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A4 checklist with all illustrated steps. Tick the boxes on paper as you go.

FeatherSticks · Shelter

Camping at the Coast & Beach: Tides, Wind, Sand and the Rules

The sea comes back twice a day. Pitch where it cannot reach you.

Quick facts

Core rule
Rules first, then tides: camp only above the high-water line
Difficulty
Moderate; tides and wind need planning
Best for
Campers on coastal campsites, trekking sites and permitted beaches
You need
Tide table, all drinking water, sand anchors, sun shade

What you need

  • Tide table for the nearest station and a wind forecast
  • All drinking water, plus a little for rinsing
  • Stuff sacks or bags for sand deadmen, spare cord, wide sand stakes
  • Low tent or tarp with many tie-out points
  • Sun hat, sunglasses, sun cream and a tarp for shade
  • Dry bags or zip bags against sand and spray
  • Rubbish bag and toilet bag
  • Phone in a waterproof bag

Step by step

  1. Check the rules first

    1 Check the rules first

    Beaches, dunes and coastal national parks often ban camping and fires. Find out what is allowed where you are going, or use a campsite.

  2. Read the tide table

    2 Read the tide table

    Note the times of high and low water for your nights, whether spring tides are due, and the wind forecast, which can push water higher.

  3. Pitch above the high water

    3 Pitch above the high water

    Find the wrack line of seaweed and debris that marks the last high water and pitch well above it, with a margin for spring tides and surges.

  4. Low end into the wind

    4 Low end into the wind

    Onshore wind carries sand. Pitch low, point the narrow end into the wind and keep the door on the lee side.

  5. Anchor with deadmen

    5 Anchor with deadmen

    Normal pegs pull out of sand. Bury sand-filled stuff sacks, sticks or stakes crosswise 20–30 cm deep and stamp them firm.

  6. Bring water, leave no trace

    6 Bring water, leave no trace

    Seawater is not drinkable, so carry all your water. Pack out every scrap of rubbish and keep away from dunes and nesting birds.

Common mistakes

  • Camping on a beach or in the dunes without checking whether it is allowed.
  • Pitching on wet sand or between the wrack line and the sea.
  • Trusting a wrack line left by a neap tide when spring tides or an onshore storm are due.
  • Walking far out onto sandbanks or mudflats without knowing the tide times.
  • Using normal pegs in loose sand and watching the tent fold in the first gust.
  • Bringing too little drinking water because there is water everywhere.
  • Burying a fire in sand instead of drowning it.