General

This unofficial beach is situated between the Cooden Beach end of Bexhill and the seaside village of Normans Bay and is reported to have been in use by naturists for more than 30 years.

Getting There 

OS Landranger map 199 Grid Reference TQ690057 to TQ697059.

From the west: Take the minor road from the A27/A259 roundabout in Pevensey signposted to Norman's Bay. After about 2 miles turn right (marked as "Private Road" ) and cross the level crossing (no barrier or lights, so carefully!). Turn first left into the caravan site and follow the road past the car parks. Take the right fork, then either park on the pebbles or continue along the grass track between the houses to firmer ground. Walk left along the beach, naturist use starts roughly four or five groins along.

Update: October 2003

An anonymous email message states that:
"All the roadway through Normans Bay is a PRIVATE ROAD maintained by local residents. Parking is not encouraged and wheel clamping or other parking discouragements will be in force soon as local residents fed up with visitors blocking access to homes and emergency vehicles."

Since no further information is available regarding rights of way for pedestrians or vehicles, visitors intending to use this access route are strongly advised to make their own enquiries before proceeding.

From the east: From the Cooden Beach Hotel take the minor road to Pevensey. This initially follows the sea front behind beach huts etc. When the road bears right and goes over a level crossing there is roadside parking for a dozen or so cars. Cross the road to the beach and turn right. The naturist bit, unsigned, starts after a couple of groynes.
Access by rail: Normans Bay railway station is about half a mile on level ground. Cooden Beach railway station is about a mile on level ground. These are on the line from Eastbourne to Hastings. Remarkably Normans Bay has one train per hour, and Cooden Beach two trains per hour.

Update - January 2004
Train service to Normans Bay is now limited to once every 2 hours (Mon - Sat) and no service at all on Sunday.
However the is "still a good service to Cooden Beach".

Description
Between the beach and Hooe Level (ex salt marsh now water meadows) there is a pebble bank to stop Hooe Level being swamped by the sea. The beach side of this bank is pebbles at the top, with shingle and sand at low tide. At very low tide there is a large expanse of sand, too flat to allow swimming. The other side of the pebble bank has the local railway after a grassy bank and field. The naturist section of this beach is very quiet, with virtually no textile usage. Visitors include the usual single males, hetero couples and families. Due to the flat countryside it can probably get rather windy so a lot of people bring wind-breaks. There are no dunes to hide in so there can not be much in the way of problems [with 'lurkers"].

Facilities
None to speak of. Close to the caravan site car park in Normans Bay there is a well maintained toilet block, though parking is difficult there.

Water Quality
Is said to have improved now that Eastbourne have upgraded their sewerage disposal to an acceptable level

Trip Report - 2004

"I've been going to Norman's Bay nudist beach for a few years now and find it a lovely atmosphere. It's relatively popular on warm weekends with between a dozen and 40-50 people - depending on the sunshine - spread over 300-400 yards of clean shingle beach (mostly single males and couples), but one can always find a quiet spot and the sea is clean for those who enjoy swimming. The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed and when the sand is exposed it's lovely to walk paddling along the shoreline, though it's advisable to bring wind-shield canvases to minimise breezes and maximise the heat when sunbathing."

Trip Report by Mike - June 2002

"I visited the beach on a warm and breezy Friday in late June. The only people I initially saw on the beach were three rod fishermen. I crunched along the pebbles towards the naturist bit passing two men in trunks, presumably a couple. Clambering through a gap in the next groyne revealed a naturist 60s couple sheltering behind the groyne and a windbreak. After the next groyne was another fisherman, in jeans and shirt, and a couple of groynes further a lone naturist male. After another few groynes I was at the other end of the naturist's presrve, almost at the car park mentioned in the 'from the west' directions. I went back to the section near the couple and stripped off, but the presence of the fisherman was an inhibitor to doing much other than sitting modestly behind a groyne. Not worth travelling far to visit this beach, but OK if it happens to be the one nearest to you. Maybe better when more naturists would make you feel less conspicuous in the undefined naturist area."

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