Selsey Bill

Exposed rocky headland with the RNLI lifeboat station and dramatic coastal views

The rocky headland at the southernmost tip of the Manhood Peninsula, marking the point where the coastline turns from south-facing to east-facing. Selsey Bill is one of the most exposed spots on the Sussex coast, open to the full force of the English Channel. The RNLI lifeboat station is the dominant feature, reached by a long elevated walkway from the shore. The lifeboat house is a modern structure standing on stilts above the water, and the walkway is a distinctive sight from the coast path. The foreshore at the Bill is rocky and strewn with boulders, quite different from the sandy beaches elsewhere in Selsey. Rock pools form at low tide, and the area is popular with anglers. Coastal erosion has been a constant concern here, and the sea defences along the Bill have been strengthened several times. The area has a wild, windswept character that contrasts with the quieter residential streets further north.