West Sussex is one of those coasts where the answer to “can the dog go on the sand?” changes every couple of miles. Town beaches around Worthing, Bognor and West Wittering often close a signed strip from 1 May to 30 September. A short walk along the same shoreline, Goring Gap, Ferring, East Preston, Bracklesham and Middleton stay open all year.
This guide is built from MyPAWfectPlace listings, not a generic “dogs welcome” list. Read the dog access line first, then parking, then the cafe. If a sign on the day disagrees with the webpage, follow the sign and leave a PAWprint so we can update.
Related: Dog-Friendly Beaches Near Me, Ultimate Guide to Dog-Friendly Beaches in Kent, Ultimate Guide to Dog-Friendly Beaches in Essex. Browse the map: West Sussex beaches and year-round dog beaches.
TLDR
- Year-round, no seasonal ban: Goring Gap, Ferring, East Preston & Angmering, Bracklesham Bay, Middleton-on-Sea, Selsey West Beach.
- Seasonal (typically 1 May to 30 September on a signed stretch): West Wittering central bathing zone; Selsey east beach between groynes E26 and E33; East Wittering between groynes A49 and S1; Goring Beach between Worthing Sailing Club and the Seafield Avenue boat ramp; Bognor between the sailing club ramp and Gloucester Road either side of the pier.
- The terrain is pebble bank at high tide, with compact sand as the tide drops. Time the walk for mid to low tide if your dog hates stones.
- Parking at West Wittering pay-and-display often needs pre-booking in peak season. East Preston and Middleton are street or village parking, not a big seafront car park.
- Leads are asked for on Selsey and East Wittering sea wall. Keep recall tight near horses at Goring Gap and Ferring.
What “dog-friendly” means on this coast
Search “dog friendly beaches West Sussex”, and you get pretty photos. You do not get groynes numbers. Councils here usually ban dogs on a named strip, not the whole town. Selsey West stays open while East closes between E26 and E33. Bognor’s pier zone closes; east and west ends stay open. West Wittering’s hut and lifeguard zone closes; the western end towards East Head stays usable.
Three checks before you load the car:
- Year-round or seasonal, and which groynes?
- Sand or shingle? At high tide, much of this coast is a steep pebble bank.
- Is parking risky? Street parking or eight spaces behind a cafe is not a bank-holiday plan.
Rules change. Last verified dates sit on each listing.
Year-round beaches (start here in summer)
Goring Gap Beach, near Worthing
Goring Gap is the stretch people mean when they ask “where is Goring Gap Worthing” and “are dogs allowed”. Dogs are allowed all year, no seasonal ban. Pebble at high tide, flat compact sand as the tide goes out, wooden groynes for wind, grass behind the beach. Off-lead space is genuine here, with one caveat: it is also a horse-riding beach, though summer rules keep horses off during the main part of the day.
Road parking or a small car park at the Ferring end. No facilities on the Gap itself. Walk to Ferring or Goring for cafes and toilets. Sea Lane Cafe sits on the Goring side.
Ferring Beach
Ferring is year-round, with no seasonal restrictions. Same pebble-and-low-tide-sand pattern as the Gap. Horses often appear early from the Gap end. The car park and toilets sit behind the Bluebird Cafe; they follow cafe hours.
Nice if you want a dog walk with a sit-down after.
East Preston and Angmering Beach
East Preston is year-round, no seasonal ban. Pebble at high tide, compact sand as the tide drops. Access is fiddly: limited free street parking, some summer or resident restrictions, houses backing the beach. Angmering station is about a 15-minute walk. Village cafes, pubs and shops sit a short walk inland. A sailing club and a small kiosk sit on the beach.
This is a locals’ beach. That is the point in August. Nearby town beaches may restrict dogs; this one does not.
Bracklesham Bay Beach
Bracklesham is year-round with no restrictions. Sand with a gentle slope; at high tide it is shingle. Quieter than West and East Wittering, both of which have seasonal zones. Cafe/restaurant, toilets, slipway and decent parking. Billy’s on the Beach is next door. At low tide, people look for fossils, including shark teeth. Clear days give views of the Isle of Wight.
If West Wittering’s central zone is closed and the car park is a lottery, Bracklesham is the honest plan B.
Middleton-on-Sea (and Elmer Sands)
Middleton-on-Sea is year-round, with no restrictions. Steep pebble bank, then miles of sand at mid to low tide towards Bognor or Littlehampton. Rock pools around the sea-defence rocks towards Elmer. Parking is the hard part: private estates back the beach. Use village-centre parking (around PO22 7SR) and public footpaths.
Elmer is the quieter neighbour. Dogs are welcome year-round on Elmer Beach. Pair it with The Cabin or a walk to The Lobster Pot in Felpham.
Selsey West Beach
Selsey splits. West beach is dog-friendly all year. East beach restricts dogs between groynes E26 and E33 from 1 May to 30 September, and dogs must be on a lead on the sea wall. Shingle, promenade paths, little shelter. Parking: east by the lifeboat station (PO20 0SZ), west PO20 0LJ. The Lifeboat Inn garden is our regular spot to sit down after an east-promenade stroll.
Selsey Bill is the tip of the peninsula, with Bracklesham Bay to the west and Pagham Harbour to the east.
