On Friday 2nd February 18, myself, Tony Driscoll, Darran Terry and Daniel Storey embarked on the next leg of my coastal walk from Brighton to Worthing. On arrival at Brighton train station we set off on the short walk to the seafront for the start of todays journey. In the Georgian era, Brighton developed into a fashionable seaside resort, encouraged by the patronage of the Prince Regent, later King George IV, who spent much of his time in the town and constructed the Royal Pavilion in the Regency era. Brighton continued to grow as a major centre of tourism following the arrival of the railways in 1841, becoming a popular destination for day-trippers from London. Many of the major attractions were built in the Victorian era, including the Grand Hotel, the West Pier and the Brighton Palace Pier. Sadly the West Pier was destroyed by fire due to arson in 2003. Originally earmarked for restoration, the Heritage Lottery funding was withdrawn and this unfortunately sealed the fate of the once great pier and it’s music hall. The music hall was removed in 2010 deemed a danger to shipping and the skeletal remains of the Pier has been left in perpetuity for all to see.

Just as you start the walk you pass the impressive Grand Hotel, this became infamous in the 1980s when the IRA exploded a bomb during the Conservative Party conference causing death and injury. The walk from Brighton to Shoreham is a bit tedious, but if you look closer there are some real gems at Hove, with many Regency period buildings and their large grassed squares. Nearing Portslade-by-Sea the the walk meanders through an industrial area until you reach Shoreham Harbour. Here there has been some regeneration and it’s not unpleasant, it just doesn’t have any character or historical buildings. After a brief detour to visit Shoreham’s harbour arm, we find ourselves within the harbour and eventually we are forced to walk beside the busy A259.

After walking for a while beside the A259 we arrive at the Kingston Buci (Shoreham Harbour) Lighthouse built in 1842. When steering a boat if you follow this light in a straight line it will guide you safely into the harbour avoiding the harbour walls. It is built with quality limestone from Lewes Valley, Portland and Caen, it is still in use today.   http://shoreham.adur.org.uk/lighthouse.htm

After a small lunch break and some more A259 walking, we eventually cross the new Adur Ferry Bridge onto Shoreham Beach promontory. Now direction wise we are doubling back on ourselves to visit Shoreham Fort. It’s a few miles through the houses and flats to the west side of Shoreham harbour and is literally only about 400 yards across the harbour to the east harbour arm we visited earlier on the Portslade side. Here sits Shoreham Fort built in 1857 and featuring rare Camot Wall fortifications. Unfortunately someone has felt fit to surround the fort with temporary fencing which has been pushed over ruining any chance of a decent photograph. After a quick visit around the fort we start our walk along Shoreham Beach towards Lancing and its Widewater Lagoon.  https://www.shorehamfort.co.uk/about/history/

A lovely tribute to the fallen in Lancing, turning this old shelter’s roof into a large poppy “100 years on and we still remember them”.

Finally we arrive at Worthing’s delightful Pier and the end of today’s walk. I know this was a built up walking section with many homes and businesses, but please remember just three miles from here you have some of the most beautiful countryside in Southern England on the South Downs, so I suppose there has to be a trade off.

Finally we arrive at Worthing’s delightful Pier and the end of today’s walk. I know this was a built up walking section with many homes and businesses, but please remember just three miles from here you have some of the most beautiful countryside in Southern England on the South Downs, so I suppose there has to be a trade off.