A version of this article originally appeared in Condé Nast Traveller UK.
Growing up by the sea in England felt like everything: the salt air and a bag of vinegary chips could cure most ills. I still recall my mother’s beachside picnics during summer holidays and visiting my grandparents, who always sat on the same bench at the end of the promenade to offer “ice cream money.” My grandfather would always slip an extra few pounds into my hand with a conspiratorial wink.
On special days the whole family would load the car with windbreakers, sandwiches, and sunscreen and head for West Wittering — a wide, sandy beach in West Sussex that, to my mind, can stand up to Cape Cod, The Hamptons, or any New England coastline. Jutting from the Manhood Peninsula at the mouth of Chichester Harbour, West Wittering stretches for roughly half a mile and makes a perfect day trip or weekend escape from London.
The beach is framed by sand dunes and dotted with colourful beach huts. Beyond sunbathing and swimming, West Wittering is a noted spot for birdwatching: the East Head dunes host diverse wildlife and plant life. If you’re lucky you might glimpse dark-bellied brent geese that migrate from Arctic Siberia, or hear curlews, redshanks, and oystercatchers. Sanderlings are plentiful — small, white wading birds with downy grey feathers and tiny black bills.
West Wittering is dog-friendly and popular with surfers and water-sports enthusiasts. Its position brings reliable offshore winds and decent waves, though users should stick to the marked zones. From the shore you can often see the Isle of Wight across the Solent, along with kite-surfers, wind-surfers, and paddle-boarders. BBQs are allowed provided they’re portable or reusable — disposable grills are not permitted — and there are nearby camping facilities if you want to stay the weekend.
The parish itself is compact but charming, with attractive houses; a stretch of Cakehand Road even evokes Nantucket’s properties near the ’Sconset Bluff Walk lighthouse. Close by, Chichester is worth visiting for its Roman and Anglo-Saxon remains, shopping, and its historic cathedral at the centre. The neighbouring towns of Bosham and Emsworth offer pretty cafés, harbour views, cream teas, and a summertime food festival. For a different kind of fun, hop over to Hayling Island for arcades and fairground rides — and you might even spot a celebrity or two.