One of the reasons I moved to Rye just over a year ago was simple: I wanted to live by the sea. Being able to walk on the beach whenever I fancied wasn’t just a nice bonus – it was one of my non-negotiables.
What I didn’t expect, however, was to discover quite how vibrant the local wellbeing scene is. As a qualified yoga instructor myself (although I now work primarily as a health coach), I was pleasantly surprised by the sheer number of yoga classes, retreats and outdoor sessions taking place around Rye and Camber. It seems our corner of East Sussex has embraced the idea that wellbeing doesn’t have to happen within four walls.
Yet, despite countless walks along Camber Sands, I’ve rarely experienced it at sunrise.
Most of us know the beach when it’s bustling with dog walkers, families, kite surfers and holidaymakers. Dawn offers a completely different perspective. Before the cafes open and the day gets underway, the beach belongs to the waves, the birds and the changing colours of the sky. There’s a stillness that’s easy to miss if you’re tucked up in bed.
It’s perhaps no surprise that more yoga instructors are choosing these quieter moments to practise outdoors. Gentle movement, fresh sea air and the first natural light of the day can create a peaceful start to the morning, whether you’re an experienced yogi or simply curious to try something different.
One such opportunity comes on Saturday 29 August, when JoJo Yoga Creative is hosting a Sunrise Beach Yoga Experience at Camber Sands. Participants will gather on the beach before dawn for a gentle yoga session as the sun rises over the sea, before heading to Ground Up Coffee Shop in Rye for coffee and homemade energy bites.
Whether you’re there for the yoga or simply for the chance to experience Camber at one of its quietest and most beautiful moments, it might just make that early alarm worthwhile.
