Citorah PickBeach
Hayling Island
Research-ledBuilt from current sources, not a visit. Checked .
Citorah says
What you get for the schlep is a long, mostly-shingle beach with patches of sand exposed at low tide (don't go expecting Camber-style soft sand — tide tables matter here in a way they don't at Brighton), and the West Beach end where windsurfers congregate because Hayling is genuinely where modern windsurfing was invented in 1958 by a 12-year-old called Peter Chilvers.
From Best beaches near London 2026 — 8 worth the train, under “Hayling Island — the kitesurfer's pick”.
The catch
Don't go expecting Camber-style soft sand
Good to know
- Where
- PO11
- Getting there
- reached by South Western Railway from Waterloo to Havant in about 95 minutes
As the guide had it on 25 Jun 2026. Check prices and hours with the place itself before you go.
The guide it’s in
London · Beaches
Best beaches near London 2026 — 8 worth the train
London's closest beach isn't the best. Eight beaches I'd go back to — Camber, Wittering, Broadstairs, Whitstable — four to skip, with 2026 train times.
Plan the trip
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