Discover East Wittering: Beach, Coastal Paths and Churches

East Wittering combines the coast, paths by the water, water sports and remarkable church architecture. This makes the village suitable for travel plans that bring different interests together: you can spend time on the beach, plan a coastal walk or explore the history of the churches. This combination is also helpful when looking for a suitable holiday apartment, as you can decide in advance whether your days should be shaped mainly by the sea, activity or cultural discoveries.

Beach days between the water and the coastal path

East Wittering Beach has a different character depending on the tides. At low tide, the beach is sandy; at high tide, it is shingle. A footpath runs directly beside the beach, providing an obvious opportunity to combine your stay with exercise by the water. Those who enjoy being active can walk from East Wittering Beach to West Wittering and Bracklesham Bay.

Water sports are also part of the village’s character. East Wittering Beach offers water sports lessons and equipment hire. It is also a good place for paddling in the shallow water. These different options allow for flexible day planning: you can choose a walk, include lessons or equipment hire, or make your time by the water more relaxed, without every travel group having to follow the same itinerary.

Coastal paths with views of the Isle of Wight

The Itchenor and the Witterings circular walking route runs as far as East Wittering. From East Wittering, the route follows the coast and offers views of the Isle of Wight. This makes the village an interesting starting point for anyone who does not want to spend their entire trip on the beach but would like to include a longer walk in their plans. When choosing your accommodation, consider whether you mainly want to organise coastal days, walks or a mixture of beach and culture.

There is parking for East Wittering Beach on Marine Drive. The car park is listed with the postcode PO20 8HE; there are also public toilets there. This information can be useful when planning a day around the beach and coastal path, particularly if you want to combine an outing with several stops.

Church architecture and historical traces

The Church of the Assumption of St Mary the Virgin dates essentially from the early 12th century; the chancel was rebuilt in 1847. Particularly striking is the Norman portal with two orders of archivolts. The portal also features a decorated hood moulding around a broad band with a flat zigzag pattern, whose elements each end in a lobe. Anyone interested in medieval architectural forms will find specific details here that stand apart from a purely beach-focused itinerary.

Another church landmark is St Anne’s Church East Wittering, which welcomes all visitors. In addition, Exercise Fabius III recalls a historical event from the 20th century: it began on 4 May 1944 on the beaches between East Bracklesham Drive and Marine Drive West. This connection is part of the local history and provides another reason to get to know East Wittering not only as a seaside resort but also from a historical perspective.

Choosing East Wittering as a holiday base

When searching for a holiday apartment in East Wittering, you can use your preferred daily structure as a decision-making aid. If East Wittering Beach is the focus of your plans, the parking on Marine Drive and the public toilets available there are practical information for your beach day.

If you would like to visit other places besides East Wittering, you can find Fernhurst, Amberley, Crawley, Lower Beeding, Pulborough, Arundel, Worthing and Billingshurst.

For the higher-level travel overview: West Sussex.