Tucked along the southeast coast of England, Sussex is an ecologically diverse area that’s packed with history. Whether your desire is to stroll a beach, sample farmer’s markets, browse shops, tour castles or just enjoy nature, you can do it all in this romantic region. Leave your formal dress home if you make Sussex your next holiday destination. Comfortable clothing, great walking shoes and binoculars are all you need to relax, unwind, breathe the air and refresh your soul.
Exploring Sussex, Nature, Beaches, Villages
Walking Nirvana
When engineers carved out South Downs Way, a 100-mile-long national trail that’s the pride of East Essex, they knew it would become one of the most popular attractions in the region. Let your stamina and time schedule determine the pace at which you explore this enchanting trail. Travel experts recommend a starting place like Eastbourne. Yes, that’s the English Channel you’re staring at from cliffs along the East Sussex coast, and if you use your imagination, you can envision historic crossings made by Viking ancestors or brief conquests by the French before armies were sent running back to Normandy by an assortment of monarchs.
Further along the Way, introduce your legs to the Seven Sisters—actually, seven valleys that, when hiked, can build muscle like no trail you’ve taken in the past. This is no exaggeration: the Seven Sisters circuit is composed of so many hills, valleys and changes in terrain, if you find a flat spot, have someone snap a photo so you can prove it exists!
A Shorter Trail and Farmer’s Markets
If undertaking a 100-mile trek isn’t on your bucket list–and you’ve had your fill of unpaved trails, opt for a shorter and easier trek like the Cuckoo Trail, another popular East Essex route. Named for the former railroad line joining the towns of Heathfield and Eastbourne Park–Horam, Hailsham and Polegate are located in-between—this may be a shorter hike, but scenery won’t disappoint.
Anticipate so many species of natural wildlife coexisting along the 14-mile path, you might think you’ve found Eden. The Cuckoo Trail offers scenic overlooks, mini-forests, antiquated bridges, picnic areas—even offbeat wood and steel sculptures that distinguish this area from others. Check out the perpetual home to migrating butterflies and the year-round habitat of weasels and yes, cuckoos and woodpeckers.
Slow your pace by touring Sussex farmer’s markets, many of which are staged beside or within village or town halls along the route you take. But since every farmers market has a unique mix of products, hours and days of operation, you may wish to do further research before dropping in on these popular markets:
Battle Abbey Green
Brede Village Hall
Brighton’s Diplocks Market
Crowborough’s Pine Grove
Crowhurst Village Hall
Eastbourne’s Old Town Ocklynnge Road
East Dean Village
Hailsham Castle
Hastings’ Wellington Place at Queens Road
Heathfield, Lewes Cliffe
Little Common: St. Martha’s Church Hall
Ninfield Village Hall
Robertsbridge Village Hall
Rye’s Strand Quay
Stonegate Village Hall
Uckfield
Upper Dicker Village Hall
Wadhurst Commemoration Hall.
Buildings and Ghosts
John and Carol Curd, Sussex residents and prolific bloggers, suggest stops at quaint graveyards throughout Sussex for a fascinating look at the past. Find one that intrigues you and if you’ve brought the supplies, undertake a pencil rubbing to commemorate your visit. See if you can find John Curd’s great-great grandfather’s headstone as you roam. He hasn’t been successful locating the marker, so do contact him at www.curdhome.co.uk/east-sussex-exploration if you find it.
If wandering cemeteries is not your cup of tea, emulate London Book Snob blogger Rachel bookssnob.wordpress.com/exploring-east-sussex who insists that no trip to East Sussex would be complete without time spent at Bateman’s, the former estate of noted British author Rudyard Kipling. Hidden in the little town of Burwash, Kipling’s 17th century house is constructed in the quintessential Jacobean architectural style, offering wondrous views of woody environs from mullioned windows.
Quaint little little cottages and Georgian houses abound in this community, so make strolling village neighborhoods (in addition to seeing the estate) part of your plan. The Kipling house is staffed by volunteers so contact Bateman’s: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/batemans or call 01435 882302 to make sure the house is open before you visit—and if the weather’s idyllic, linger in the estate’s rose gardens when everything’s in bloom or wander the woods surrounding the house where a picnic can turn your visit into a memory-making day. Forgot your picnic? A restaurant on premises can make sure you don’t leave the area hungry.
Don’t Forget the Castles
Given the amount of history made on the East Sussex coast, expect to encounter lots of castles as you traverse the region. Some are now charming ruins with stories buried within the rubble, others are being restored with the help of private donors or government grants and some are occupied by their owners. What they all have in common is a single historical thread that runs through this area: each castle has its own unique story and many of them are legendary. Of particular note is Battle Abbey, the 11th Century castle built to salute William the Conquerors’ “forced removal” of England’s last Anglo Saxon king.
