Shoreham (Portslade)

West Sussex

Secluded and tranquil pebble beach hidden in front of a working port behind a tall sea wall. Good access - near Hove centre. Many regular users.

Shoreham Naturist Beach

via Geograph

General

Just to confuse everyone this naturist beach is in Portslade, access is via West Hove but locals all seem to call it Shoreham. It is a pebble beach seperated by a high sea wall from the commercial port of Shoreham Harbour. Nevertheless, it is highly prized by the many locals who use it, and a world away from the 'human zoo' of Brighton's main town centre naturist beach by the marina.

Getting There

Satnav postcode BN41 1WF, Google Maps

Drive westward from Brighton into Hove along the sea-front road, Kingsway. Look out for the wind-surfing school at Hove Lagoon on your left. At this point there are traffic lights where the road forks. Turn left, downhill. Then left at the mini roundabout. Grit your teeth and keep going as this road passes some white sea front houses, then some industrial building as it dog-legs and snakes toward the dock area. At last you will see a high concrete sea defence wall to the left. Don't risk parking in the prohibited area behind the wall. The length of this wall together with a wooden continuation marks the naturist area. Double yellow lines which run the entire length of the harbour basin road, apart from some fifty odd neatly marked out parking spaces to the west end of the lorry park. However, this may mean that at peak times the parking spaces will come under pressure and now there will be no other option than to park in town and walk. Get there early is the advice. Most of the nearby residential roads to the north of Kingsway (main sea front road) are now residents parking. You can get onto the beach through one of several gaps in the wall.

By Public Transport / On Foot:

Shortest Route: From Portslade station, walk south, past the shops (including a Tesco) for 700m. At the end turn left, and carry on for 500m. Go down the stairs by the Gather Inn (towards the lagoon). Follow the road at the bottom towards the white sea front houses as below.

Pretty Route: From Hove station, leave by booking hall exit on platform one. There is no nearby 'bus service that gets you to the beach, but a taxi will be about three and a half quid. On foot it will take about 30 minutes. With your back to the station you are facing south Walk down "Denmark Villas" cross over, find the next road down, (George Street - full of shops) walk down, cross over, find the next road down (Seafield Road - full of guest houses) and you are on the Kingsway, the seafront road (opposite a Co-op).Take the road to the right of the Co-op to the promenade. Turn right and walk for about ten minutes to Hove lagoon - at the end of the rows of beach huts on the promenade (between the seafront road and the promenade). Go up on the promenade and walk to your right (from facing the sea). The prom ends and you walk slightly downhill to your right. Pass the entrance marked Private Western Esplanade to turn almost immediately left, signposted England Coast Path and Monarch's Way. The road passes some white sea front houses. Keep walking, follow this road until on your left you see a big wall about fifteen feet high between you and the sea. The naturist beach is behind this, scramble up the bank just before the wall and Bingo! you are there.

From Brighton station go out of the main entrance and find the 'bus stop that has the number 6 stop there. Ask the driver that as you are going along "New Church Road", he gives you a shout to get off at the nearest stop to go down to Hove Lagoon on the seafront road. Church Road runs parallel with the seafront road. The fare is a flat central fare of £1. When you get off this 'bus you can see the sea down the first road to your left - when you cross the road you should be opposite Hove lagoon - follow instructions given above.

Description

The beach is owned by the Shoreham Port Authority who are prepared to turn a blind eye to naturist use provided that they cause no nuisance or interference in the working of the Port by indiscriminate car parking or interfere in any way with any non-naturist use of the beaches. However they decline to declare it official as, being within the Port area, it's not really a public beach. Hopefully it will remain that way for years to come.

Once on the seaward side of the wall one becomes totally unaware of the busy port behind. In front you is the sea and behind you the high wall shuts out most of the noise and all of the dust. However there is no wind protection from West or East and a wind break may be useful. The pebble beach is a drawback and sand is only exposed at low tide so you will also need tough soled shoes and perhaps a rubber mat to sit or lie on.

The West (far) end of the beach was mostly gay, but changes to the parking arrangements are reported to have altered the distribution of beach users with the couples and families now setting up centrally around a gap in the concrete wall and single and single sex couples to the extreme east and west of the beach. The launching of jet skis has also been made easier so watch out for these as they often come in close to have a gawp.

There are a very wide range of ages, and basically, like Brighton & Hove as towns, it's a relaxed and friendly place. Generally people are left to themselves, without interference. At least one (clothed) University student uses it as a place where she can study in peace without the constant interruption and "chat-up" that she experiences elsewhere. There are no dunes or other hideaways which can be a focus for inappropriate activities and consequently one potential source of aggravation and disturbance is missing.

The area is enclosed by the mouth of Shoreham Harbour to the West and private beaches of Hove Seaside Villas to the East, thus it is not on a route from somewhere to somewhere. Furthermore, trudging along a pebble beach has few attractions so there are few excuses for the passing "gawper" or for Mrs Grundy who is looking to be shocked. Unlike the human zoo 3 miles up the road at Brighton, there are no men with binoculars. Don't worry about the Brighton Police helicopter overhead, it is on its way to or from its Shoreham base.

Facilities

There none on the beach itself but the pub by the mini-roundabout on the port's access road serves bar food.

There are toilets and a 'greasy spoon' cafe / snack bar 1 mile further on at the far end of the 'harbour road' by the power station (you can see its chimney). Its too far to walk on the shingle beach (the port road behind it is ok), but there is a council pay-and-display car park.