Tag Archives: shop

Croyde Bay beach review, North Devon

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Croyde is a popular beach, sandwiched between the two longer sandy stretches of beach – Woolacombe Sands to the North and Saunton Sands to the South.

It’s a sandy bay, sheltered by a series of dunes and slopes, and features a rivulet running through the middle of the beach. It has terrific rock pools at either end of the beach, although our rightbeach contacts recommend the northern end of the beach for the best selection. Either way, these are ideal for keeping little ones occupied when not splashing in the water or making sand castles.

Away from the dunes the beach can feel exposed if there’s breeze, so take a wind break and a kite to get the best of both worlds.

Croyde is particularly notable for the waves and water. It’s a reliable surf beach, regularly featuring swell and decent breaks at either end of the bay. Swimmers beware however, as there are significant rip tides even when the swell is relatively low. But this shouldn’t deter you from taking the kids for a paddling session in the shallows.

Beach blurb

See Croyde Bay beach on a map …

Things to note to ensure your trip goes well:

  • Take your nets and head to the north end of the beach for the best rocks pools. Ideal if the weather’s a bit on the cloudy side.
  • Remember to take your kite. Away from the dunes, the breeze is perfect for this.
  • If you’re there to surf then hang around Down End to catch the point break or make use of the reef break at the northern end of the beach (aka Baggy Point) for an hour or so during high tides.

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Area
Rating
Observation
Beach Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Rock pools, big waves, shallow paddling in the sea, and flat sand.
Crowded (1=deserted) Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Fairly popular with all ages, from families with young kids right through to hardcore surf dudes..
Surf Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Waves are usually pretty good. Swimmers need to watch out for strong rip tides..
Sand Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Wide flat sand backed by dunes.
Parking Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Parking is £5 per day but you can park at the nearby campsite (Ruda) for free.
Toilets Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Toilets are free and have baby-changing facilities.
Food Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Devon ice creams available at the beach shop … yummy!
Shopping Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating A well stocked beach shop, plus surf hire.

Review by Mark H

Sandbanks beach review, Dorset

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Sandbanks beach starts on the mile-long peninsula crossing Poole Harbour, stretching for over five kilometres down to Bournemouth. Fabulously soft, golden sand, rocks and shallows make for a wonderful beach day out. It is so narrow at one section that you can see the waves lapping along the edge of both of its sides from the road.

At the height of Summer the water is busy with windsurfers, kite surfers, jet skis, power boats and ships. Water sport equipment, bikes, surf kit are all available for hire. rightbeach thinks Daddy is going to have a great day out! By the car park there is a great adventure playground set on sand. There’s also zorbing and crazy golf ensuring there’s something entertaining to do for all age ranges.

For fans of a hefty stroll, it is possible to walk from Sandbanks beach through Bournemouth to Boscombe along a concrete promenade which, outside July and August, is open to cyclists.

There is a chain ferry over to Studland, and a regular boat service (from the same dock) takes you to Poole Quay, Wareham River and the National Trust Brownsea Island. rightbeach hears that this is home to the red squirrel! In the Summer there is also an open-air Shakespearean theatre on the island. On the ride over you get a perfect view into the luxurious waterside homes that make Sandbanks, by area, the fourth most expensive place to own property in the world!

There are some great sights to be seen when actually on the beach. Of course, our national pastime of ‘people watching’ is an ever popular activity but at Sandbanks you can add ‘watching people wipeout on the water’ to your itinerary. There are also stunning views over to Studland beach (the other side of Poole Harbour mouth) and Old Harry Rocks.

rightbeach recommends Sandbanks beach for families of all ages, especially if Daddy has a penchant for windsurfing! Get there early to ensure you are able to park and head down to the beach to mark your spot with an “X”.

