At the beach

Our beaches and coasts are beautiful and inspiring but we urge you to take a safety first approach when visiting. Whether for business or for pleasure, please take time to prepare, understand the conditions and the environment and look after yourself and those with you.

Please always check the weather conditions, the state of the tides, any specific local conditions and always swim within lifeguarded areas. If you or anyone you see gets into trouble call 999 and ask for the Coastguard. Essential safety guidance can be found here. Beach safety | HM Coastguard UK

If you plan to enter the water, whether swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking or surfing and are worried about water quality, our advice is to always check first. This is especially important during or after periods of heavy rainfall as storm overflows are designed to release excess storm water from the sewerage system into rivers or the sea during periods of rainfall and/or snowmelt to ensure they are not overwhelmed. Surfers Against Sewage has an app and information for coastal waters. Sewage pollution alerts - Surfers Against Sewage (sas.org.uk) Alternatively, the Rivers Trust provides an interactive sewage map that includes coastal outfalls, though it may not be real-time for all locations: https://theriverstrust.org/sewage-map

Anyone wishing to take part in a beach clean on areas of foreshore owned by The Crown Estate is welcome to do so and does not require our formal consent. We recommend that before taking part in a beach clean you undertake a risk assessment to ensure the health and safety of those involved. It is also advisable to contact the relevant local authority about collection and disposal of the litter at the end of the session. Organisations such as Surfers Against Sewage and The Marine Conservation Society regularly organise beach cleans and may be able to provide guidance.

To find out which areas of foreshore we own, please use our Foreshore and Estuary Ownership Map.