UltimateCity Guide Brighton
Our favourites
The red footbridge over the River Arun at Littlehampton, with boats moored below on a sunny day

Beyond Brighton · about 50 minutes west by train

Littlehampton: Our Favourites

Littlehampton, about 50 minutes west of Brighton by train: the harbour at the mouth of the Arun, Heatherwick’s East Beach Cafe and the Longest Bench, the Windmill cinema, and the dunes and Victorian fort of West Beach.

The back story

  1. Town guide

    Littlehampton: the back story

    Littlehampton·In depth

    A port on the Arun since Roman times, a Victorian fort in the dunes, a red footbridge, and a seafront remade by a steel café and Britain’s longest bench.

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  2. Town guide

    The River Arun and Littlehampton Harbour: the back story

    Littlehampton·In depth

    From Roman port to the Red Bridge: the harbour at the mouth of the Arun, its fort, its fishing boats and the riverside walk to Arundel.

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  3. Town guide

    East Beach, the East Beach Cafe and the Longest Bench

    East Beach, Littlehampton·In depth

    A seafront remade by design: Heatherwick’s steel café of 2007 and Studio Weave’s 324-metre bench, with lawns, gardens and a miniature railway.

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  4. Town guide

    West Beach and the dunes: the back story

    West Beach, Littlehampton·In depth

    Across the Red Bridge: a local nature reserve of sand dunes and vegetated shingle, a Victorian fort in the marram grass and miles of open sand.

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Where to stay

  1. By the beach

    East Beach Guest House

    South Terrace, Littlehampton·Boutique guest house

    A dog-friendly boutique guest house on the seafront at East Beach.

    71 South Terrace, Littlehampton BN17 5LQExplore View on map

  2. On the seafront

    Arun Sands

    South Terrace, Littlehampton·Guest house

    A family-run guest house on the seafront at the mouth of the Arun, with eight individually designed rooms.

    84 South Terrace, Littlehampton BN17 5LJExplore View on map

Where to eat

  1. Open every day

    East Beach Cafe

    Littlehampton·Café

    The sculptural seaside café on Littlehampton’s East Beach, open every day for breakfast and lunch.

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  2. Rooftop bar and watersports

    The Beach Littlehampton

    Littlehampton seafront·Seafront restaurant

    A restaurant right on the beach, with indoor and beachfront dining, a takeaway shack and a rooftop terrace.

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Cafés and tea rooms

  1. At the Look and Sea centre

    Harbour Lights Cafe

    Surrey Street, Littlehampton·Café

    The café at the Look and Sea centre by the river, near the harbour.

    63–65 Surrey Street, Littlehampton BN17 5AWExplore View on map

  2. Not for profit

    Creative Heart

    Beach Road, Littlehampton·Community arts café

    A not-for-profit community hub and arts café, with craft clubs, games and a warm welcome.

    42 Beach Road, Littlehampton BN17 5HTExplore View on map

Pubs

  1. Seafood by the Arun

    The Arun View Inn

    Wharf Road, Littlehampton·Riverside inn

    A riverside inn on the Arun, with seafood and British cooking, a full bar and rooms.

    Wharf Road, Littlehampton BN17 5DDExplore View on map

  2. Named after an old inn

    The George Inn

    Surrey Street, Littlehampton·Pub

    The town-centre Wetherspoon on Surrey Street, named after an old inn that stood behind a great elm.

    14–18 Surrey Street, Littlehampton BN17 5BGExplore View on map

What to see and do

  1. By the beach

    Harbour Park

    Littlehampton seafront·Seaside fun park

    The seaside amusement park on Littlehampton’s seafront, with rides for families.

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  2. 324 metres long

    The Long Bench

    East Beach promenade, Littlehampton·Public artwork

    The longest bench in Britain, winding 324 metres along the promenade with seats for more than 300 people.

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  3. Run by volunteers

    Littlehampton Miniature Railway

    Norfolk Gardens to Mewsbrook Park·Miniature railway

    The seafront miniature railway between Norfolk Gardens and Mewsbrook Park, run entirely by volunteers.

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  4. Lessons and hire

    The Beach Watersports

    Littlehampton seafront·Watersports centre

    Kitesurfing, paddleboarding, winging and windsurfing lessons and hire on Littlehampton beach.

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  5. Since Roman times

    Littlehampton Harbour

    River Road, Littlehampton·Working harbour

    The small, busy harbour at the mouth of the Arun, with fishing boats, yachts and a lifeboat station.

