Fairlight Glen Beach (Covehurst Bay)

Fairlight Glen Beach - East Sussex
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Fairlight Glen is a popular naturist beach, also enjoyed by non-naturist visitors.  It is found in a suitably secluded location overlooking Covehurst Bay a mile or so east of Hastings. Whilst people do swim here, bear in mind that there are hidden rocks submerged in the surf and that there is no lifeguard service.

The nearest car park from the beach is at the Hastings Country Park Visitor Centre, where there are also toilets, café and an information centre, about a 20 minute walk from the beach along a fairly steep and somewhat hazardous path. Alternately, the beach can be walked too from Hastings along a cliff-top path but this does not avoid the climb down.

Once you’ve reached Fairlight Glen keep an eye on the tide times - there is only the one path up on to the cliff top, so don’t wander too far along the beach if the tide is coming in!

The Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve, a designated Special Area of Conservation, which backs the beach, is popular with walkers. It is also an excellent place for getting closer to nature, as there are plenty of lovely wild flowers to be seen here in spring and summer, and many interesting species of bird migrate here in the spring and autumn.

Also known as:

Covehurst Bay

Type of beach

Sand & shingle

Lifeguard service

No

Dogs friendly beach?

Dogs are allowed on the beach from 1st October until 30th April

East Sussex dog friendly beaches »

Activities

  • Swimming/bathing

Nudist/naturist beach

Yes

Nearest town

Hastings

Postcode

TN35 4AD

OS grid ref.

TQ 8599 1087

Parking

There are several car parks situated adjacen to the beach.

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Fairlight Glen Beach Reviews

Most wonderful beach and park

Jim
Nov 20th 2020

This is my favourite away from it all beach in the UK. It is stunning and sandy at low tide, the walk there is delightful too. This year really busy and lots of younger folks coming down and joining in getting nude. Great to see regrowth in naturists at this beach.  I always walk nude through the country park too with shorts handy to slip on.  In fact I have passed people whilst nude and they have been fine. One lady even stopped and chatted for 5 mins whilst I stayed nude. Just amazing place.

Best naturist beach in SE England

Aug 25th 2020

This is hidden gem of a beach. Okay so only sandy at low tide. But beautiful away from it all setting, lovely walks to get there and a mix of people there including textiles happy enough with the naturists. Have to be discrete and and ready with some easy to slip on shorts some lovely nude walking around the country park too.

Nick Prince
May 19th 2019

This is one of the most beautiful spots in the world. Great for that all over sun tan

Lovely place

blide
Sep 27th 2021

Amazing beauty spot. I suffer a little from anxiety and often go there early morning before others, its just a lovely place to have to yourself and take off your clothes knowing it cannot offend anyone. Beautiful place well worth the trek

Amazing views on more than one way

Poppy
Jun 15th 2022

A wonderful if not treacherous walk down to the beach, truly an unspoilt part of the world tucked away, was lucky enough to see a very cute trans \sissy there

A wonderful place

Kevin
Mar 14th 2022

Well worth a bit of a scramble through the woods to get to.  One of my favourite beaches,

Amazing.

Mike
May 03rd 2022

I love this place.
It is so clean and relaxing after the great walk to get there.
For those annoyed by the nudists (I am not one) these are the people who keep the place accessible, clearing the steep paths, painting signs etc.
Plenty of space when the tide is out for everyone to have fun :)
Don’t expect an ice cream van or pub at the end! This beach is remote and well off the beaten track.

great on summers day

Kate
Oct 11th 2021

on a sunny day its lovely. as other reviews state access requires sturdy shoes and can get slippy after rain. many people walk to areas left and right of beach but beware of the tide catching you out. Also has a few weird males hanging in area above beach so wouldnt leave kids to explore the area.

Beautiful Spot

Noel
Feb 11th 2024

I love this beach it’s such a wonderful little spot,  I do not consider myself to be a nudist or naturist but I have always been intrigued and interested in giving it a go. I have been most of my life very self conscious of my body and nudity in general. But recently I plucked up the courage and gave it a go. Though being extremely nervous I eventually found myself really enjoying the experience and felt much more comfortable in my own skin. It’s so freeing, the sun on your whole body the gentle breeze it makes you feel so alive. I’m so glad it was this beach I bared all first. I’ve nether witnessed anything untoward there but I have stayed near the entrance. There is a gay community that uses the far end of the beach. It’s nice however to see a good mixture of people, young and old and quite a few women that is nice to see, as this did make me feel more comfortable, rather than it being all men as I don’t think I would have tried it. But overall it’s a lovely place to visit, relax and unwind. It’s even a lovely walk to get there that also adds to the whole experience. I have now been quite a few times over the last couple of years and looking forward to returning again this year when the weather warms up.

Jul 15th 2022

It’s a lovely secluded beach with a mixture of naturists young and old. Also non naturists and everyone seems relaxed. Because of its location you’re not likely to see young children or dogs. As someone said, there are a few weird males lurking around in the woods. As a straight male I had to decline a few offers of help with sun screen application and a complimentary comment on my little fella. I take it all in good humour and it hasn’t put me off revisiting. The walk down from the car park is more like 40 mins than 20. Do check the tides though.

Oh dear

Bradley Deans
Jul 15th 2021

Yes, lovely beach / location ... ruined by the ghastly sight of naked British people. You may say that I should celebrate the body in all its diversity but just when you are about to tuck into lunch the last thing you want is the sight of sagging, wrinkly parts and the oddly tufted regions which even nature tries to hide.  The weird exhibitionist urge should be resisted to prevent the rest of us having to regurgitate at the sight of your tired, lined, drooping, scarred and spotty anatomy.