Milestone birthdays on Hayling Island: a 60th, 70th or 80th family stay at Sandy Point

A 60th, 70th or 80th birthday is one of the few occasions that gets everyone in the family to the same place at the same time: grandparents, their grown-up children, partners and the grandchildren, sometimes with a teenager or two in tow. Wittering Sands, our exclusive-use house at 14 Wittering Road, Hayling Island PO11 9SP, sleeps up to nine across four bedrooms and five beds, which is often exactly the size of a three-generation family. This guide is about turning a stay into the celebration: a proper birthday dinner at home, cake in the garden, a walk on the shore, a lunch out by the harbour and a family photo as the sun goes down.

A celebration stay, not a party house

One thing first, so nobody is disappointed. The house is for the people staying. We do not take parties, events or extra day guests, the house is no smoking, and the number of guests must not exceed the number agreed at booking, up to a maximum of nine. So the celebration is the nine (or fewer) of you who are booked in. If you are planning a big gathering for friends and neighbours, book a venue for that and come here for the family weekend either side of it.

In our experience that is what most families want anyway. One recent booking was for a 70th: three generations and the family dog, all under one roof for a few days. That is exactly the kind of weekend the house is made for.

Why does the house suit three generations?

• Bedrooms that sort themselves out: the master suite has its own ensuite and sea views, which makes it the natural room for the birthday guest. Three of the four bedrooms are ensuite, with 3.5 bathrooms in total, so mornings are calm. Bedroom 4 can be a super-king or two singles; tell us which when you book.
• Room to be together and apart: open-plan living looks across Chichester Harbour, and outside there are sun terraces, a thatched garden room and the breeze huts, which have their own heaters and fairy lights. Grandparents can read in the sitting room while the children are in the garden.
• Children and dogs: children of all ages are welcome, babies and toddlers included, and a travel cot and highchair are available on request, so just ask when you book. Up to two well-behaved dogs are welcome too, with no extra pet fee, kept off the beds and sofas, and there is a boot brush by the back door for sandy paws.
• Parking for four cars: useful when different branches of the family drive in from different directions.

The garden is private but not secure. It is unfenced and opens towards the shoreline, with a drop of five to six feet onto the beach at the end, and the current off Sandy Point can run hard. Please keep an eye on children and dogs outside, especially during a busy birthday afternoon.

How do you plan the birthday dinner at home?

For many families the big dinner is the heart of the weekend, and the dining room at Wittering Sands seats all nine. The kitchen is fully equipped, with two ovens, a gas hob, a microwave and a dishwasher, so a roast, a long fish supper or a favourite family recipe is all realistic. In warmer weather there is a terrace dining table looking over the water and gazebo dining with harbour views in the garden, plus an electric barbecue.

For the shopping, our Around Hayling guide lists where we go ourselves: Mengham for the butcher and greengrocer, Stoke Fruit Farm Shop for the deli counter, and Lidl or the Co-op for the big shop. If nobody wants to cook on the night you arrive, Square Rigger at Sparkes Marina, a short walk away, does takeaway, and Whistlers will deliver fish and chips to the house.

A few small things help on the night: agree who is cooking and who is clearing, lay the table in the afternoon, and give the birthday guest the best seat facing the harbour.

Where can you get a birthday cake on Hayling Island?

Loco Loaf, an independent bakery on Furniss Way on the west side of the island, sells sourdough, buns, pastries and cakes, and it is open Thursday to Sunday from 8am to 2pm. It also makes a good birthday breakfast run. If you want a particular celebration cake, the simplest plan is to order one near home and bring it with you, then have it in the garden or the thatched garden room in the afternoon.

What is a good harbour lunch out?

A lunch out gives the cook a day off and makes the birthday feel like an occasion.

• Langstone: the Ship Inn by Hayling Bridge sits on the water, is known for fresh, locally caught fish and has a patio for summer days. Our Around Hayling guide suggests parking there and walking the foreshore path to the Royal Oak by the old mill.
• Emsworth: about 9 miles, or 20 to 30 minutes by car. In our guide, 36 on the Quay and Fat Olives are the places for marking an occasion. 36 on the Quay is a restaurant with rooms overlooking the harbour, open Tuesday to Saturday, and Fat Olives is a small restaurant in a 17th-century cottage on South Street. Smaller restaurants have rules for larger tables, so ring ahead for nine. Our Emsworth day trip guide has the millpond walk to go with lunch.
• On the island: Square Rigger takes tables of more than eight through its event request form or by phone, so book ahead if you all want to go.

Is there a boat trip for the whole family?

Chichester Harbour Water Tours runs 45-minute harbour tours and longer seal-watching trips from the jetty at Itchenor, on the far side of the harbour. By road that is about 23 miles, or roughly 40 minutes or more round the harbour. The boats take up to 12 people, so nine fit on one trip, and the company says there is no age limit. Dogs can go on the harbour tour but not the seal trips. Its season starts in March and winds down in October, so it suits a spring or summer birthday. Check dates and book ahead.

A beach walk and a sunset photo

You do not need to go far. The lagoon walk past the lifeboat station and round to Black Point starts a few minutes from the door, so everyone can go at their own pace and turn back when they like. Our guide says it is best an hour before sunset, which also makes it the time for the family photo, with the harbour behind you. Keep dogs on leads near the water.

If the birthday guest prefers to stay put, the sunset over Chichester Harbour can be watched from the house. For an evening out, Inn on the Beach on the seafront is our sunset pick; ask for a terrace table. Our dog-friendly Hayling Island guide and best beaches near Sandy Point have more walks.

What can the grandchildren do?

Hayling Seafront at Beachlands is the proper bucket and spade beach, with the Hayling Light Railway and a small funfair nearby. In our guide, the little railway is the one that "buys the grown ups a coffee". A morning there and a birthday tea back at the house works well for mixed ages.

What are the stay details?

Check-in is from 4pm and checkout is by 10am. Wittering Sands sleeps up to nine across four bedrooms and five beds, with 3.5 bathrooms. Up to two well-behaved dogs are welcome at the house, with no extra pet fee, kept off beds and sofas, and parking is available for four cars. Children of all ages are welcome, babies and toddlers included, and a travel cot and highchair are available on request, so just ask when you book. The minimum stay is 2 nights, and some dates may require longer; the booking calendar shows the minimum for your dates. Bookings need at least 48 hours' notice. Three nights gives you an arrival evening, a full birthday day and a slow last morning.

Rates vary by season and length of stay. The live calendar shows the current figure for your dates; this guide does not indicate availability.

How do you book?

Book direct using the live booking calendar. If you want to talk through bedrooms, dogs or timing around a birthday, get in touch.

Opening times, table sizes, boat trip seasons and bakery hours change. Check with each business before you plan around it.