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  6. Completed 1854

    Littlehampton Fort

    West Beach, Littlehampton·Ruined fort

    The ruins of a Victorian fort of 1854, half buried in the dunes on the west side of the harbour mouth.

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Arts & Culture

  1. In the Manor House

    Littlehampton Museum

    Church Street, Littlehampton·Museum

    The town museum in the 18th-century Manor House, close to the High Street.

    The Manor House, Church Street, Littlehampton BN17 5EWExplore View on map

Cinema

  1. On the seafront

    Windmill Cinema

    Littlehampton seafront·Cinema

    The seafront cinema showing new films, event cinema and a Thursday-morning film club.

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Parks and gardens

  1. Green Flag since 2005

    Mewsbrook Park

    Hendon Avenue, Littlehampton·Park

    The seafront park beside Littlehampton Wave, with a boating lake, Art Deco shelters and a café.

    Hendon Avenue, Littlehampton BN16 2LXExplore View on map

  2. Golf and tennis

    Norfolk Gardens

    Sea Road, Littlehampton·Seafront gardens

    Seafront gardens with crazy golf, a par-three course, tennis, bowls and the miniature railway.

    Sea Road, Littlehampton BN17 5TJExplore View on map

  3. Quiet and colourful

    Marina Gardens

    St Catherine’s Road, Littlehampton·Garden

    A quiet garden between the town centre and the beach, with bright flower beds.

    St Catherine’s Road, Littlehampton BN17 5JHExplore View on map

  4. Green Flag since 2020

    Brookfield Park

    Worthing Road, Littlehampton·Park and lake

    A park for wildlife on the Worthing Road, with a lake, wildflower meadows and woodland.

    Worthing Road, Littlehampton BN17 6URExplore View on map

  5. Sand dunes

    West Beach Local Nature Reserve

    West Beach, Littlehampton·Nature reserve

    Dunes, vegetated shingle and sand flats across the river, part of the Climping Beach SSSI.

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Walks

  1. Easy and flat

    The promenade walk

    Littlehampton·Coastal walk

    An easy walk from near the station along the Riverside Walk and the seafront promenade.

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  2. Unspoilt coast

    Littlehampton and Climping circular

    West Beach and Climping·Circular walk

    A circular walk along West Beach, through woodland and fields and back along the shingle.

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  3. Past the Longest Bench

    Littlehampton to Worthing Pier

    England Coast Path·Coast walk

    A longer, flat seaside walk on the England Coast Path, past the Longest Bench to Worthing Pier.

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  4. A full day out

    The riverside walk to Arundel

    River Arun·River walk

    A flat riverside walk inland along the Arun all the way to Arundel and its castle.

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Shopping

  1. Every Friday

    Littlehampton Friday Market

    High Street, Littlehampton·Street market

    A weekly market on the High Street: fruit and vegetables, meat, artisan food, gifts and flowers.

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Health and wellness

  1. Freedom Leisure

    Littlehampton Wave

    Sea Road, Littlehampton·Leisure centre

    The seafront leisure centre beside Mewsbrook Park, with an eight-lane pool, a teaching pool and a gym.

    Sea Road, Littlehampton BN16 2NAExplore View on map

  2. Yoga and classes

    Fit M Fun

    High Street, Littlehampton·Wellbeing studio

    A town-centre studio for yoga, yin, chair yoga, strength and dance classes and sound baths.

    38 High Street, Littlehampton BN17 5EDExplore View on map

  3. Small groups

    Echo Yoga & Sound

    Littlehampton·Yoga and sound baths

    Small-group yoga courses, sound baths and day retreats in a retreat space near Rustington.

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Property

  1. Four local offices

    Graham Butt, Littlehampton

    High Street, Littlehampton·Estate and letting agent

    Local estate and letting agents, with offices in Littlehampton, Rustington, East Preston and Angmering.

    75 High Street, Littlehampton BN17 5AGExplore View on map

Getting there and around

  1. Southern

    Littlehampton station

    Littlehampton·Railway station

    The town’s station, about 50 minutes from Brighton by direct train, opposite the Red Bridge.

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  2. Stagecoach

    Coastliner 700 to Littlehampton

    Brighton to Littlehampton·Bus

    Stagecoach’s coast bus from Brighton through Shoreham and Worthing, continuing west to Littlehampton.

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Share your Littlehampton tips

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