Littlehampton to Bognor Regis and Pagham Walk

7.6 miles ( 12.2 km) - mainly easy going on hard paths - 1 section of beach walking at low tide on hard sand.

Extension to Pagham Harbour adds: 5.1 miles (8.1 km)

This walks follows the coast from Littlehampton to Bognor Regis. It is an easy walk along sea front paths - there are no cliffs or bays, and navigation is easy - just follow the coast. The seafront path is along a mix of busy seafront promenade through south coast seaside resorts, and quiet paths past seafront homes. There are some stretches of shingle, mostly avoidable.

Leaving Littlehampton, you cross the River Arun via a pedestrian bridge, and head back down the river to the coast, and the nicely situated 'West Beach' cafe (under new ownership).

You then follow a rare bit of undeveloped coast - a shingle beach with sand a low tide backed by fields. You walk behind sand dunes, then a path behind the sea wall (or at low tide, along the beach below the shingle). You pass Climping Beach, mentioned in the 'Wild Swims' book. A local farmer has a large pay car park (£1 per hour) with a tearoom in a seafront field. Limited street parking - Apr-Sep: 30 mins only, Oct-Mar: free

You reach Middleton-on-Sea (a private estate). At one point, there is no coast path, and there are lots of 'groynes' that prevent progress. You can only walk along the beach here at low tide (the sea goes out far enough to walk below the groynes). At high tide there is a little shingle, and a short inland diversion. Just before your way is blocked, head inland between 2 seafront homes along a 'twitten' (alleyway) for 25 metres, then left/west along Old Point (road) then left on Sea Lane to rejoin the coast. If doing the walk in reverse, its: Sea Lane - right on Old Point - right along the twitten at the end. This inland diversion is now part of the official coast path.

Then its seafront path all the way. You pass the nice situated sea front Boat House Cafe, then 100m further on, the Lobster Pot cafe, which is the start of Bognor Regis. The shingle is replaced by sand, and the promenade starts. You pass in front of a 'Butlins'. Just before the pier, there is a kiosk with outside tables on the promenade. On the right (across the road) is a pub that does all day food (The Regis, Brewers Fayre). Head inland for the station by the pier.

This section of the England Coast Path is now open and waymarked. The official route has inland diversions, but you should be OK sticking to the beach except at high tide.

Just to emphasise, this coastal walk is "interesting" rather than "spectacular" (for which, see #cw228 Seaford to Eastbourne, or #cw229 Hastings to Rye),

You could continue along the slightly dreary beach after Bognor Regis to the mouth of Pagham Harbour.

Clambering or low tide (to walk along the beach) is needed in a few places. Eventually, you reach the very picturesque spit at the harbour entrance. Its now a silted up RSPB nature reserve, but was an important harbour in the middle ages. Stagecoach bus 60 runs back to Bognor from Pagham village (about 0.5km inland (every 15 mins / hourly on Sunday, takes 20 mins).

Don't be tempted to walk the 'coast path' around the harbour though - its a long way and very same-ey.

Don't be tempted to try a 'river crossing' either across the harbour entrance either, its a tidal race at mid tide. See historical context of how the harbour entrance has changed over time, and in recent years. The entrance was dredged in the early 2021, so will have changed again.

Just to emphasise, the entrance to Pagham Harbour is very pretty, but the walk to it from Bognor is a little dreary.

• Littlehampton : The Steam Packet and Arun View Inn by river bridge. Many places if you walk down to the beach.
• Littlehampton West Beach : West Beach Cafe
• Climping: Snack Bar (high season)
• Felpham : Boat House Cafe, PO22 7EE. Tables on the promenade
• Felpham : The Lobster Pot, PO22 7AF. Tables on the prom! More upmarket than the Boat House, £10 house wine evenings only. Also evening meals
• Bognor Regis : The Regis (Brewers Fayre)

• Previous : #swc212 (Littlehampton to Bognor Regis)
• Next : There is a long inland diversion around Pagham Harbour (you cannot cross the entrance even at low tide). Church Norton to Selsey Bill is fine but quite short. Then another long inland diversion around Medmerry wetlands. You cannot (legally) cross the entrance but is does look possible. Then inland detours around seafront homes. We pick it up at #swc167 (Chichester to West Wittering)

Trail Report : This walk is part of East Head (Chichester Harbour) to Shoreham, sections (west to east) #2 (Braklesham to) Pagham Harbour East #3 Aldwick to Elmer, #4 Climping to River Adur(Littlehampton),

After the walk, please leave a comment, it really helps. Thanks!

You can also upload photos to the SWC Group on Flickr (upload your photos) and videos to Youtube. This walk's tags are:

National Rail: 03457 48 49 50 • Traveline (bus times): 0871 200 22 33 (12p/min) • TFL (London) : 0343 222 1234

Jan-24 Andrew