Battle Abbey may be a jewel in the East Sussex crown, but you’re going to run into tacky tourist shops in the area, too, so make a beeline to Mrs. Burton’s tea shop for refreshment. You deserve some down time and there’s nothing like a good history book, hot tea and cakes to delight the senses—unless it’s a pub where you can sit, sip and read about the 1215 French army landing distinguished by complaints about the lack of wine that forced invaders to ingest English beer. Lift one to commemorate their lack of good taste.
Make Haste in Hastings?
After wandering the Sussex trails and by-ways by foot, you may want a change of scenery that includes browsing, carousing, shopping and the water. Find it in the Hastings area, but be discriminating about where in Hastings you land. Once the most exclusive holiday spot for London society and royalty when the railroad first linked London with East Sussex, Hastings has suffered from some decline, so head straight for Old Town, a one-stop destination. Browse boutiques and antique shops, enjoy a pint or two at a pub or take tea at the cafes and restaurants welcoming tourists and townies alike.
Meander over to Stade, home to a nostalgic gathering of fishing huts that remain vestiges of 19th century Hastings. The Fishing Museum offers background on the past, so take time to examine artifacts and lore that chronicle maritime events in East Sussex history.
This is your official warning to plan ahead if you hope to dine at what’s become a modern day Hastings-area landmark: Maggie’s Fish and Chip. No reservation? You risk leaving without sampling the house special, Maggie’s famous Fisherman’s Roll. A stroll along the beachfront—including a barefoot walk along the Channel’s edge–is mandatory, if only to say you’ve braved the cold surf and your feet lived to tell about it!
Historic & Romantic Sussex Hotels
Bailiffscourt Hotel & Spa
Walk through the door of Bailiffscourt and you take a step back in time, as narrow passageways with flagstone floors lead you through a series of intimate lounges and sitting rooms, decorated with antiques, tapestries and beautiful fresh flowers.
Gaze out through the Gothic mullioned windows at the delightful gardens and the rose-clad courtyard and sink into a comfortable sofa or armchair, warmed by a crackling log fire on cooler days, while experiencing the very best of service and hospitality.
Take time out to visit the luxurious and contemporary Bailiffscourt Spa or take a stroll through the 30 acres of private parkland with its moat, small streams and wildlife, leading down to unspoilt Climping Beach
www.hshotels.co.uk/bailiffscourt-hotel-and-spa
Climping Street,
Climping,
West Sussex,
BN17 5RW
Ockenden Manor Hotel
Ockenden Manor is a charming and tranquil Elizabethan Manor House tucked away in Cuckfield, one of the prettiest Tudor villages in England. With its history and character, elegant sitting room warmed by a roaring log fire and cosy, wood panelled bar, it’s a wonderful place to escape to and yet it is just an hour from London and 20 minutes drive from Gatwick.
The hotel is set in nine acres of peaceful gardens and parkland with views across the West Sussex countryside to the South Downs and some of the great gardens and stately homes of Sussex and Kent are within easy reach.
Guests are assured of a warm welcome from Manager Adam Smith and his team and the very best of hospitality and cuisine which has been recognised by AA and Michelin awards.
www.hshotels.co.uk/ockenden-manor-hotel-and-spa
Ockenden Lane,
Cuckfield,
West Sussex,
RH17 5LD
Spread Eagle Hotel
Set in the heart of the historic Sussex market town of Midhurst, the Spread Eagle Hotel is one of the oldest Coaching Inns still in existence in the UK, dating back to 1430. Today it is the quintessentially English historic hotel, retaining its heritage, yet providing every contemporary comfort.
Stepping into the hotel is like taking a journey back in time. Relax in the comfortable leather chairs of the 15th-century lounge with its ancient oak beams and leaded-light windows, warmed by huge open fire in the cooler months. Just above the lounge is the Queen’s Suite, said to have accommodated Elizabeth I when she came this way in 1591. The sentried hallway leads to the Restaurant with its inglenook fireplace and stained glass windows, where guests enjoy fine dining in traditional surroundings.
The Midhurst district is a ‘hidden jewel’. From the local antiques and tea shops to the South Downs National Park, the town is the gateway to a plethora of experiences all within a stone’s throw of the hotel.
www.hshotels.co.uk/spread-eagle-hotel-and-spa
South Street,
Midhurst,
West Sussex,
GU29 9NH
Tim Capper writes for himself at the Daily-Grind