Beautiful views attract visitors all year round to walk the Prinsted foreshore and along the flat 3.7km (2.3 mile) coastal path between Chidham Point and Prinsted Point.
Prinsted has always suffered from winter storms and in the 1930s the beach area was just mud and shingle. Sea storms and high tides kept breaking through from the beach, flooding the lower fields beyond.
The Twine family owned property near the beach that needed better protection from high tides and the ravages of storms. So, around 1935, Lacy Twine created a new sea wall all the way from Paynes Boatyard to the corner of the footpath on the east end of Prinsted Beach that leads north to Southbourne Farm Shop.
The aim was to keep some of the sea flooding created by high tides and onshore winds confined to the lower fields, even though there was a pond already there, so a ‘hump’ was put in on the beach.
Did you know?
Lacy Twine built a more substantial concrete sea wall which lasted the test of time until large rocks were added to provide further protection from sea storms.
For 90 years 1st Southbourne Sea Scouts has provided thousands of local young boys and girls with an opportunity to benefit from Sea Scouting. Founded in 1933 by Mr Charles Brundrett, the group originally met in a barn at walnut tree farmhouse.
In 1975 a new headquarters was built on the foreshore at Prinsted and it has been much improved since, with an upper level extension overlooking the harbour, and changing and shower rooms below. The group is Royal Navy recognised and has always maintained high standards of boating, with an all year round water activity programme that includes canoes, kayaks, sailing boats, pulling boats and power craft.
Did you know?
A dozen West Sussex Council maintained footpaths lead all the way from Chidham Point to Prinsted Point, Why not try one of them out?
Public footpath 213 (note: no cycles allowed) starts from the A259 at the Southbourne Farm Shop. Head West on footpath 212 that links up with Farm Lane from the East in Nutbourne. Turn left after a short distance to head South on footpath 212_1 down to the East end of Prinsted Beach.
From there footpath 202 runs East to Chidham joining with Footpath 224 that goes South to Chidham Point. If you head West you walk along Prinsted Beach and can go north up Prinsted Lane back to the A259, or continue South on footpath 202 past Paynes Boatyard to Prinsted Point.
From Prinsted Beach if you take footpath 205 West on Prinsted Lane this links up with footpath 3000 heading South on Thornham Lane past the other side of Paynes Boatyard and on to Prinsted Point.
There are places for a few carefully parked cars at Prinsted Beach near the Sea Scouts hut, but get there early as space is often limited.
- See and find all official footpaths in West Sussex – click here
- 4 hour 19km Emsworth to Chidham loop walk – click here
- 1 hour 40min 8km Chidham Peninsula coast walk – click here
- 2.5km 40 minute Prinsted to Prinsted Point loop – click here
- 1st Southbourne Sea Scouts and meeting days – click here
- Local produce from Southbourne Farm Shop – click here