Seasonal beaches (still usable if you pick the right end)
West Wittering
West Wittering is the sandy, dunes-and-harbour postcard. It is also the one that catches people out.
From May to September, dogs are not allowed in the main central bathing zone around the beach huts and lifeguarded area. Dogs are allowed on other sections year-round. The western end towards East Head is the usual summer dog stretch. From autumn through spring, the whole beach opens again.
Facilities include toilets, outdoor showers, a dog-friendly cafe, hut hire, and lifeguards in summer, whilst parking is pay-and-display, and you will need to pre-book on hot weekends. If the central zone is closed and you want zero faff, go to East Wittering or Bracklesham.
East Wittering
The usual West Sussex shingle at high tide, wider than it looks. Dogs are prohibited between groynes A49 and S1 from 1 May to 30 September, and must be on a lead on the sea wall. Small car park on Marine Drive, village shops set back from the beach. Walk along the coast towards West Wittering for a longer loop.
Goring Beach (not the Gap)
Goring Beach is the town stretch west of Worthing, not Goring Gap. Seasonal ban between Worthing Sailing Club and the boat ramp at the bottom of Seafield Avenue, 1 May to 30 September. Parking at Marine Crescent and Sea Lane; Sea Lane has the licensed cafe, shop and toilets. Beach huts on the sand.
If you arrive in July aiming for Goring, check whether you meant the Gap (open) or this strip (closed in the middle).
Bognor Regis
Bognor restricts dogs from 1 May to the end of September on the main beach between Bognor Regis Sailing Club ramp and Gloucester Road, either side of the pier. East and west sections stay open all year. Promenade, town, pier (shortened by storm damage). Car parks: Gloucester Road (PO21 1NX) or Rock Gardens (PO21 2LT) for the dog-friendly ends. The station is a short walk from the beach.
Felpham sits just east if you want to leave the pier zone without driving far.
How to pick a stretch in 60 seconds
| If you want… | Go to | Avoid in peak summer |
|---|---|---|
| Open sand, year-round, space | Goring Gap, Bracklesham, Middleton at low tide | West Wittering central zone without checking the map |
| Cafe + toilets on the beach | Ferring (Bluebird), Goring Sea Lane, Bracklesham (Billy’s) | East Preston / Middleton if you need facilities on the sand |
| Quiet locals’ beach | East Preston, Elmer, Selsey West | Assuming “Selsey” means the whole east front |
| Classic sandy day out | West Wittering (west / East Head in summer) | Arriving at 11 am without a parking booking |
| Town + promenade | Bognor east or west ends, Selsey promenade | Bognor pier strip 1 May–30 Sep |
Parking, tides and leads
Tides. Listings carry tide tables (Selsey Bill for Selsey; Worthing for Goring Gap). High tide on this coast often means a steep pebble bank. Mid to low tide is when the compact sand appears at Goring Gap, Ferring, East Preston, Bracklesham and Middleton. Do not use those tables for navigation.
Leads. Sea wall leads at Selsey and East Wittering. Horses at Goring Gap and Ferring. Livestock and nesting are less of a beach issue here than on downland, but keep dogs on recall for other dogs, kites, and the sailing club at East Preston.
Bins and water. Pack bags and water. Ferring toilets follow cafe hours. Middleton and East Preston have almost nothing on the sand.
Wind. Selsey has little shelter. Groynes at Goring Gap and Ferring help. Bracklesham faces the Solent and can feel open.
A simple day plan
- Open the West Sussex beaches tag or a listing above.
- Read Dog Access before the photos.
- Check tide and parking. Have a plan B one or two miles along (Gap if Goring town is closed; Bracklesham if Wittering is rammed).
- Add a known dog-friendly stop: Lifeboat Inn (Selsey), Billy’s (Bracklesham), Bluebird (Ferring), Sea Lane Cafe (Goring), Lobster Pot (Felpham), The Beach Club (Littlehampton East Beach).
- Save the loop in Notes.
For a fuller weekend on the Bognor–Littlehampton stretch, our Elmer trip report is the lived version of this map.
People also ask
Are dogs allowed on West Sussex beaches in summer?
Yes on many stretches, no on signed town strips. Goring Gap, Ferring, East Preston, Bracklesham, Middleton and Selsey West stay open. West Wittering’s central zone, Selsey east (E26–E33), East Wittering (A49–S1), Goring town beach (sailing club to Seafield Avenue) and Bognor’s pier zone close from 1 May into late September.
Is Goring Gap the same as Goring Beach?
No. Goring Gap (Marine Drive / Ferring end) is year-round. Goring Beach by the sailing club has a summer ban on part of the sand.
Where can I park at Selsey with a dog?
East: lifeboat station, PO20 0SZ. West: PO20 0LJ. Use west in summer if you want to skip the E26–E33 zone.
Is West Wittering dog-friendly?
Yes, with a zoned summer ban in the central hut and lifeguard area. Use the western end towards East Head, or switch to East Wittering / Bracklesham.
Conclusion
West Sussex as a region is often overlooked and rewards people who read groyne numbers. The year-round beaches aren’t a secret; they sit one car park away from the postcard. Start with Goring Gap, Ferring, East Preston or Bracklesham if you need a yes in August. Use West Wittering and Bognor when you know which end is open.
Check the listing on the day, follow the sign if it differs, and leave a PAWprint. Map: dog-friendly beaches in West Sussex.