Beach blurb

See Sandbanks beach on a map …

Things to note to ensure your trip goes well:

  • Head ‘beach right’ from the main car park to a less crowded part of the beach. There is plenty to do here: rock pooling, crabbing and watching the chain ferry (dogs are allowed on this part of the beach).
  • If the traffic backs right up around the Peninsula this could be due to two reasons – 1. The car park could be full – in which case queueing is not permitted. 2. The queue for the chain ferry can be very long. It is possible to park in Canford Cliffs and walk down. There is also some limited street parking on the Peninsula itself, but get there early!
  • The Ice Cream Boat! Flat bottomed boats pull right up to the shore to sell their wares, in an innovative attempt to go where no van has gone before. Although, rightbeach warns: save your pocket money as this novel delivery comes at a price!

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Area
Rating
Observation
Beach Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating The beach is beautiful, fine sand with rock pools, shallow sandy pools and a gentle slope for good paddling. The beach is cleaned daily throughout the year.
Crowded (1=deserted) Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating During the summer this beach is very very busy. Head ‘beach right’ for less people (more dogs)
Surf Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating More known for windsurfing than surfboarding, but still, good surf.
Sand Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Soft, golden sand.
Parking Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating 500 spaces (not enough) adjacent to beach- also on road parking- Charges £4 for 4 hours or £8 for 8 hours
Toilets Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Toilets (with disabled access), showers, baby changing in car park.
Food Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating The Sandbanks Beach Cafe comes highly recommended to rightbeach (if a little expensive) Their cakes seem to be a hot topic (a subject dear to Mummy rightbeach‘s heart). Ice Cream Boat!!
Shopping Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Several kiosks and shops selling all the usual beach goodies such as inflatables, buckets and spades etc. Forbes Food Hall Spa on Haven Road is the nearest supermarket or head into Poole for Sainsbury’s.

Review by Grainne L

Ventnor beach review, Isle of Wight

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Ventnor beach is a delightful cove positioned on the Southerly edge of the Isle of Wight. Set staggering down a steep cliff, with a zig zag path, tiers of shops and houses lead to golden sand and shingle. The beach has an esplanade that rolls round from The Spyglass Inn (west) to the recently built bandstand (east). Pretty little beach huts line neatly along the bottom of the cliff. High tide covers the sand and can leave you with little beach to sit on.

The town was built up in the Victorian era and sits on the side of St. Boniface Down. It is smaller than the nearby Sandown and Shanklin beaches and often much quieter on sunny beach days. Ventnor is filled with holiday makers and residents alike.

Ventnor is popular not only for the beach but for the coastal path that leads from Bonchurch (small beach to the north-east of Ventnor) through Ventnor and on to Steephill Cove (one of the best kept secrets on the Island, well, OK not so secret really but quite secluded as it can only be reached by foot).

Ventnor also has the famed Ventnor Botanical Gardens, home to many subtropical and exotic plants. Nannie rightbeach really enjoyed her stroll around them and even ventured onto the coastal path which is directly accessed from the gardens. Watch out for the ladders though! The beach is a good forty-five minutes’ walk from the gardens, along the costal path and then there’s the walk back!

rightbeach recommends Ventnor beach for all generations of the family, although the steep path and stronger currents suggest it would suit older children who can swim and carry their own lunch better than the pushchair brigade. It will be a real agile granny pleaser with the gardens and coastal walks. The Victorians believed Ventor’s suntrap micro-climate was ideal for restoring health-therefore rightbeach also recommends this beach if you are nursing a small hangover!

Beach blurb

See Ventnor beach on a map …

Things to note to ensure your trip goes well:

  • The road in and out of the esplanade is extremely steep and twisting so beware! Nannie rightbeach has warned you!
  • High tide steals most of the sand away so time it right or head up into the pretty town to souvenir shop.
  • When swimming there may be hidden rocks or strong currents-rightbeach suggests adult supervision at all times. A red flag indicates unsuitable swimming conditions.

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Area
Rating
Observation
Beach Sandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Sand, shingle, beach huts and rock pools. Mostly gone at high tide. Litter picked daily during the summer.
Crowded (1=deserted) Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Popular with locals and Grockles but not so that you are all piled on top of each other.
Surf Sandcastle rating Strong tide means it’s not great for watersports but swimming is good.
Sand Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Sand and shingle.
Parking Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Car parking is on The Esplanade or at the medium-sized car park at the end behind The Spyglass Inn, all pay and display. You could also park in the Botanical Gardens if you were planning a visit there.
Toilets Sandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Toilets clean and tidy.
Food Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating The Spyglass Inn, along Ventnor’s sea front, has a homely atmosphere that is filled with seafaring memorabilia that shows its history as a smugglers tavern. Local seafood specials mmmm! Fresh Ventnor crab and lobster may be purchased from a fisherman’s hut (Blake’s) located at the very start of the Esplanade.
Shopping Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating A Victorian town centre full of antique and knick-knack shops.

