Preface: Story Trails

A.A. Milne and his son Christopher Robin discovered Ashdown Forest together. 

We decided to follow in their footsteps and create our own Winnie-the-Pooh story trail. 

We used a walking route we found online (full details below) and our copies of Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner .

Introduction: “We’re All Going On An Expotition…”

Like Winnie-the-Pooh, we called our expedition an ‘Expotition’.

We chose three areas of Ashdown Forest to visit: 

• Pooh Corner, Hartfield village (to set the scene at the Poohseum and to pick up maps so my children could ‘plan’ the Expotition over lunch)
• Pooh Bridge car park (as the first chapter of Winnie-the-Pooh starts at Pooh’s house, which is next to Pooh Bridge)
• Gills Lap car park.

Chapter 1: Pooh Corner 

Our Expotition began with lunch at Pooh Corner, a tea room and museum dedicated to all things Winnie-the-Pooh, which helped to set the scene for our story trail. 

We also had a good look at the map in the front of the books, which you also can see here on the EH Shephard website.  

The Pooh Corner staff are lovely and happy to give advice on places to visit in Ashdown Forest with maps.

Chapter 2: Pooh Bridge 

Pooh’s House 

Winnie-the-Pooh’s tree stump house is very near to Pooh Bridge.  

To find it, walk to the bridge from Pooh Bridge car park, cross the river and Pooh’s house is a very short walk away on the left of the path.  

When you find it, don’t forget to knock and “Rnig Also” to see if anyone is home!

Pooh Bridge 

This picturesque spot is where Pooh invents the game of Poohsticks.  

The bridge jumps straight out of the pages of the books, having been rebuilt in 1979 to match Shepard’s illustrations. 

Piglet’s House

You can find Piglet’s tiny house in the woods to the left of the main path (when walking back to Pooh Bridge car park).

Owl’s House

Owl’s high up house is there for the finding too.

Chapter 3: Gills Lap 

Note: We followed the walking route linked to below but in reverse because I wanted our trail to end at the Enchanted Place, the location for the last line of the books.  

These places and the route are shown on the map linked to below. 

Eeyore’s Sad and Gloomy Place (map marker 6)

We didn’t walk all the way to Eeyore’s Gloomy Place – it’s a long way and the name didn’t exactly sell it as a destination!  

Instead, we walked a little way past the stream and gazed across at the Gloomy Place before heading back to the stream and Quarry car park. 

The North Pole (map marker 5)

A little stream runs through this part of the forest and is believed to be the spot where Roo falls into a pool of water and Pooh finds the North Pole.   

Roo’s Sandy Pit (map marker next to the Quarry car park)

This former quarry is now overgrown and is where Pooh and his friends trick Kanga into leaving with Piglet instead of Roo.

The Milne and Shepard Memorial (map marker 3)

The memorial plaque commemorating A.A. Milne and E.H. Shephard has a stunning location

with places to sit and have a picnic or rest tired legs whilst marvelling at the view.

The Heffalump Trap (map marker top left)

If you are brave enough, you can build your own Heffalump trap in this Very Deep Pit dug by Piglet. 

But be careful, Christopher Robin spotted Heffalumps just lumping along in this part of the forest…

The Enchanted Place (map marker 2)

Our final stop, the Enchanted Place, is mentioned in the last line of The House at Pooh Corner, which makes me cry every time: 

“…in that enchanted place on the top of the Forest a little boy and his Bear will always be playing.”

Notes: Planning Your Expotition

Maps and Leaflets

The Pooh Corner staff give advice on which places to visit in Ashdown Forest and also have a little expotition map for children. 

I also printed this map and guide I found on another website called Pooh Walks from Gills Lap.

The Paths

The conditions along the paths varies – some parts are uneven and steep and others are flatter and easier.  

I have easily taken an all terrain buggy to Pooh Bridge from the Pooh Bridge car park but would opt for a sling when exploring the area around Gills Lap car park.

