Ye Olde Fish and Chippe Shoppe (West Sussex)

Middleton-on-Sea beach is a great family beach that has a high water pebble area and then sand at mid to low tide, when you can walk for miles in either direction to Bognor Regis or Littlehampton. The beach has a high pebble bank with some grass area, but the pebbles can be steep to go down. You have good rock pools at low tide around the rock coastal defence that sit off the beach towards Elmer and these sea defence rocks also provide some natural protection from any on-shore wind. It is very hard to park by Middleton-on-Sea beach as the area is backed by private estates with no vehicle access, although a few public footpaths lead from the main road to the beach with some parking in the village center. On a positive, due to parking difficulties, you will always have plenty of space to spread out. You have no facilities on the beach but close by in Middleton-on-Sea you have a couple of pubs, chippy, cafe and shops.

Elmer Sands beach is a typical West Sussex pebble beach with a high water steep pebble bank and wooden groynes. As the tide goes out the beach expands into flat compact sand. You have some very interesting rock islands which form part of the local sea defence that at low tide become accessible and are great to explore for shells, shrimps and crabs, although be careful about climbing them. Elmer along with its immediate neighbour Middleton-on-Sea are excellent family beaches for all ages, great for beach games, rock pools and when at low-tide the water is very shallow making ideal conditions for swimming and beginner water sports as you can stand-up. If you get bored of just sitting on the beach at mid to low tide you have a nice easterly walk away from the built-up area towards Climping Beach where you can have a cake and ice-cream before heading back. The beach is very hard to get access due to the private beach-side estates that are common on this stretch of coast but this is the greatest benefit as it limits the number of people on the beach even on very hot summer days to locals and those staying nearby. The beach has no facilities with the closest being some shops and pubs located on the main road just back from the beach. The Elmer Sands Sailing Club does have an outside shower and the Elmer Sands estate has a grass playing field with basketball hoop and a small children’s play area.

Felpham beach is a combination of pebbles and sand divided by groynes like most the West Sussex beaches. As the tide goes out you have rock pools and large areas of flat beach. At the back of the beach you have rows of beach huts with nice grass areas in front. Felpham beach sits next to Bognor Regis beaches and is more built up with concrete promenade than its more easterly neighbours of Middleton-on-Sea, Elmer Sands and Climping. Felpham beach tends to attract more locals than tourists as it located behind the village, with most tourists heading to Bognor Regis. Facilities include cafe, shop, toilets, beach huts, promenade, Felpham sailing club, tennis courts and putting green. Parking can be hard on a summer day but you can park either in the side roads or there is a large car park in the village.

The East Beach at Bognor Regis is a pebble beach at high tide and sand at low tide. The beach runs from the pier up to the Butlins Holiday camp. Backing the beach is a wide flat concrete promenade with a selection of kiosks selling hot/cold drinks and food along with beach goodies. The east end of Bognor Regis beach is by Butlins Holiday camp and has facilities and a slipway for boats and is popular with jet skis. Car park and parking on the road (pay and display), toilets and showers, deck chair hire, seasonal children’s entertainment subject to weather conditions, slipway, kiosks. A land train runs the length of East Beach along the promenade and the town centre is just a short walk back from the promenade.

The Hatter’s Inn is a Wetherspoon pub in Bognor Regis, West Sussex. Our pub offers a range of real ales, craft beers and freshly ground Lavazza coffee. Breakfast is served until noon, with our full food menu available until 11 pm.    

Bognor Regis Pier sits in the town centre and splits the beach. The pier has a small amusement arcade and is popular for pier fishing.