Fairlight Cove

Backed by high, unstable cliffs, Fairlight Cove is perhaps best known by fossil hunters. Regular landslides provide a constant stream of newly uncovered rocks from the ancient past. Finds here have included both dinosaur bones and footprints but bivalves and plants are more common.

The beach lies between the more popular Fairlight Glen in Hastings and Pett Level beach to the east. Access can be challenging and the beach doesn’t have much to offer at anything except low tide when there is a decent expanse of flat sand.

Erosion is a serious problem at Fairlight Cove with a number of cliff top properties already lost to the sea. As a result the beach has been fortified with around 25,000 tons of granite rock armour to protect the cliffs.