Nearest Town: Hartfield, Ashdown Forest, near East Grinstead
County: East Sussex
Nearest Postcode: TN7 4AE, TN7 4EX and TN7 4EN

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free 

Where to Eat: Eat at Pooh Corner Tea Rooms or bring a picnic and eat in Ashdown Forest.
Facilities: None but there is a cafe offering snacks and ice cream at the Pooh Bridge car park (TN7 4EX). 

How Long We Spent There: Full day
Buggies: You can take an all terrain buggy to Pooh Bridge.  The ground is uneven around Gills Lap. 

Parking: You can park at Pooh Corner (TN7 4AE), Pooh Bridge car park (TN7 4EX) and Gills Lap car park (TN7 4EN). 
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Cattle, deer, ponies, birds, butterflies, other insects, snakes and mammals.

Information Written: September 2022

Our visit to the many enchanted places of Ashdown Forest in Hartfield, near East Grinstead, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Ashdown Forest

The atmospheric Ashdown Forest inspired A.A. Milne to write about the adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh, Christopher Robin and friends.

Pooh Bridge

No visit to Ashdown Forest is complete without a visit to picture perfect Pooh Bridge, where Pooh invented the game of Poohsticks. 

Be sure to pick up some Poohsticks on your walk to the bridge – they can be hard to find, probably because they are all in the stream! 

The Walk

We walk to the bridge from Pooh Bridge car park, which has a little cafe. 

The paths are generally flat and buggy friendly, with a gentle hill leading away from the car park. 

The Houses

Following the path to Pooh Bridge leads you past a little balancing course and down a hill.  

If you leave the path and head into the woods on the right you can find Eeyore’s gloomy house

Piglet’s tiny house

and Owl’s high up house. 

The Bridge

The bridge jumps straight out of the pages of Milne’s stories, having been rebuilt in 1979 to match Shepard’s illustrations. 

Pooh’s House 

Winnie-the-Pooh’s house is in a tree stump very near to Pooh Bridge.  

To find it, walk to the bridge from Pooh Bridge car park, cross the stream and walk a little way up the lane.  

When you get there, don’t forget to knock and “Rnig Also” to see if anyone is home!

Other Story Locations

Ashdown Forest is home to other locations from the Winnie-the-Pooh stories, including Roo’s Sandy Pit, the Enchanted Place, Eeyore’s Gloomy Place and the Heffalump Trap.  

It also has a memorial plaque to A.A. Milne and E.H. Shepard.

For full details, please see my post about how to create your own Winnie-the-pooh Expotition. 

Pooh Corner Tea Rooms and Pooh’seum

A short drive away from Pooh Bridge is the village of Hartfield and Pooh Corner, a tea room and museum dedicated to all things Winnie-the-Pooh. 

The Pooh Corner staff are lovely and happy to give advice on places to visit in Ashdown Forest with maps.

Nearest Town: Hartfield, Ashdown Forest, near East Grinsted
County: East Sussex
Nearest Postcode: TN7 4EX 

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free 

Where to Eat: Eat at Pooh Corner Tea Rooms or bring a picnic and eat in Ashdown Forest.
Facilities: None but there is a cafe offering snacks and ice cream at the Pooh Bridge car park (TN7 4EX). 

How Long We Spent There: Full day
Buggies: You can take an all terrain buggy to Pooh Bridge.  The ground is uneven around Gills Lap. 

Parking: You can park at Pooh Bridge car park (TN7 4EX). 
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Cattle, deer, ponies, birds, butterflies, other insects, snakes and mammals.

Information Written: September 2022

Our visit to Pooh Bridge and the other enchanted places in Ashdown Forest, near East Grinsted, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

The Tea Rooms

The tea rooms have indoor and outdoor seating areas and serve a range of homemade foods that you can enjoy surrounded by memorabilia.

The Pooh’seum

Also inside is a museum dedicated to all things Winnie-the-Pooh, including information on A.A. Milne

signed books 

and lots of photos.  

There are also plenty of toys on display!

Ashdown Forest

Ashdown Forest is the magical heath and woodland that inspired A.A. Milne to write two books about the adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh and friends. 

The Pooh Corner staff gave us advice on where to visit and a little Expotition map for the children.

