Why visit West Wittering?
Days at the beach
The gorgeous beach at West Wittering is surely its biggest draw – it’s got soft sands, great facilities and plenty of watersports to get stuck into. The generally excellent sea water quality and backdrop of sand dunes would make it a fine choice anywhere, but its location among the shingle beaches of the Sussex shoreline makes it a real standout among its neighbours. Staying at a West Wittering campsite near the beach means you can head out onto the sand whenever you like, while dodging the traffic and the parking charges too.
Nature walks
West Wittering beach isn’t just a visitor attraction – it’s also partly a nature reserve, with the National Trust managing the East Head area for the benefit of local wildlife. And there’s much more nearby for nature lovers too: West Wittering is just on the edge of the Chichester Harbour Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, a fabulous area to explore by canoe, on foot or on a solar-powered boat trip from nearby Itchenor. Birdwatchers will certainly want to have binoculars on hand for a day at nearby RSPB Pagham Harbour too.
A look at the past
The south coast of England is packed with historic attractions – and the area around West Wittering is no exception. A short drive from the beach will take you into the centre of Chichester, for the gothic cathedral and Roman walls, or to Portsmouth for a dive into maritime history at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and the Mary Rose Museum. With Fishbourne Roman Palace and the Weald & Downland Living Museum close by too you can easily step back into the past in between beach days.
Essential things to do in West Wittering
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Take a walk to the far end of East Head, a kilometre-long sand dune spit managed by the National Trust
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Sign up for a surfing lesson or try a paddleboarding taster session when the waves drop at low tide
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Tuck into fish and chips or seafood specials at Billy’s on the Beach, or walk along the coast to sample some famous Selsey crab
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Take a coast and countryside bike ride along the 12-mile Salterns Way from West Wittering to Chichester
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Head into town for a cultural evening at Chichester Festival Theatre, which has a fabulous year-round programme of shows and concerts
Unusual things to do around West Wittering
Wander among the vines
The sparkling wines of Sussex may not grab as much attention as its seaside, but they’re certainly worth seeking out. A 20-minute drive from West Wittering will get you to the Tinwood Estate, where you can take a tour through the vines, sample a trio of top-notch sparklers or settle in for afternoon tea with added bubbles (top tip: take the number 55 bus from Chichester – you don’t want to be designated driver for this one…)
Look up to the skies
The nearby South Downs National Park is an International Dark Sky Reserve, so you should get a good display of stars when you’re camping near West Wittering too. If the weather isn’t playing ball, or you’d like to learn a bit more, the place to go is the South Downs Planetarium, about 15 minutes’ drive from West Wittering. Regular shows run in the 100-seater theatre, along with special events throughout the year where guests can use solar telescopes to see the night sky in incredible detail (you’ll need to book well ahead for these popular sessions).
Fly over the water
Mastered the art of paddleboarding? Had a go at windsurfing? Perhaps it’s time to try out the newest watersport on the block: wing foiling. Merging aspects of kitesurfing and windsurfing, you’ll use a two-handed kite attached to a board to cruise along the water or fly over the surface. Sound a little complicated? Local company 2XS runs taster sessions from West Wittering beach to give you a good introduction.
Here’s how
Picking a West Wittering camping break instead of a hotel stay is a fabulous way to make the most of the fresh sea air and rural scenery – staying outdoors means you’ll be able to experience it right from the moment you wake up all the way through to sunset and beyond.
Pitchup has plenty of ways to make your Sussex camping break happen – whether you’re searching for a simple cheap camping pitch on a farm or a stay at a holiday park with lots of facilities for the family.
The tick-box filters allow you to design your break according to your own personal requirements – maybe you’d like to provide a play area to keep the kids happy, or make sure you’ve got a site that allows campfires for that classic camping experience?
Get started with picking your place to stay by browsing some of our popular West Wittering campsite collections…
Camping with a dog near West Wittering
West Wittering campsites with electricity
Year-round camping in West Wittering
West Wittering campsites with a pool
England’s south coast has so many wonderful places to stay – if West Wittering isn’t quite right for your break, maybe you’d like to look west towards our Dorset campsites, or turn the compass east towards hotspots like Hastings or Rye?
