Camber Sands beach and parking guide 2026
The only sand dune system in East Sussex and seven miles of golden sand. Here is everything you need to know about parking at Camber, the car park charges and gate times, and how to get the best from the beach.
Camber is a place that rewards the unhurried. The beach changes character with every tide: at low water the sea retreats a very long way and leaves warm, shallow lagoons perfect for paddling; at high water the dunes feel wild and windswept. Beachside Cottage is a short walk from it all, with its own garage and parking, so the car park question never comes up for our guests.
Camber Sands parking 2026: every car park compared
Parking at Camber is straightforward out of season and hard work on a hot summer weekend, when thousands of people head for the beach and the car parks are full by mid-morning. These are the four public car parks, with what each one is like.
- Camber Central
- The main car park on Old Lydd Road (TN31 7RH), closest to the busiest stretch of beach, the toilets and the lifeguards. Run by Rother District Council. RingGo location code 15617. The only one with a gate that is locked in the evening (see gate times below).
- Old Lydd Road
- Rother District Council car park in the village, a short walk to the dunes. RingGo location code 15619. Same charges as Central.
- Camber Western
- Rother District Council car park at the western end (TN31 7RB), nearest the softest sand and the River Rother end of the beach. RingGo location code 15620. A separate coach park beside it costs £5.90 an hour, is open to coaches only from 1 April to 30 September, and must be left by 5pm.
- Broomhill Sands
- Free parking for around 300 cars at the eastern end of the beach, owned by East Sussex County Council. It is closest to the kitesurfing zone. A height barrier limits access for taller vehicles, so campervans and cars with roof boxes cannot use it. There are no toilets.
Parking charges at the council car parks
Rother District Council sets one tariff for Camber Central, Old Lydd Road and Western. These are the charges from 1 April 2026, including VAT.
- Summer: 1 April to 30 September
- Up to 1 hour £6.00. Up to 3 hours £12.00. Up to 6 hours £24.00. Over 6 hours £30.00.
- Winter: 1 October to 31 March
- Up to 1 hour £1.50. Up to 3 hours £4.00. Up to 6 hours £6.75. Over 6 hours £8.25.
- Charging hours
- 8am to 7pm, seven days a week, all year.
- Annual permit
- A nominated annual permit for Camber Central costs £830. Camber Western does not take annual permits.
How to pay
Pay as soon as you arrive. The car parks are pay and display, so you can pay at the machine by card and put the ticket in your windscreen. You can also pay with the RingGo app, online, or by phone on 020 3046 0010, using the location codes above; a 20p convenience charge may apply. If you want to pay cash, the council asks you to do it at the nearest PayPoint. Blue Badge holders also have to pay. Breaking the rules posted in the car park brings an £80 standard charge.
Gate times and overnight parking
From 1 April to 30 September, the gate at Camber Central is locked at 8pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings and reopens at 8.30am, so do not leave the car there if you plan to stay for sunset and supper. In winter the gate is not normally locked, but the council warns it may be at short notice. Overnight stays are not allowed in any of the Camber car parks.
Free parking at Camber Sands
Broomhill Sands is the only free car park, and it fills quickly on sunny weekends. East Sussex County Council consulted in January 2026 on adding charges of £2 to £8 a day, but when we checked in October 2026 there were still no parking charges in place. If charges are introduced, we will update this page. Do not be tempted to park on verges or in the village streets; please park considerately, as people live here all year.
Local tips for parking at Camber
- On sunny summer weekends and bank holiday weekends, arrive before 10am or after 4pm. By late morning the car parks are usually full.
- Park in Rye and travel the last few miles. Gibbet Marsh car park in Rye charges £2.85 for the whole day, and from there you can cycle the flat three miles to Camber on National Cycle Route 2 or take the 102 bus.
- Short visit in winter? An hour costs £1.50, which makes Camber one of the cheapest days out on the coast from October to March.
- Check the tide before you pay for six hours. At high tide the beach narrows a lot; the couple of hours either side of low tide give you the most sand.
Camber Sands without a car
You can leave the car at home. Take the train to Rye on the Marshlink line, about 25 minutes from Ashford International, then the Stagecoach 102 bus, which links Rye and Camber in 15 to 20 minutes. Bikes travel easily on the train, and the cycle path from Rye station to the beach is largely traffic free. See our cycling guide for the route.
The easiest way to park at Camber: stay here
A summer week of day trips to Camber at the over-six-hour rate costs up to £210 in parking alone, and that is if you find a space. Beachside Cottage has a garage plus parking at the front and rear, so you park once when you arrive and walk to the beach for the rest of the week. Go down for the empty sand at 7am, come back for lunch, return for the evening light, and never watch a gate time.
The cottage sleeps four in two bedrooms, welcomes up to two dogs, and has a south-facing decking area with a BBQ and an enclosed garden. The garage takes the car or the buggy, bikes, boards and kites. Check live availability and prices on holidaycottages.co.uk.