You can find the houses of Pooh, Piglet and Owl

play Poohsticks on the bridge 

or walk to the real life locations for the Winnie-the-Pooh stories. 

Hartfield Town Croft Playground

Near to Pooh Corner is the Poohscape Play Area, a small, sandy play area with equipment that includes swings, a slide, a climbing frame, a wooden train and picnic tables. 

Nearest Town: Hartfield, Ashdown Forest, near East Grinstead
County: East Sussex
Nearest Postcode: TN7 4AE

Opens: Daily
Cost: The Pooh’seum is free to enter. The tea rooms charge for food and drink orders.  

Where to Eat: Eat at Pooh Corner or bring a picnic and eat at the nearby play area.
Facilities: Tea rooms offering food, snacks, ice cream, a shop and toilets. 

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour
Buggies: Buggy-friendly.

Parking: No car park but there is free parking along the road outside. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Information Written: September 2022

Our visit to Pooh Corner and the Poohscape Play Area in Hartfield, Ashdown Forest, near East Grinstead, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Hartfield Town Croft Playground

This sandy play area has equipment that includes:

• a wooden climbing frame with nets, ropes and a climbing wall
• a slide with a ramp and ladder
• swings 
• toddler swings
• a basket swing 
• a spinning cup
• wooden train 
• a sand pit with a tree trunk and nets to climb on 
• a picnic table
• seats.

To find the play area, keep Pooh Corner on your left and walk down the road. The play area is a short walk and on the left.  

Pooh Corner Tea Rooms and Pooh’seum

Just a short walk from the Towncroft Play Area is Pooh Corner a tea room and museum dedicated to all things Winnie-the-Pooh.

Ashdown Forest

Ashdown Forest is the magical heath and woodland that inspired A.A. Milne to write two books about the adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh and friends. 

You can find the houses of Pooh, Piglet and Owl

play Poohsticks on the bridge 

or walk through the real life places that inspired A.A. Milne. 

Nearest Town: Hartfield, Ashdown Forest
County: East Sussex
Nearest Postcode: TN7 4AG

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free 

Where to Eat: Eat at Pooh Corner or bring a picnic and eat at the play area.
Facilities: Cafe offering snacks, ice cream, a shop, toilets. 

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour
Buggies: Buggy-friendly.

Parking: No car park but there is free parking along the road outside. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Insects, butterflies and birds.

Information Written: September 2022

Our visit to Hartfield Town Croft Play Area or Poohscape in Hartfield, Ashdown Forest is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

West Wittering Beach

West Wittering is an easy beach to visit with children. 

There is a very large car park next to the beach.  There are also a cafe, toilets and accessible toilets.

It can be very busy during warm summer days, with traffic blocking the roads to the beaches. 

East Head

At the very end of the car park is East Head, a wild spit of land managed by the National Trust with shingle and sand beaches, dunes and salt marshes.  

If you are very lucky, you may even spot a seal.

Nearest Town: West Wittering, Near Chichester
County: West Sussex
Nearest Postcode: PO20 8AJ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at the one of the cafes. 
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice cream, picnic area, toilets, and accessible toilets. 

How Long We Spent There: All day
Buggies: Usual beach issues – some paths are uneven and others are sandy. 

Parking: There is a large paid for car park by the beach.
Cost of Parking: Varies with the time of year.  If you book in advance you receive a discount.

Wildlife You Might See: Sea life and seabirds

Information Written: May 2016
Information Checked: August 2023

Our visit to West Wittering Beach near Chichester is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Bracklesham Bay

Bracklesham Bay is a beach a little to the East of the better known West Wittering beach.

Finding Fossils

Fossils can be found all over the beach. The best time to start to look for fossils is from about an hour before low tide when the sea starts to roll back, revealing the sand. 

There are lots of different types of fossils you could discover, including shells, shark teeth and ray teeth.

No Equipment Needed!

You don’t need any special equipment to find these fossils. It is a good idea to bring some towels, containers, and kitchen roll to keep them safe. 

Other Things to Look For

As well as fossils, you can find bits of driftwood, seaweed, shells, crabs, and hermit crabs.

