Beachcomb at Littlehampton West Beach, Littlehampton
Littlehampton West Beach feels wild – an uninterrupted stretch of sand extending as far as the eye can see, flanked by sand dunes and turquoise waters.
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.
Visit the Littlehampton West Beach website
Visit the Discovering Fossils website
Further Information
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
Ratings
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.
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