West Beach and the dunes: the back story

About West Beach and the dunes: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Brighton Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

West Beach, across the river from the town, is a local nature reserve and part of the Climping Beach Site of Special Scientific Interest, with one of only two sand dune systems in West Sussex and the ruins of Littlehampton Fort.

Cross the Red Bridge and walk down the west bank of the Arun, and within fifteen minutes the town falls away. Ahead lie dunes, marram grass and a wide beach that, at low tide, seems to go on for ever. West Beach is Littlehampton’s wild side.

A wilder shore

West Beach was declared a Local Nature Reserve in 1995. It is also part of the Climping Beach Site of Special Scientific Interest, which has national protection. The reserve takes in sand dunes, vegetated shingle, sand flats and a small patch of saltmarsh, and it is home to rare and protected wildlife.

Check opening times and trains on the official sites before you travel.

The dunes

The dunes here are one of only two sand dune systems in West Sussex. Keep to the paths and boardwalks: the plants that hold the sand together are fragile, and the council publishes a management plan explaining how it looks after them.

The fort in the sand

Behind the dunes lie the remains of Littlehampton Fort, completed in September 1854 to guard the harbour mouth. It had three 68-pounder and two 32-pounder guns, two underground magazines and barracks for its garrison, and it pioneered the loopholed Carnot wall later improved at Shoreham. Today its brick walls are largely covered by sand and grass. The visitor guide adds that, if you look hard enough, you might find fossils on the beach.

Visiting

You can reach West Beach on foot over the Red Bridge opposite the station, or by car; there is a small car park and public toilets, with a seasonal car park in summer. The beach is also home to the West Beach Café.

Our advice: walk out on a falling tide for the widest sands, follow the town council’s Littlehampton and Climping circular walk through the woods and fields, and leave the dunes as you found them.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with West Beach and the dunes: the back story before you go.