A gentle loop between town and tide

Shoreham-by-Sea sits in a rare pocket of West Sussex where the South Downs meet the sea and the River Adur slips out between them. The circular walk that follows both banks of the estuary is almost entirely flat, mostly on made-up path, and short enough to finish well before lunch. The full loop runs to around five miles — allow two and a half to three hours at a strolling pace, with time set aside for the views.

You can join it anywhere in the town, but the railway station and the town-centre car parks make the simplest start. The route below heads north along the west bank first and returns on the east side, so the wind is usually behind you on the way home.

North along the west bank

From the station, drop down towards the water and pick up the path running north along the western bank. The first stretch is broad and open — popular with joggers, dog walkers and children on scooters — and leaves the traffic behind within a few minutes. Moored yachts and small fishing boats line the channel, standing upright at high water and settling into the mud as the tide drops away.

The going is easy underfoot: tarmac, then a firm gravel surface, with benches spaced along the way. There are no stiles, no steps and no gates to wrestle with, which is what makes this route such a reliable choice for grandparents, pushchairs and anyone easing back into longer walks.

Mudflats, waders and the smell of the tide

The Adur estuary is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest, and it earns the status twice a day. At low water the channel empties to reveal wide mudflats and ribbons of saltmarsh, feeding grounds for huge numbers of birds. Bring binoculars if you have them.

• Waders: oystercatchers with their bright orange bills, neat flocks of dunlin and ringed plover, and the mournful call of curlew carrying across the water.
• Herons and egrets: grey herons stand motionless at the water's edge, while little egrets — bright white, with a shuffle-and-stab hunting style — are now a common sight.
• Winter visitors: dark-bellied brent geese arrive from the Arctic in autumn and graze the flats in noisy groups.
• Plants: look for mauve sea lavender in late summer and the fleshy green glasswort that gives the saltmarsh its colour.

The mud is the star of the show and the hazard in equal measure. It is deep, soft and unpredictable, and it can trap the unwary within a few steps. Stay on the path, keep dogs close, and never attempt to cross the flats, however firm they look.

Crossing the old toll bridge

At the northern end of the loop you reach the old Shoreham toll bridge, a timber structure first raised in the 1780s and one of the last of its kind still standing in Britain. It carried carts, cattle and then cars across the Adur for around two centuries before retiring to gentler duty as a foot and cycle crossing. The deck is narrow and the railings low, and if you pause in the middle you can watch the tide pushing up the channel.

Shoreham's history is written all over this stretch. It was a working medieval port trading with Normandy and beyond, and later a shipbuilding town. On the town side, the tower of St Mary de Haura — the name means "of the harbour" — still stands close to where the old waterfront would have been. Smuggling was once a profitable local sideline, which is perhaps unsurprising for a port with so many quiet creeks behind it.

The return leg: airfield, saltmarsh and beach

Over the bridge, turn south and follow the eastern bank back down towards the sea. On your left is the grass airfield, where light aircraft drone overhead on fine days — gentle entertainment for children who have had enough of birds. On your right, the saltmarsh narrows and the estuary begins to open out.

Continue on to Shoreham Beach, where the path meets the shingle spit and the Widewater Lagoon, a brackish strip of water with its own quiet population of wildfowl. From here, the Norfolk Bridge carries you back across to the town side and a short walk to where you began. If the tide is high and the wind is up, this final stretch can be bracing, so a windproof layer is worth having even in July.

Where to pause, and what to carry

Shoreham is a good town for a late breakfast or an early lunch. The High Street and the Ropetackle area have a decent spread of cafés, bakeries and pubs, and on a bright day nothing beats fish and chips eaten on a bench overlooking the water. Local Sussex produce is worth looking out for: South Downs lamb, Sussex Charmer cheese and, in summer, marsh samphire from the estuary edges.

• Tides: check a tide table before you set out. High water at the bridge is the most dramatic, but low tide shows the most birdlife.
• Footwear: trainers or walking shoes are fine, though the wooden bridge can be slippery when wet.
• Dogs: welcome on most of the route, but keep them on a lead near the mudflats and nesting areas.
• Essentials: water, sun cream, a windproof layer and binoculars if you have them.
• Accessibility: the loop is largely level and mostly surfaced, though the eastern bank has short gravel sections that can be muddy after rain.

Take your time. This is a walk that rewards loitering — a bench, a flask and half an hour watching the tide turn is the whole point.