East Head

East Head is a sand and shingle spit at the mouth of Chichester Harbour, one of the last surviving pieces of natural coastline in West Sussex and one of the fastest moving spits in the UK. Shingle, sandy beach and marram-covered dunes grade into salt marsh, a nationally rare habitat where sea holly and sea bindweed flower in summer and sand lizards live all year. From the northern tip there are views across the harbour to the South Downs, and seals sometimes appear at high tide. Reviewers enjoy the circuit around the dunes and beach, where roped-off areas protect nesting ringed plovers. Dogs are welcome on leads but must stay out of the roped-off sections and, in the nesting season, the dunes. Between March and September the East Head and Ellanore circular walk follows the harbour edge to West Wittering. One tip from visitors: the beach car park is not the Trust's, charges members too and should be booked ahead.