Climping Beach
Littlehampton
Edit March 2025 - Due to ongoing coastal erosion, the car park at Climping Beach has shrunk and the toilets and café have had to close, pending relocation. Ongoing work by the environment agency means that the beach is currently a lot less attractive whilst work continues to improve coastal defences. Although the walk itself is still accessible, please be aware of these facts about the beach to avoid disapointment. We have also heard that the parking charges have gone up considerably since our visit.
On this walk, children will enjoy playing on the beach and spotting the houseboats on the river mouth.
Climping beach is large and often empty
The Basics
Time: 1hr 30mins
Distance: 5km
Terrain: Shingle beach, flat but narrow and sometimes overgrown paths
Pushchair: No
Dogs: Yes and beach is open to dogs all year
Refreshments: The Oyster Catcher Inn a short drive away on the A259
Toilets: None
Public Transport: There is no suitable public transport for this walk
Parking: Car Park at Atherington at end of Climping Street - charges apply, £2 for an hour, £10 after (Postcode: BN17 5RN - W3W: author/owners/smiles)
Colourful houses in Littlehampton beside the River Arun
A glance at a map will show that much of the West Sussex coastline is built up with a breaks of countryside remaining. This walk follows one of those gaps to offer the best of coast and country to your left and right!
The Route
Turn right at the car park and walk to the point where the road ends. Go right and walk along the left side of a long bank of shingle. After around 100m, take the path on your left heading away from the beach.
As you travel up the farmland, you will see a narrow footpath going right across the middle of a field. In the summer this is a beautiful meadow of wildflowers. Cross the little wooden plank bridge over a stream and enter another field. When you see a footpath sign pointing right, take this path with the edge of the field to your left. After a short time, the path will dip in to the vegetation on your left.
In summer the first section through the undergrowth is a magical swathe of cow parsley. Further along however, the parsley gives way to quite a lot of nettles. Wear long sleeves and trousers!
You will pass The Mill and then a golf course will become visible on your right. Continue on the path along the full length of the golf course and eventually you will arrive at Littlehampton.
Turn right when you get to a lane and immediately look for the narrow footpath going towards the marina. Along this path you will spy colourful houses and houseboats.
When you arrive at West Beach car park, turn right along a boardwalk through sand dunes. This will curve round and quite quickly bring you to the beach via steps.
It is now a walk on shingle at high tide, or sand at low tide along the beach all the way back to Climping. At low tide, the beach here is enormous with plenty of sand. As much of the beach is backed by countryside, it tends to be one of the quietest stretches around and you can have plenty of space to yourself, even on the hottest of summer days.
Did you know?
Climping Beach is a 32 hectare site of Special Scientific Interest owing to its rare habitat of vegetated shingle.
If you enjoyed this walk…
…try this one at Church Norton along another undeveloped section of the West Sussex coastline
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