The Beach

We always round our trips off with a visit to The Beach, a relaxed, child-friendly beach restaurant and cafe. 

Watch the Sunset

Billy’s has recently been named as one of the top 25 places in the world to watch the sunset – listed with places like Florida, Bora Bora, and Mexico!

Access to the Beach

The car park is next to the beach so access is generally easy but it can be difficult with a buggy because you have to climb down a steep, stoney slope. 

Access is easier from the slipway next to Billy’s.

The Tides

Be sure to check the tide times before you visit. The beach is a sandy expanse (with shingle) when the tide is out

but the sand disappears quickly as the tide comes in. 

Nearest Town: Bracklesham Bay, near Chichester
County: West Sussex
Nearest Postcode: PO20 8JH

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at Billy’s on the Beach. 
Facilities: Picnic tables, cafe, snacks, ice creams, toilets, accessible toilets. 

How Long We Spent There: 4 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: There is a pay and display car park. It can be very busy on warm days.
Cost of Parking: Various

Wildlife You Might See: Sea creatures and seabirds.

Information Written: January 2017
Information Checked: February 2023

Our visit to Bracklesham Bay beach near Chichester is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Dinosaur Island 

Welcome to Dinosaur Island, a dinosaur-themed adventure play area at Southwater Country Park.

Follow the Footprints

When you arrive, a trail of dinosaur footprints lead you on a five to ten minute walk to Dinosaur Island, where adventure awaits…

Southwater CP Adventure Play Area

The adventure play area is jam-packed with equipment, including:

• basket swings
• toddler swings
• tyre swings
• wooden climbing frames with balance courses and slides
• a long slide with a choice of easy to climb stairs or a cargo net walkway
• baskets suspended in a rope climbing frame
• aerial walkways

• musical walls
• a zip wire
• bridges
• a roundabout
• a seesaw
• a springer
• a spider web climbing frame and
• a sand play area with buckets, pulleys and dinosaur bones to excavate.

Southwater Country Park 

As well as Dinosaur Island, Southwater Country Park has an orienteering course, a lake, a nature area, 

a beach with a swimming area and a water sports centre where you can kayak, canoe, sail and paddle board.

Nearest Town: Horsham, near Crawley
County: West Sussex
Nearest Postcode: RH13 9UN

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: At the cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: Good sized car park.
Cost of Parking: From Various depending on when you visit – please see their website for full details.

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, swans, geese, lizards, butterflies and dragonflies.

Information Written: January 2017
Information Checked: October 2020

Our visit to Dinosaur Island Adventure Play Area at Southwater Country Park in Horsham is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Southwater Country Park 

At the heart of the park is a lake with a beach and swimming area. 

Please note that the beach operates a booking system during the summer holidays – please see their website for details.

Activities

It has an orienteering course and the map is available to buy from the Southwater Country Park Visitor Centre. 

There is also a water sports centre where you can kayak, canoe, sail and paddle board.

Dinosaur Island 

Dinosaur Island Adventure Play Area is a dinosaur-themed adventure play area, where adventure awaits… just follow the footprints!

This is jam-packed with equipment, including swings, slides, things to climb, aerial walkways and a zip wire.

Nearest Town: Horsham, near Crawley
County: West Sussex
Nearest Postcode: RH13 9UN

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: At the cafe or bring a picnic.
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: 3 hours
Buggies: Buggy friendly

Parking: Good sized car park.
Cost of Parking: From Various depending on when you visit – please see their website for full details.

Wildlife You Might See: Ducks, swans, geese, lizards, butterflies and dragonflies.

Information Written: January 2017
Information Checked: October 2020

Our visit to Dinosaur Island at Southwater Country Park in Horsham, near Crawley, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Sand Lizards

If you are lucky you might spot a sand lizard in the sand dunes or fossils in the stones.

Fossils

Fossils can either be found in the pebbles on the beach or in the chalk and flint pebbles exposed at low tide. Many of the larger pebbles, and most complete fossils, can be found at the end of the beach nearest the car park – no long walks required!