Review by Nannie rightbeach

Weston-Super-Mare beach review, Somerset

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Weston-Super-Mare is a seaside resort, located on the Bristol Channel coast. It is a long, sandy beach that has a large tidal range (which exposes mud flats at low tide). At the lowest tide, the water’s edge is about a mile from the seafront. That’s a long walk for rightbeach! There are many holiday and caravan parks within the area and so the beach is mostly populated by families.

In addition to the sand and sea, Weston has many traditional seaside occupations to offer: donkey rides (rightbeach kiddies loved them), the ‘Wheel at Weston’ (rightbeach went round and round and round and round and round and round and round…), sand sculptures (you have to pay to get in, you can’t even see them clearly from the wheel) and of course the newly opened Grand Pier. It is host to many amusements such as go-carts, dodgems, a 4-D cinema, laser maze…the list goes on and on! Great for eating up the teens’ pocket money.

Weston has lots of opportunities for cups of tea (rightbeach had a china mug on the beach!), fish and chips, candy floss, ice-cream, etc. There are also many beach front shops that sell postcards, kites, buckets, spades, kitchen sinks… all well positioned along the clean and tidy promendade (watch out for the cycle lane!)

rightbeach recommends Weston-Super-Mare for a day trip with all generations of the family. Lots of pushchair/wheelchair friendly slopes and plenty of toilets and ice-cream.

Beach blurb

See Weston-Super-Mare beach on a map …

Things to note to ensure your trip goes well:

        • Do check the tide times as when the tide is at its lowest mud flats are revealed. This can mean a huge hike down to the water’s edge (rightbeach means nearly a mile!) only to be disappointed and covered in mud. Go at high tide. There’s plenty of sand left.
        • It’s an open beach so windbreaks, tents or even pushchairs will keep the wind chill out and the sand off your food.
        • Donkey rides were a real rightbeach hit. Donkeys seemed very well-kept, rotated often and had their own little chill out area away from pokey fingers. rightbeach children rode Jake and Granville, both of whom had a very placid plod and even temperament.

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Area
Rating
Observation
Beach Sandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Lovely clean sand but watch out for the sticky mud at very low tide. Beach is raked daily in the Summer.
Crowded
(1=deserted)		 Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating It’s a busy beach but with plenty of space for all. Don’t go expecting to be all alone.
Surf Sandcastle rating Sailing, wind surfing and jet skiing rather than surf boarding.
Sand Sandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Coarse sand and mud flats at lowest tide.
Toilets Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Toilets dotted along the promenade. Clean and serviceable when visited by rightbeach‘s specialist toilet team (children aged 1 and 4 + Grannie rightbeach)
Parking Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating
Food Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Lots of cafes, ice-cream shops and pubs along the promenade.
Shopping Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating A full on town just behind the promenade so head up towards the station for high street stores and supermarkets (Tesco, ASDA  and Waitrose) if that is what you are after.

reviewed by rightbeach

Yaverland beach, Isle of Wight

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Yaverland is a long, wide sweep of golden sand edged by the famed red and white cliffs. It has great fossil finding prospects and is rated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Collecting of fossils can only be done from the bottom of the cliffs but it is very likely you will find something to take home to show off with. rightbeach found fossilised bivalves hidden in grey sandstone. Go out and see what you can find!

The beach itself is a sandy, open space. It is popular with dog walkers and families but is also known for a variety of water acitivities such as windsurfing and fishing. It is busiest between the groynes but you can get that feeling of near isolation by heading ‘beach right’.

