The Wittering Circuit 20th July 2020
A glimpse of the Isle of Wight from the beach
A 2 hour drive sees us arrive at Earnley Parish Church, where we park the car and unload our bikes for a 15 mile circuit of the Witterings. The road takes us down past the RSPB car park in search of somewhere to have a leak after our long drive. The RSPB presence here is largely linked to the coastal re-alignment done between Selsey and East Wittering. Alas the RSPB car park doesn’t have any facilities so Betty has to nip behind a hedge, although the place seems to be crawling with walkers.
The road terminates at a large holiday park, with our route continuing as a footpath beyond. When I checked this morning modern technology advised me via Google maps that it should be ok for cycling, such is the detail available from satellite photos. However, we didn’t spot the kissing gate from our satellite’s viewpoint so we are required to throw our bikes over it.
Eventually the footpath opens out onto the pebble beach, some 3 or 4 metres above the level of the land. This ‘storm beach’ is obviously an important sea defence locally. A rough track takes us east on the landward side of the storm beach towards the new coastal re-alignment at Medmerry Nature Reserve.
Storm beach and lowland behind
Medmerry Coastal Re-alignment
Position and Direction of View of Coastal Re-alignment
In the Coastal re-alignment photo above, the large boulders to the left are Larvikite rip-rap transported by boat from Norway and offering resistance to wave erosion. The lowlands sandwiched between the perimeter embankment and the storm beach flood during storm events and extreme tides. This absorbs wave energy that would otherwise erode the protective beach.
Our curiosity satisfied we cycle back westward before being forced to push our bikes along the top of the beach. This is hard going on foot and impossible to cycle.
Hiding behind the storm beach and its own barbed-wire fence is a holiday park, looking more like an internment camp than a holiday camp. You wonder if illegal immigrants land on this shore and take one look at the camp before quickly going elsewhere.
A little further west a number of architect-designed properties have been built behind the storm beach, some with substantial gabion sea defences. I am always intrigued that people build in such a high risk area, below high tide level.
We decide to take the road beyond these houses, since East Wittering lacks a promenade or other cycle-able sea front. As we cycle it becomes evident that East Wittering is little more than suburbia-on-sea, with no obvious focus to the town. Eventually we arrive at Wittering Beach which is a sort of town centre, with a couple of pubs and a fishmongers/café. Lots of people are at the pubs, queuing for holiday snacks or are at the beach soaking up the July sun.
East Wittering ‘town centre’ and beach
Beyond East Wittering we find ourselves struggling along the top of the storm beach again. Once again we turn off onto a residential street and make better progress. Leaving the houses largely behind us, we approach West Wittering Beach where the storm beach gives way to sandy beaches attracting masses of unsocially distanced sun-bathers. Eventually the 20 metre high dunes that rise before us make bike passage impossible. Two passing teenage girls helpfully advise us that it is possible to walk along the dunes, but we decide to return and follow an inland route parallel to beach, before coming out at an enormous car park.
Such is the demand, since the ending of Lockdown, that numerous signs at the side of the road from Chichester onwards advise motorists to pre book a parking space. There must be in excess of 5,000 cars parked on the site, with social distancing even on a bike made quite difficult.
Saltmarsh – dominated by sea lavender and cord grass – note the burgeoning car park beyond
At the western end we find an area of salt marsh at the edge of Chichester Harbour, where we are able to follow the New Lipchins Way north. Sea lavender and cord grass dominating the salt marsh to our left, with the clear sunny skies giving us views of blue sea beyond.
In the lee of East Head spit the sheltered waters attract lots of boating people as well as sun-bathers. We cycle the footpath a short way until we find a deserted patch of sea couch grass overlooking the salt marsh and stop for lunch.
Lunch overlooking Chichester Harbour
A number of children are being given sailing lessons. Carried on the wind we can hear the shouts of a frustrated sailing instructor, as he urges one of his charges to, “get a move on Jason, the tide is turning’.
After lunch we continue along New Lipchins way largely ignoring signs telling us that we are not supposed to cycle it. It is nonetheless a pleasant cycle ride with hardly any pedestrian to be seen until we get close to West Itchenor. Here we start meeting walkers and out of deference, dismount. The path is ok for cycling if a little narrow in places, especially for passing people at an appropriate social distance. Some of the sections are pleasantly shady, with a narrow belt of trees between the coastal salt marsh and the cultivated fields inland. We are treated to fleeting views of Chichester Harbour across the water and the salt marsh, with some very expensive properties benefitting from prime locations at intervals. We pause briefly at Ella Nore Spit before picking our way across ruts and muddy areas where the last high tide inundated the course of the footpath in a few places.
Ella Nore Spit overlooking the Chichester Channel
Eventually we come out at West Itchenor Marina and beyond this in the centre of the village, we stop for an ice cream at the village pub. This is served from the back of a charming vintage French delivery van. A Covid-free Magnum is our preference for the second leg running.
There is nothing better on a warm and sunny July afternoon than sitting watching other people going about their business. A young couple arrive from the marina with a small dingy and proceed to load it onto a trailer attached to their car. They have quite obviously done this many times before as they work quickly and methodically. Betty and I discuss what we think their relationship is, admiring their quiet efficiency.
Minding other people’s business completed, we straddle our bikes and follow a small lane opposite the pub. Weaving between expensive houses and areas of saltmarsh and marina we are eventually forced out onto a minor road by substantial properties that stretch down to the water’s edge and private jetties where sleek motor launches are moored.
West Itchenor with its water-front properties and private jetty
The New Lipchins Way heads inland briefly, across well walked fields. We are still aware that we are probably not supposed to cycle this bit either, but in the absence of any signs to the contrary, we speed along until we come upon an elderly couple walking ahead of us. I spot a path running parallel to theirs, through the trees, which looks like a fine way of overtaking them. However I am very nearly garroted by a trailing bramble, but escape with little more than a bash on the shin from my pedals.
Scarred, bruised, yet triumphant we come out on a minor road at Birdham, opting to take the road rather than return to the challenges of the footpath. This takes us on a brief circuit around Birdham Pool, its marina and numerous boat related industries.
Birdham Pool Marina
All that remains is for us to cycle a further 3 miles back to the car at Earnley. Despite the benefits of road cycling over footpaths, this proves the most taxing part of our day, battling a headwind and few distractions to take our minds off weary limbs.