The lie of the land
The sand is softest and widest towards the River Rother end of the beach, becoming more shingly out east towards Jury’s Gap and Dungeness. At low tide the sea goes out a very long way, leaving ridges, warm pools and streams that children adore. The sand dunes behind are a Site of Special Scientific Interest, so please keep to the boarded and worn paths and keep dogs on leads when crossing them.
Best times to go
Early morning and late afternoon are magical, and much quieter in summer. Aim for the couple of hours either side of low tide for the biggest beach. Out of season you may have whole stretches to yourselves, and the winter light here is something rather special. Always check the tide the night before: an incoming tide moves fast and can cut off sandbars.
- Tide tables
- BBC coast and sea tide tables (search Rye Bay / Rye Harbour), or the Met Office equivalent.
- Lifeguards
- In 2026 RNLI lifeguards patrolled Camber Central at weekends from Easter and daily from late May to 27 September, and Camber West at May half term, summer weekends and daily from mid July to early September, 10am to 6pm. No flags means no lifeguards. Swim between the red and yellow flags, never when the red flag flies. RNLI
- The one serious note
- Never swim near the harbour mouth, where currents are strong. Watch for sandbars on an incoming tide, because water can wrap around behind you faster than you expect. In an emergency call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
- Lost children
- A children’s wristband scheme for reuniting lost little ones runs from the coastal office in season.
- Facilities
- Toilets by the Central car park and at the Welcome Centre (opened 2025), which also has showers and first aid. There are no toilets at Broomhill.
- Dogs
- Welcome all year. From 1 May to 30 September dogs must stay out of the zoned bathing areas; look for the round dog signs at every entrance. From 1 October to 30 April the whole beach is open. Leads in the dunes at all times. Full details in our dog walks guide.
- Beach rules
- Only gas barbecues raised off the sand are ever allowed; disposable, wood and charcoal barbecues are banned and the dunes are strictly no-fire. In August 2026 the council suspended all barbecues and flames because of wildfire risk, so check before you light one. Groups of ten or more need council permission. Horse riding is restricted in summer, from the Thursday before Easter to 30 September, to early mornings and evenings. The beach has been voluntarily smoke-free since 2025.
- Beach questions
- Rother District Council Coast Office (facilities, dog-zone maps, lost property): 01797 225207, or ask the beach patrol in person.
Water sports
Camber is one of the UK’s great kitesurfing beaches, with a dedicated kite zone at the eastern (Broomhill) end and three licensed schools teaching kitesurfing, kite buggying, landboarding and wing foiling. Rye Watersports teaches sailing, windsurfing and paddleboarding on flat, safe water at Northpoint Water. Surf and paddleboard hire are available in the village. Read the full kitesurfing, surfing and watersports guide.
Walking from the cottage
No plan needed: head over the dunes, pick a direction and walk until the kettle calls you home. Sunrise over the sea and the marram grass is the single best free thing this holiday has to offer. For longer outings such as the golf links circular, the walk to Rye and the Rye Harbour classics, see walks for everyone and dog walks.
Camber Sands parking questions
Is parking free at Camber Sands?
Not at the council car parks. Camber Central, Old Lydd Road and Western all charge from 8am to 7pm, every day of the year. Broomhill Sands car park at the eastern end of the beach is free at the moment. East Sussex County Council consulted on introducing charges there in January 2026, but none were in place when we checked in October 2026.
How much is parking at Camber Sands?
From 1 April to 30 September the three council car parks charge £6 for up to an hour, £12 for up to three hours, £24 for up to six hours and £30 for longer. From 1 October to 31 March the same stays cost £1.50, £4, £6.75 and £8.25.
What time do the Camber car park gates lock?
In summer, from 1 April to 30 September, the gate at Camber Central car park is locked at 8pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings and reopens at 8.30am. In winter it is not normally locked, though the council says it may be locked at short notice.
Can you park overnight at Camber Sands?
No. Overnight stays are not allowed in the Camber car parks or the coach park, and the council issues an £80 standard charge to anyone who breaks the rules.
Do Blue Badge holders pay to park at Camber?
Yes. Rother District Council says Blue Badge holders must pay for parking sessions in its car parks.
Official information
- Rother District Council car park charges: tariffs and RingGo codes from 1 April 2026
- Rother District Council payment methods: card, RingGo and PayPoint
- East Sussex County Council, Broomhill car park: the proposed charges and their status
- RNLI: lifeguards and beach safety
Park once, walk to the beach all week
Beachside Cottage sits in Camber village with a garage and parking front and rear, and the beach, shop and pub all within walking distance. No car park charges, no gate times, and every low tide is yours.
Wish you were here?
You could be.
Sandy floors forgiven, sunsets encouraged, and seconds of everything. Check live availability and book your dates securely online.