We found this fossil, which we think is a flint cast of the inside of an ancient sea urchin (but would be happy to hear otherwise). It is about 2 inches in diameter and has clear markings. The children were delighted. 

Beachcombing

It is not surprising that Littlehampton West Beach is a protected Nature Reserve. We found all sorts of treasures from sharks’ egg cases to cuttlebones.

We even saw a little egret wading in the shallows.

Littlehampton Fort

After leaving we discovered that behind the car park is Littlehampton Fort, which is over 150 years old and was built to protect the entrance to the River Arun from attack.

West Beach Cafe

Next to the car park are public toilets and West Beach Cafe, which serves refreshments and also has breakfast, lunch and dinner menus. From here you can see the River Arun and the contrasting Littlehampton East Beach, with its theme park, promenade and amusements.

Access

The beach is only a short walk from the car park but to reach the sea you have to climb down a steep, stoney slope. 

Nearest Town: Littlehampton
County: West Sussex
Nearest Postcode: BN17 5DL

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or try the West Beach Cafe. 
Facilities: Ice creams, snacks, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: We spent about five hours at West Beach.
Buggies: There is a steep slope down to the sea but I used an all terrain buggy without any issues.

Parking: Good-sized car park
Cost of Parking: From £0.60 in the winter and £1.50 in the summer.

Wildlife You Might See: Sea life, seabirds and sand lizards.

Information Written: June 2017

Our visit to Littlehampton West Beach in Littlehampton is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Standen House and Gardens

Standen House is very unusual to look at.

We enjoyed exploring the gardens – every twist and turn of the paths revealed beautiful plants, hidden ponds and secret stairs, not to mention tulips bursting from every flower bed.

The Little Room Playroom

At the back of the house is an indoor playroom called the Little Room, which was designed by one of the original owners.

It is tucked away at the top of a steep and not very child-friendly staircase.

Inside the Little Room are fancy dress clothes and old-fashioned games, including a tea set, a Noah’s Ark, and puzzles.

The children loved this secret room and we stayed much longer than we had planned.

The Grounds

There are about 100 acres of grounds with woodlands and meadows that can be explored on several different walks.

The Natural Play Area

There is a natural play area called The Plantation, which has a small maze and mud hills to conquer,

a fort made of piled logs, tree stumps to jump on and wooden platforms to climb to.

The Paths

I visited with a buggy without any real problems but the gardens are built into a hillside and have slopes and steps to negotiate.

On several occasions, my path was blocked by a flight of steps but I often found stair-free access was available if you approached from another direction. 

Be sure to have a good look at the map before deciding which way to walk through the grounds.

Nearest Town: East Grinstead, near Crawley
County: West Sussex
Nearest Postcode: RH19 4NE

Adult Cost Range: £10 to £14.99
Child Cost Range: £5 to £9.99
Free if: Under 5 or with National Trust membership

Opens: Daily

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or buy food from the cafe.
Facilities: Cafe, toilets, accessible toilets, picnic area, snacks, ice creams.

How Long We Spent There: 2 hours
Buggies: I used a buggy without any real problems but keep an eye on the map to choose a route without stairs  etc.

Parking: Large car park.
Cost of Parking: Free with entry or with National Trust membership.

Information Written: April 2017

Our visit to Standen House and Gardens in East Grinstead, near Crawley, is summarised below on the basis of free entry with National trust membership. You can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

The Paths through the Baldhorns Copse

The footpath was a little muddy at first but quickly dried out and widened into more of a tree-lined avenue.

When we reached a fork in the footpath we went through the trees…

…and came straight out into a meadow full of butterflies 

and an intricate flower we later identified as an orchid!

Onwards to the Source!

We explored the meadow and then followed a narrow, bramble-lined path back into the woods.

The River Mole

And it was there that we first saw the Mole, although it was more of a stagnant puddle than a flowing river.

A Troll’s Swamp?

“This is definitely a troll’s swamp,” my eldest said as we walked through the trees. I was inclined to agree but wasn’t sure why we both sensed that – maybe the boggy mud or the putrid stench?

