Things to do
Battle is very nice, good for nice cafés and shabby chic shops. The Simply Pizza restaurant is good there. And they like kids! The café that is nearest the Abbey on the right (near the sweet shop) does a nice lunch. The Abbey is very interesting but quite pricey to get in to.
Obviously Hastings has the pleasure beach. Plus the Old Town is great to mooch about in. Get the Cliff Railway up to Hasting's Castle (ruins) and large playground and nice café. Best fish and chips in Hastings we think are at The Blue Dolphin or The Mermaid. The fish and chip shop on Battle high street is also good. Our favourite pub is the Queens Head in Sedlescombe 01424870228 (might be good to book if you going for Sunday lunch) lovely open fire and nice garden for kids to run about. Rye is really pretty, great antiques & quirky shops and not very far at all. Camber sands offers sand dunes and proper sandcastle sand! For the more adventurous kite surfing and paddle boarding. Fairlight Cove is a nice walk (or swim or rock pooling) check the tide times though, as it’s best if the sea is going out because you could get stuck on the beach. If you want a walk there is the fabulous Hastings Country Park (pictured above) which is along the cliffs and you will come to that before you get to Fairlight. You can get to Rye this way as well. Pevensey Bay is a good safe beach for the kids to throw themselves in! Pevensey Castle (more ruins!) is very pretty as well. The Observatory Science Centre, Herstmonceux offers a lot of hands on activities for children and is a great for a rainy day. The De la Warr is quite a mad building in Bexhill. It is a nice place for lunch as well... great burgers and more fish & chips!! The exhibits are never that big so be warned it may only take 10 mins to go round! There is also the Jerwood gallery in Hastings, again not that big but offers interesting exhibitions. If you fancy driving a bit further – roughly about half hour (depending if there are any trains going over signal at Pevensey) the Towner gallery in Eastbourne is great as well. Plus Beachy head & Birling Gap for shrimping & rock pooling. Or the Seven Sisters for a stunning walk. The Tiger pub in East Dean does a great ploughmans and if it’s a nice day has a green for kids to run about on (past Beachy Head and Birling Gap). If you are a steamy fan, head for the Bodiam to Tenterden line. The Castle pub next to Bodiam station does good food and there is a lovely riverside walk as well. Bodiam Castle (still standing!) is worth a visit too. For fishermen the Wyland International Angling Centre is just down the road or try some sea fishing at Hastings Harbour. If you want to use the onsite pool & gym or even play Bingo at the clubhouse you can get weekly passes at reception for £3 per person. |