Coastal walking safety

What to do before you set out

Coastal walking in West Sussex is tidal, tidal and tidal. A safe walk depends on three fixed checks before you lace your boots: tide times, weather forecast, and escape routes. Without those, a pleasant stretch of shingle can become a cut-off ledge within an hour.

The tide range on the West Sussex coast is 4.5 m to 7.0 m on spring tides (UK Hydrographic Office, Admiralty EasyTide). That means the sea can retreat half a kilometre and then return fast enough to flood low-lying paths. Check tides at the UK Hydrographic Office’s EasyTide website for the nearest standard port (e.g. Selsey, Bognor Regis, Littlehampton, Shoreham). Use the day’s high‑water time and height, not a generic table.

The Met Office (South East England) provides the coastal forecast. Wind direction matters as much as speed: a southwesterly pushes waves into the harbour mouths and can make exposed sections dangerous even in a Force 4. Look for the “coastal waters” forecast, not just the land forecast.

Plan your exit points. The West Sussex coastal path (part of the England Coast Path) has a route exit approximately every 1-2 km (West Sussex County Council rights of way data). Mark at least two exits on a paper map or screenshot before you leave. Do not rely on mobile signal, parts of the Selsey peninsula and the Arun valley have no signal (Ofcom coverage data).

The decision rule: when to turn back

Use this three‑point decision rule. If any point is a “no”, do not start or turn around:

1. Tide window, Is there at least two hours between your planned return time and the next high tide? If not, choose a different section or a different day.
2. Weather trend, Is the wind forecast to stay below Force 5 (fresh breeze) and is visibility above 2 km for the whole walk? If rain or fog is due within the window, postpone.
3. Exit guarantee, Can you name two safe exit points within the first 2 km? If you cannot, the section is not safe for a solo or family walk.

Apply this rule even on a sunny morning. The tide does not care about the weather.

West Sussex coastal sections: what to expect

The West Sussex coast runs from the Hampshire border near Emsworth to the Adur estuary at Shoreham-by-Sea. Each section has a different character and hazard.

Selsey Bill to Pagham Harbour

This is the most tide‑sensitive stretch. The beach is shingle and sand, backed by low dunes and saltmarsh. At spring tides the sea reaches the base of the bank in places. The RSPB Pagham Harbour reserve has a visitor centre with tide boards, but do not rely on them, check the UK Hydrographic Office before you leave. The harbour entrance dries at low tide, but the channel fills rapidly. Exit points: the car park at Pagham Harbour (grid reference SZ 857 975) and the footpath to Church Norton.

Pagham to Bognor Regis

A mix of shingle beach and promenade. The promenade is safe at all tides. The beach below the promenade is cut off at half tide. If you walk on the beach, you must be back on the promenade before the tide reaches the sea wall. Exit: every set of steps onto the promenade is an exit, but some are locked in winter, check West Sussex County Council’s public access database.

Bognor Regis to Littlehampton

Mostly shingle with a sea wall. The path is on the wall for most of the distance. The beach is wide at low tide but narrows to nothing at high water. Do not walk on the beach between Climping and Littlehampton, the shingle bank is unstable and the tide can trap you against the river wall. Use the top path.

Littlehampton to Worthing

A continuous promenade and sea wall. The beach is shingle and sand. The main hazard is not the tide but the wind, this section is exposed to southwesterlies. In a Force 6, walking can be difficult and debris can be thrown. Exit: every road junction onto the promenade.

Worthing to Shoreham-by-Sea

A mix of promenade, shingle beach and a short section of chalk cliff at the eastern end near Shoreham. The cliff is actively eroding (West Sussex County Council coastal monitoring reports, annual). Do not approach the edge, the chalk can collapse without warning. The beach below the cliff is cut off at half tide. Use the promenade or the top path.

Erosion: the hidden hazard

Coastal erosion is not a future risk, it is a present constraint. West Sussex County Council’s annual coastal monitoring reports identify Selsey Bill, Pagham, Worthing and Shoreham-by-Sea as areas with active erosion. The cliffs at Shoreham are chalk and flint; they erode by undercutting and collapse. The dunes at Selsey are sand and shingle; they erode by storm surges. Do not stand at the base of a cliff or dune, even if the face looks stable. Do not climb onto eroding banks for a photo.

Clothing and equipment: a checklist for the West Sussex coast

The coastal path surface varies: shingle, sand, clay and chalk (West Sussex County Council rights of way data). Chalk is slippery when wet. Shingle is unstable. Sand can be soft. Use these items:

• Footwear: boots with ankle support for shingle and chalk; trainers are acceptable only on the promenade sections.
• Clothing: layers with a waterproof outer. The Met Office coastal forecast often shows a temperature 3-5 °C lower than the inland forecast. Wind chill on the beach can be severe.
• Sun protection: the coast has no shade. UV reflection off water and shingle is high. Use SPF 50, even on cloudy days.
• Water: no drinking water on the beach. Carry at least 1 L per person for a half‑day walk.
• Map: paper or offline. The England Coast Path is waymarked, but the markers can be missing after storms. A 1:25,000 OS map covers all exit points.
• Phone and backup: save the UK Hydrographic Office tide page and the Met Office coastal forecast before you leave. Signal is unreliable on the Selsey peninsula and in the Arun valley.

Route exits: knowing where you can leave

The West Sussex coastal path has a route exit approximately every 1-2 km. These are not all signed. Know your exits before you start. On a paper map, mark every point where a footpath, road or track leaves the coast. For a family walk, choose a section where an exit is within 500 m of every point on the route. That means you can turn back quickly if the tide, weather or a child’s energy changes.

What to do if you are cut off

If the tide rises faster than expected and you are trapped against a sea wall or cliff:

• Do not try to wade or swim. The current in a rising tide on a shingle beach is strong and the water is cold.
• Move up the beach to the highest point you can reach.
• Call 999 and ask for the coastguard. Give your location using a grid reference or the nearest landmark.
• If you have a whistle or a phone torch, use it to signal.

The RNLI and HM Coastguard cover the West Sussex coast. Their response time depends on the tide and access. The best prevention is the three‑point decision rule.