Yaverland beach is very close to The Isle of Wight Zoo (Tiger Sanctuary) which is a chance to get up close and almost personal with some truly stunning tigers. rightbeach fell in love with Xena the snow tiger. It is also a stone’s throw from Dinosaur Isle (think Natural History Museum on a small seaside scale)

rightbeach would recommend Yaverland for a day on the beach with children and family dog. Easy car parking and toilet facilities combined with enough space to spread out and build a sand fortress (see photo) make it a real winner.

Beach blurb

See Yaverland beach on a map …

Things to note to ensure your trip goes well:

  • Visit the beach after a heavy rain storm for the best chance of finding fossils. Perhaps combine it with a trip to Dinosaur Isle (lots of interactive dino fun along with the best dino shop EVER! rightbeach bought a mould to make the fossilised remains of a triceratops out of chocolate!
  • Windbreaks or tents are a must as the wide beach can get rather breezy.
  • Great beach for kite flying. rightbeach nearly had its head removed by the string of a wildy flapping butterfly-shaped kite.

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Area
Rating
Observation
Beach Sandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Flat sand, sand at all times, cool fossil opportunities when beach combing
Crowded (1=deserted) Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Populated but not on top of each other. Head ‘beach right’ for more space to call your own.
Surf Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Breezy beach means good surf. Popular with windsurfers.
Sand Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Sand. Small pebbles, fossils and tumbled glass in the tide line. All very pretty really.
Parking Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating About £1 an hour. Get there earlyish to get a space in the car park nearest the steps.
Toilets Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating  In the car park, so not too far away. Free and eco. The cleanest toilets rightbeach has come across.
Food Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Ice creams and the usual chips and sausage roll from the one cafe by the car park.
Shopping Sandcastle ratingSandcastle rating A walk into Sandown brings more traditional gift shops or pubs for a wider meal choice.

Review by rightbeach

Challaborough Bay, South Devon

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Challaborough Bay beach is an enclosed Blue Flag sandy beach with some decent surf between tides, a stones throw away from Burgh Island of TV’s Poirot fame.

It’s a pretty spot with nice flat sand, a freshwater rivulet, and is ideal for walks in the gorgeous Devon countryside, and shallow paddling in the sea.

Challaborough Bay is home to a reasonably large holiday park, with the caravans leading up to the road bordering the beach. Parking is via the holiday park and is limited (£4.50 for the day). However, despite the proximity of the holiday park the beach is not too crowded.

It’s a pretty reliable place for surf, with a steeply shelving beach creating a fast wave at higher stages of the tide, although the swell dies back during the highest part of the cycle.

Challaborough Bay has been recommended to rightbeach as a quiet, relatively sheltered beach, ideal for families with young children.

Beach blurb

See Challaborough Bay beach on a map …

Things to note to ensure your trip goes well:

  • Parking is limited so get there early to ensure you avoid unnecessary stress.
  • Chill out with an ice-cold drink at the Regatta Restaurant immediately overlooking the beach, or head over to Friar Tucks to grabs some fish and chips to take back to eat on the beach. Yummy.
  • Time you trip. At high tide there’s not much beach left and the waves die down. At low tide however there’s rock pooling to keep the young ones occupied. Between tides – surf’s up!

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Area
Rating
Observation
Beach Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating A sandy beach with rocks exposed at low tide. Reasonably sheltered. Good for walks.
Crowded (1=deserted) Sandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Quiet and not too crowded.
Surf Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Better surfing between tides, with NO waves during high tide.
Sand Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Yep – there’s sand.
Parking Sandcastle ratingSandcastle rating £4.50 for the day in the holiday park car park but spaces are limited.
Toilets Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating  In the car park, so not too far away.
Food Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Ice creams and the usual fodder. Restaurant and fish and chips within staggering distance and groceries available via the holiday park shop.
Shopping Sandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Via the holiday park shop.

Review by Tom v A

Whitecliff Bay beach, Isle of Wight

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Whitecliff Bay is a relatively small, golden sanded beach situated at the bottom of Culver Cliffs, on the south-east side of the island. It is 10 minutes walk  from Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park and so is popular with families and couples. The holiday park is the only parking available near to the main concrete path down the cliff. The path ends in a steep, oh so very steep, final section. Not so much fun for tiny tots or tired daddies on the hike back up to the car!

