Littlehampton

Littlehampton sits at the mouth of the River Arun, where the South Downs meet the sea in West Sussex. It is a working harbour town, a family beach resort, and a crossing point on the long coastal route between Worthing and Chichester. The town’s character is defined by water: the tidal Arun splits it, the sea meets the river at the harbour mouth, and the main attractions are all within a short, mostly flat walk of each other. For most visitors, the question is not whether to stop, but how to organise a day around the river crossing, the beaches and the walking connections without getting stuck in a loop.

The harbour and the river crossing

Littlehampton’s harbour sits at the mouth of the River Arun. The river divides the town’s two beaches: the main seafront and pier area lie east of the river, while the west beach and the dunes lie across the water. The Arun is one of the longest rivers in southern England, rising near Horsham and flowing through Pulborough, Arundel, and down to the sea at Littlehampton. The harbour area includes a marina, a lifeboat station and a working commercial quay; it is not a preserved museum port, and marine traffic still uses the river.

The river is tidal here, so water levels, sandbanks and the little passenger ferry that crosses the river all change with the tide. The harbour mouth is managed, and the channel is used by small commercial and leisure craft. The RNLI lifeboat station operates from the harbour; the lifeboat is a working asset, not a visitor attraction, and its availability changes with tide and service. The Harbour Office publishes tide tables, mooring and berth information, plus live webcam feeds; checking these before a visit matters because the harbour entrance and the ferry crossing are tide-dependent. The harbour entrance is not a swimming area, and sandbanks and currents shift, so check local tide tables and harbour notices before planning a crossing.

The pedestrian ferry

The pedestrian ferry across the River Arun links the town centre and the seafront on the east bank with the golf links and the dunes of the west bank. It is a small passenger ferry that runs seasonally and depends on the tide; do not assume it operates all year or in poor weather. Check the harbour authority or the ferry operator’s own notice before planning a crossing. The ferry does not run on every tide or in strong wind. The crossing is short, but it is not a bridge, so it cannot be treated as a guaranteed link.

If the ferry is not running, the nearest road crossing is the A259 bridge upstream, which adds roughly a mile to the walk between the two banks. The ferry’s operating season is weather-dependent and not guaranteed; check the Littlehampton Harbour Board or West Sussex County Council noticeboard before relying on it. You can check the ferry’s daily running status on the Littlehampton Harbour Board’s official channels before setting out.

The two banks

The east bank is where the main seafront, pier and family facilities sit. It is the more developed side, with the town centre, the promenade and the lifeboat station. The west bank is quieter, with a longer stretch of beach, access to the river mouth, and the approach to the estuary mouth. It is wilder, with the dunes and the coast path towards Climping and Bognor Regis. The two banks are connected by the ferry in season and by road bridge further upstream; there is no direct pedestrian bridge at the harbour mouth.

If you are walking the coast path, the river crossing is the one point where the route is interrupted: the path on the east side (towards Worthing) and the west side (towards Bognor Regis) are not connected by a bridge, so you must either use the ferry or return inland to the nearest road bridge. The ferry is seasonal and weather-dependent, so check the operator’s noticeboard before planning a route that depends on it. The alternative is the road bridge at the A259, which adds a detour but is always available.

The beaches

East Beach is the main family beach: flat, sandy at low tide, and close to the town centre, with cafes, toilets and a playground. A long stretch of sand appears at low tide and a promenade runs behind it. The RNLI lifeguard season on the main beach runs during the summer half-term and school holidays; check the RNLI website for the exact dates each year.

West Beach is quieter and more shingle-oriented, popular with dog walkers and those heading toward the Arun estuary. It is shingle-backed and closer to the dunes and the nature reserve. Both beaches are shingle with sand exposed at low tide.

The river crossing between the two sides is the key to joining the full coastal walk. The foot passenger ferry is the practical link, but it does not run at all states of tide or in all weathers.

Beach access and orientation

The east bank of the River Arun holds the town centre, the harbour and the lifeboat station. The west bank has the main beach, the seafront greens and the coast path towards Climping and Bognor Regis. A passenger ferry crosses the river in season; the nearest road crossing is the A259 bridge, which is roughly 1.5 km north of the river mouth.

Practical information

Harbour office: Littlehampton Harbour Board, Harbour Office, Harbour Road, Littlehampton BN17 5LH. The harbour entrance and River Arun are managed by the Littlehampton Harbour Board. The Harbour Office publishes tide tables, mooring and berth information, plus live webcam feeds. The ferry is seasonal and weather-dependent, so check the operator’s noticeboard before planning a route that depends on it.