The Source of the River Mole

We followed the fledgling river upstream. It narrowed quickly, became a tiny trickle and then disappeared into a hole – the source of the River Mole! The children were thrilled.

A Second Source…

Next to the source of the Mole was the source of the stench – a stinkhorn, something we’d never seen before. Two sources for the price of one – a lucky but smelly find!

Baldhorns Copse

Baldhorns Copse itself is small but fun. We made a den, went bug hunting and played hide and seek.

How to Find Baldhorns Copse

The footpath starts on Horsham Road near to the junction with Steeres Hill (RH12 4PT). 

From the top of Steeres Hill, turn left onto Horsham Road and the footpath is a very short walk away, on the opposite side of the road.

Further down the footpath you come to a fork. Straight on leads to the meadow but via a narrow path. Turning right leads to the source of the Mole and is also an easier way into the meadow.

Nearest Town: Rusper, near Crawley
County: West Sussex
Nearest Postcode: RH12 4PT

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and a blanket. 
Facilities: None

How Long We Spent There: About three hours.
Buggies: I used an all-terrain buggy without any problems.

Parking: There is no car park but we parked on a nearby residential road called Steeres Hill (RH12 4PT). 
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Insects and birds.

Information Written: May 2017

Our visit to the source of the River Mole in Baldhorns Copse in Rusper, near Crawley, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Nymans’ Gardens

The colourful gardens have some magical touches – sculpted bushes children can slip in and out of…

and a Pinetum full of huge pine trees you can play hide and seek amongst and then make hidden dens under.

Others are littered with flowers, have picturesque views or have that secret garden feel!

The Balance Course

Near to the Pinetum is a natural play area with a balance course made of tree stumps. 

The Woodland

We did not have time to walk through any of the woodlands but there is an Arboretum walk, a lake, cascades, a meadow and a 50 metre tall giant redwood.

These woodland walks appear to be on different levels, connected by slopes and in some cases stairs.

The Paths

The majority of the paths around the house are easy to walk on and I used an ordinary buggy without any problems. 

Nearest Town: Handcross, near Crawley
County: West Sussex
Nearest Postcode: RH17 6EB

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Adult Cost Range: From £15
Child Cost Range: From £7.50
Free if: Under 5 or with National Trust membership

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic or eat at the cafe. 
Facilities: Cafe, snacks, ice creams, picnic area, toilets and accessible toilets.

How Long We Spent There: About three hours.
Buggies: Buggy friendly.

Parking: There is a car park that can be very busy. 
Cost of Parking: Free

Wildlife You Might See: Insects and birds.

Information Written: March 2017

Our visit to Nymans in Handcross, near Crawley, is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.

Bognor Regis West Beach

These rocks are at the western end of the beach, near the beach huts. They are visible at low tide. We had read that these rocks are full of fossils and that under the right conditions, the sea also sweeps away the sand to reveal fossil-filled clay underneath.

The Fossils

Unfortunately, when we visited sand was covering the clay and we did not find any loose fossils. We saw a few tiny fossils (1 or 2mm wide) that were embedded in the hard rocks.

Sandcastles and Swimming

 At low tide, West Beach is a great place to build a sandcastle but we suspect that the submerged rocks could make paddling and swimming difficult. 

Access to the Beach

The land is protected by stones so bring a buggy that can cope.

Nearest Town: Bognor Regis
County: West Sussex
Nearest Postcode: PO21 2FZ

Opens: Daily
Cost: Free

Where to Eat: Bring a picnic and a blanket, cafe and refreshment stands.
Facilities: Cafes, ice cream, toilets near the pier. 

How Long We Spent There: 1 hour
Buggies: You need to bring a buggy that can handle the stony slope and sand. 

Parking: There are parking spaces on the road by the beach.
Cost of Parking: Free when we visited (the machines were covered so we could not see when charges apply).

Wildlife You Might See: Sealife and seabirds.

Information Written: January 2017

Our visit to West Beach in Bognor Regis is summarised below and you can add your own rating under ‘User Rating’ or in the ‘Add Comment’ section below.