The beach has a very shallow slope towards the sea, making it good for swimming and paddling with little children. High on the cliff top, Yarborough Monument (known as ‘the Obelisk’) can be seen presiding. Rock pools and mini coves, isolated by high tide, to ‘beach left’.

There are two beach cafes/shops to keep a ready supply of buckets, spades, ice-creams and cold drinks on the beach. rightbeach had breakfast at the ‘Tuppenny Cafe’ and basked in the glorious morning sun, watching the rightbeach kiddies and grandparents taking the first plunge of the day…ahh fond memories.

rightbeach recommends this beach for families with older children due to the tricky path down to the beach and lack of toilets.

Beach blurb

See Whitecliff Bay beach on a map …

Things to note to ensure your trip goes well:

  • Get there early to nab a parking space and parking is limited (rightbeach warned you, 20-30 spaces max!)
  • Minimal kit or plenty of hands and arms to carry it to and from the top of the cliff.
  • turn ‘beach right’ at the bottom on the slope as it gets mighty windy to the left.
  • Rock pools galore to the left so pack your beach shoes, nets and buckets to nab all sorts of creatures of the deep.
  • Watch out for high tide, it can leave you with nowhere to run but back up the cliff!

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Area
Rating
Observation
Beach Sandcastle ratingSandcastle rating What it lacks for in wide expanse of sand it makes up for in character.
Crowded
(1=deserted)		 Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating It’s never too bad there although the car park and cafes can get busy. You can always head ‘beach left’ for seclusion.
Surf Sandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Mini rollers but nothing too fancy.
Sand Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Lovely golden sand but it is nearly completely covered at high tide.
Toilets NONE! Not even for staff at the cafes or at the top of the cliff! NONE!
Parking Sandcastle rating 20-30 spaces within Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park.
Food Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Two cafes  (hot and cold food and drinks) with a small range of buckets and spades, postcards, etc
Shopping The only shop nearby is the newly refurbished, reopened and fully stocked holiday park convenience store. Situated to the left of the driveway at the entrance to the holiday park.

Portrush East Strand beach, County Antrim, Northern Ireland

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Known as ‘Northern Ireland’s favourite holiday destination’, Portrush is well known for its long, sandy beaches, East and West Strands. East Strand is the quieter of the two, as it does not have the life boat station training centre. It is still a busy beach with plenty of people watching to be done. It has large sand dunes and amazing views along the coast and is an ideal place to explore the Causeway Coast.

Portrush, built mainly on a mile-long penninsular, is a popular and well known town on the Londonderry border. It has hosted the British Golf Open, many open air music festivals and an annual air show in September. Portrush is also home to Barry’s Amusements, the largest amusement park in Northern Ireland. Actor, James Nesbitt, once worked in Barry’s.

rightbeach recommends this beach for young families due to its ease for parking and toilet facilities but also for families with teens who fancy learning to surf. There is a surf school on the beach with surf board and suit hire with changing rooms.

Beach blurb

See Portrush East Strand beach on a map …

Things to note to ensure your trip goes well:

  • Take a wind break as the wide beach means it can get a bit breezy.
  • …and a kite to keep Daddy entertained (although Daddy rightbeach is yet to succeed in the kite department!)
  • A wet suit to keep the chill out when learning to ride the waves.

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Area
Rating
Observation
Beach Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Open beach with plenty of space.
Crowded
(1=deserted)		 Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Can get busy due to its popularity.
Surf Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Waves here can get very good with the prevailing south westerly winds blowing offshore.
Sand Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Sandy, sandy, sandy
Toilets Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Clean and tidy with baby changing facilities. Located in car park.
Parking Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Massive car park on sea front.
Food Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Only a stones throw away from Portrush town.
Shopping Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Clothing shops, surf suit hire

Review by Lesley H

St Ouen’s Bay beach, Jersey

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St Ouen’s Bay is a massive five-mile-long stretch of sand, making up the majority of the west coast of Jersey. It feels the full force of the Atlantic which can be a blessing and a curse. Surf can be fabulous but it can also be very exposed if there’s a westerly wind blowing given there’s little shelter on the beach.

