peace all the way through.”
A third posted: “Wow it looks so beautiful and peaceful! I have to add it to my list of places to visit.”
To visit Arundel Castle from London, you would need to make your way to Victoria train station and then take the Southern service to Bognor Regis, getting off the train at Arundel. This train takes around 1 hour and 20 minutes, and it’s a short 15-minute walk from the train station to the castle.
Entry to Arundel Castle is not free, and ticket prices depend on what you want to get from your visit. If you want to visit the castle itself and the gardens, tickets cost £29 for adults and £13 for children. However, if entering the castle doesn’t interest you, you can purchase garden-only tickets, which cost £17 per adult and £8 per child.
The castle gardens are open from 10am to 5pm, and last admission is at 4pm. The gardens are closed on Mondays, except for bank holidays and in August, when they are open every day of the week.
