Shedding layers

Beach journal 18th March 2026

West Pier, Brighton. 10am. 13°C, sunny, moderate south-easterly wind. High tide.

The season for less layers arrives. There will be a shedding of heavy coats and the slow weight of winter. A letting go encouraged by spring sunshine.

I leave my scarf and gloves at home but I’m grateful for coat pockets. At the beach there’s a grip in the wind that tightens my shoulders. The sunlight makes me squint and I dig in my bag for sunglasses.

I’m on the east side of the West Pier when I stop, closer to the wreckage but held at bay by the high tide. The rusty pillars are plunged into the deeper water. Pebbles are pushed into flat levels along this stretch and offer a sturdy seat for sea gazers. Dark waves force their edges up the stones and the ripples are relentless under the east wind.

The pier looks more jagged and broken from this angle. I suppose everything has a bad side. The burnt out struts are visibly bent, tortured by the fires that stripped them down. The deep water hides treacherous secrets. It’s harder to see through the damage and to romanticise the ghosts of the past from here.

But there was joy here. Musicians, ballet dancers and daring high divers all took to the stage to wow the crowds to cheers and applause. It was a spectacle, a sight to see.

You might say it still is.

The beach is still mostly quiet, no gulls, the occasional crow. Visitors walk slowly, still weary from winter.

The promenade is rarely empty of dog walkers and joggers but few wander onto the shingle before Easter time. Soon though, the cafes will be full again, umbrellas open, music playing, hot salt and vinegar chips scenting the air. Day trippers and early tourists will reassure these businesses that they might make it through another year. Visitors will scatter across the shore, bags packed with towels and snacks, scanning the beach for a spot to settle for a few hours.

This is my moment to sit in the sun with just the waves for company.

If you’re as enamoured by the West Pier as I am, you might want to take a look at the West Pier Trust which has a gallery of wonderful photos from its opening in 1866 to now. Prepare to be wowed by the attention to design and detail. It was a masterpiece in its time.

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