Bomb Hole

Just outside Arundel, there's a rather stark reminder of World War II that most visitors to Sussex completely miss. The Bomb Hole is exactly what it sounds like - a crater left behind when a German bomb landed during the war, and the ground never quite recovered. Walking up to it, you're struck by how the landscape simply drops away, a perfect circular depression that's been left to its own devices for eighty years now.

It's not a manicured attraction with interpretation boards or a visitor centre. There's no admission fee because there's nowhere to pay. What you get instead is something raw and honest - a tangible piece of wartime damage that still marks the countryside. The hole itself is maybe thirty feet across, surrounded by scrub and woodland, and you can stand at the rim and really feel the weight of history. It takes about twenty minutes to walk around it properly, though you could spend longer just thinking about what happened here.

Historically minded visitors will find it genuinely moving. Kids might find it interesting for five minutes, then want to move on. If you're staying at one of the caravan sites nearby - Old Farm Slindon is closest at three miles - it's worth a short detour while exploring the Arundel area. Pair it with a walk around Arundel Castle grounds or along the River Arun for a fuller day out. Go when it's not raining, or the walk becomes properly muddy.