The beach does have non-sun worshiping activities though, with rock pools and surf lessons to be enjoyed. However, the beach’s primary assets are it’s epic expanse of fine, flat sand and mega surf.

rightbeach recommends this beach for its space, sand and surf, and deems it suitable for families with children and surfers.

Beach blurb

See St Oeun’s Bay beach on a map …

Things to note to ensure your trip goes well:

  • If you’ve got the motivation, take a BBQ with you, buy some fresh fish from Faulkners at the north end of the beach, and eat on the beach in style.
  • There’s virtually no beach left at high tide so timing your trip right is essential.
  • If you fancy a break from all that sand and surf take a stroll around the World War II German gun emplacements. Jersey (and the other Channel Islands) were occupied by the Germans from June 1940 to May 1945.

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Area
Rating
Observation
Beach Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Massive amounts of space and sand, but can be exposed and beach is virtually non-existent at high tide.
Crowded
(1=deserted)		 Sandcastle rating Sooooo much space
Surf Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating The Atlantic 2,500 miles to get ready for St Oeun’s Bay. The waves can be big!
Sand Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Fine, flat and lots of it.
Toilets Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating In the car park so think twice about venturing too far away from civilisation.
Parking Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Lots of parking along the length of the beach (three or four car parks all along La Grande Route des Mielles) all right next to the sand.
Food Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating A reasonable selection of icecreams / pasties, but most of the food outlets are clustered around the car parks.
Shopping Sandcastle rating Good for fresh fish (at Faulkners) less good for other stuff as the beach is so spread out.

Review by dom perrignon

Worthing beach review, West Sussex

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Worthing is a steep, pebbly beach situated along the West Sussex coast, west of Brighton.

Wet sand is available during low tide for the sand castles builders. When the tide is out, the shallow water is perfect for little paddlers who like to run in and out of the sea. Small, shallow pools mean there are plenty of chances for crab spotting and building moats. There can be seaweed by the shore and on the tide line making it a little off-putting for some.

Worthing sea front has a number of attractions to offer. The Lido has fun fair style rides and a range of ice-cream, gift and clothing shops. The Pavillion Theatre often runs indoor markets and has live stage shows throughout the year. There are plenty of well-known restaurant chains and cafes along Marine Parade as well as regular toilet facilities. The long promenade is ideal for bikes, scooters & buggies.

Worthing boasts a 105 ft, Grade II listed pier. It is a great place to spot fishermen reeling in their catch as well as trying your luck on the traditional ‘Pier Amusements’ in the middle (perhaps more suited for the teens). Plenty of comfy benches, perfect for ice-creams, people watching and breastfeeding (perhaps not all together!). The pier also hosts its own annual Birdman competition in August. The prize stands at more than £30,000 for reaching 100m from the end of the pier.

rightbeach recommends this as safe beach for families who like to explore the sea fronts, shops and amusements as well be by the sea.

Beach blurb

See Worthing beach on a map…

Things to note to ensure your trip goes well:

  • Check the tide times if you are hoping for sand, the beach can be pebbles only;
  • Be prepared to move along to find the perfect spot away from clumps of drying seaweed and sandflies;
  • It can be a steep, pebbly slide down to the sea at high tide so keep hold of those tiny tots!

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Area
Rating
Observation
Beach Sandcastle rating Pebbles all along and a steep incline down into the sea. Sometimes seaweed by shore and on tide line.
Crowded
(1=deserted)		 Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Hustle and bustle of a busy promenade beach.
Surf Sandcastle rating Tiny little ripples to keep the teeny tiny bathers happy.
Sand Sandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Stones, pebbles and wet sand when the tide is out.
Toilets Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Old and traditional but free, clean and plentiful, by the Lido and Pavillion.
Parking Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Car parking along the sea front (free on Sunday) as well as a multistory car park on Marine Parade.
Food Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Plenty to choose, from Pizza Hut to ice creams, as well as many restaurants along the sea front.
Shopping Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating The Lido has a small gift shop and clothing for sale. Marks and Spencers is opposite The Pavillion.

Review by Kerry T and Lynne and Nigel R