The beaches here have certainly been facing the right way to provide shelter from the strong winds from the NE and E recently. It feels hot in the shelter, but wander down to the shoreline and it feels more like somewhere nearer the Artic.

Was a strange day yesterday at BG with the weather. A bank of fog hung just a few meters off the beach allowing the sun to poke through but it would creep in closer then back out. It was quite odd really. Only about 10 nudies on the beach but it was very nice. Typically I managed to miss a few spots with the sun cream (nowhere too important though..... lol).

Wish I was back today but agreed to help out a friend move house. Bummer!

SIHUK

I've been going to Birling Gap for a few years now, and find it a nice, quite, relaxing beach, with not too many walkers like you find on many beaches. easy to find, easy to get to, and easy to access. although a pain now you have to pay to park. Been most of this week during this heat spell. and loved every minute of it, if anyone is not sure where the naturist area starts, look out for the guy with the wind break, he's been going there for donkey's years and usually set up around the start point.

I've been going to Birling Gap for a few years now, and find it a nice, quite, relaxing beach, with not too many walkers like you find on many beaches. easy to find, easy to get to, and easy to access. although a pain now you have to pay to park. Been most of this week during this heat spell. and loved every minute of it, if anyone is not sure where the naturist area starts, look out for the guy with the wind break, he's been going there for donkey's years and usually set up around the start point.

We have a National Trust membership so parking is free for us at BG. I've not been many times when the man with the wind-break isn't there. I always consider him to be the 'sign' that says..... "Beyond this point there be naked people."

I also like that on windy days, it's less wind at BG. My other usual is Norman's Bay and if it's windy there you really know about it!

Tony (2)

Tony, the next time I'm at Birling, I'll keep my eyes open for you. I'll be looking for a guy in a suit with a Megaphone. lol

Odd one on Thursday.

Beautiful day until 3:45 when a bank of fog just arrived atop us all! Odd one.

Felt sorry for the the guy doing a photo-shoot with pretty Eastern European girls as they had to cut it short.

Tony (2)

Odd one on Thursday.

Beautiful day until 3:45 when a bank of fog just arrived atop us all! Odd one.

I was just along the coast at Fairlight, a beautiful and hot day there too, until the fog arrived at about the same time. The sea had been very calm and great for a few swims and there were quite a few naturists there for a midweek September day. All of a sudden you could barely see 100 m, a very eerie walk back up the hill through the woods from the beach.

I think our local beaches are often hotter than what gets reported, not sure where all the temperature readings are taken, somewhere high, windy and cool I suspect.

Often its the nearest airport.

Birling Gap is currently out of commision due to the recent bad weather having kicked the preverbial out of the chalk cliffs doing 7 years damage in 11 days!

National Trust say it "hopes" to be open by Easter............

I was talking to a regular Birling Gap user who has been visiting Fairlight recently. He told me that the steps down to the beach were still out of use. He said that the rocks which these recently installed steps went down to had disappeared during the winter storms, this left the steps only reaching a point several meters still above the current beach.

Is this still the case, does anyone know?

From the National trust Birling Gap page:

"Notice: We're pleased to announce that the steps to the beach are now open but please note, they may have to be closed at short notice in any periods of bad weather."

It would be interesting to know how the beach has fared with the cliff falls

Thanks for the update. Lets hope that the beach stays fairly stable so users can get onto it OK.

Next time the weather is nice I will be there for a check up and I'll report back.

I've been going to Birling Gap for the past couple of weeks, no problems with the steps now, nice to see that single females and couples feel relaxed to use this beach.

I've been going to Birling Gap for the past couple of weeks, no problems with the steps now, nice to see that single females and couples feel relaxed to use this beach.

I've noticed a lot more females and couples at BG this year. It's nice to not have meercats roving about. The people who do pass by tend to have a big grin on their face or make nervous giggles. It's refreshing in comparison to Brighton and Normans' Bay.

Say hi if you see me. I'm there when I can be. I'm a big guy (belly not willy lol), usually in a baseball cap and laying on a tartan rug.

Tony (2)