Remember Snow?!?

Cricketer at Priory Meadow

I own up, the sun and summer and me just don't get along, Factor 50 costs a bit too, but the heat is what really does me in! And we haven't had proper snow for ages... 😓

Fishing Beach

I'll cope...

Pirate Minigolf

Somehow! 😉

Beach Huts, Pier behind

Miniature Railway

Fishermen's Museum

The Stacey Marie RX134

Enjoy the sunshine folks! 😎

Sunday Sunny and Windy Walk About...

These days I don't usually wander around Hastings during the afternoon, and very rarely weekends at the best of times, but I wanted to have a look around and see how Silly Saturday plus was getting on, so I wandered out via Claremont to the seafront, and was surprised by how quiet it was! Sunday afternoon, 1.30pm, and I took the above photograph of Pelham Beach, as you can see it was very quiet, although I wasn't really too surprised as the water was rough, no swimming, and quite a strong wind too at about 25 mph with gusts of up to 40 mph. But the car park was full! 😕

Intrigued, I looked for the quietest way to the Old Town and followed the now running Miniature Railway to The Stade (above), as there were certainly more people walking alongside the main road; nice to see the railway having customers too, 2 trains running and both had people aboard. I was looking for someone I know to enquire about yesterday, but it was busier along Rock-a-Nore Road, and the main road, so some intended sources were busy, but I did manage to have a chat with Oliver and Becky at The Jolly Fisherman (blog), which is continuing with its takeout business at the moment (blog). They were open yesterday evening too, for people who had booked tables, and it could be worth keeping an eye out for them opening for people to sit down inside for table service, indeed, they are considering their options...

A Quiet George Street

Anyway, they informed me that it was quite quiet yesterday (Silly Saturday), certainly in the Old Town, which is not surprising really, because it wasn't exactly the nicest day of the Summer. Indeed, there weren't that many pubs and bars open in the Old Town, and the ones I saw open today appeared to have their places organised very well to ensure social distancing was maintained.

However, it appears that a certain bar in Queens Road was 'rammed' yesterday, but, when I walked back home via the town centre and Queens Road this afternoon, everywhere seemed very quiet, including said bar. Let's hope it continues... 

Early-ish Morning Walk...

I thought I'd get out early to beat the crowds, so, there I was down at the seafront (luckily, I only live a 4 minutes walk from the beach, so not that difficult to get there early), and it was pretty quiet indeed, here at the White Rock Theatre...

White Rock Hotel 

Opposite the White Rock Theatre and the White Rock Hotel, of course, is our (sadly not ours anymore though) lovely award winning Hastings Pier...

Just think of the film Byzantium (YouTube trailer), OK, Palace Court really, but a fine old Victorian Gothic building it is (Historic England).

Sculpture on Beach (blog) 

St Mary in the Castle (blog) 

The Hastings Lifeboat Station, RNLI, with the East Hill in the background, and with respect to the crew and volunteers who continue this proud service that is run as a charitable organisation, without central government funding (thankfully, as it means the service does not get hit by central government austerity cuts, phew!).

Hastings Miniature Railway, that travels parallel to the seafront between Rock-a-Nore and Marine Parade (website) and is run by Dan Radcliffe, who also set up and runs the miniature railway in Alexandra Park (blog).

Blue Reef Aquarium (website) 

Shipwreck Museum (website) 

Hastings Fishermen's Museum (blog), also in Rock-a-Nore Road (you can see where I'm going with this early morning walk now), and which also has been the starting point for the Old Hastings Preservation Society (OHPS) guided walks that returned for the year this weekend with their Stade Walk (website).

Then on to the Stacey Marie RX134 (facebook page), the Fishermen's Museum owned retired fishing boat, and a bit of a project of ours, and more about which you can either read on her facebook page, or by visiting Hastings Fishermen's Museum.

On the other side of Rock-a-Nore Road is the Dolphin Inn (facebook page), where I decamped for a coffee and a couple of pints; they now open for breakfast at 09.00 at weekends and 10.00 weekdays, so they were open for us early birds!

Enjoy the rest of your Easter Weekend, indeed, enjoy 2019, cheers!

Walking along in the snow... mostly images!

OK, I wandered lonely as a... nah, I went out this morning, and there was a wee bit of snow... which appeared to put this lad off his game at Priory Meadow 😉

Down Robertson Street and onto the America Ground...

When I reached the end of Robertson Street, onto the seafront and Pier...

...back on myself and past the cray golf courses...

...and onto the fishermen's beach...

...which really is a working beach!

Around and past the Miniature Railway...

... Past the Fishermen's Museum...

... and to their first exhibit in Rock-a-Nore Road, the Stacey Marie!

MANY more images of her and details of her history on her facebook page.

The end!

Another lovely day in Paradise...

OK, it's the Easter holidays, which is good for the town, and the weather is lovely, and blue sky thinking doesn't come into this! But the town is thriving today, 'Swan Lake' is back in business, for example, and...

The miniature railway is too, thankfully not run by Southern! 😉

A little Easter wander into the old town...

By the golf courses, things are freshening up, though a wee bit dull weather-wise.

I took this a couple of mornings ago, so different angle, and brighter!

Of course the wee railway, and don't forget their railway in Alexandra Park too.

Spring Fling yesterday with the RNLI team, and "Harvey!"

Finally, remember, and you may just get to the castle in time for the Easter Egg hunt this morning, but Hastings Castle, the Blue Reef Aquarium, and the Smugglers Experience, all have Easter fun this weekend! 

A walk through Alexandra Park

Yesterday, I had a nice peaceful wander through Alexandra Park, before cyclists start thundering through the quiet and ensure a less pleasing experience! Ironically, on entering through the gate in the South West corner is the peace memorial, built after the First World War. Incidentally, there is an ongoing online petition against the cycle route...   

At the moment, there is a water quality improvement project going ahead to ensure a better aquatic environment, in a park with many lakes and reservoirs.  

Bandstand

Cafe

Alexandra Park was laid out in 1877 by Robert Marnock, already well known for designing the Botanical Gardens in London's Regents Park, and on the site of the 1830s Shirley Gardens, it covers 109 acres, and is a Grade II designated site in the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest. The eponymous Alexandra Park was opened in 1882 by the then Princess of Wales (later Edward VII's Queen Alexandra).   

Peace Garden

Miniature Railway

Dan Radcliffe, better known for the miniature railway down at the Stade in the old town, has painstakingly renovated the Park's miniature railway, which has only just reopened; great to see this resource reopen in Hastings, nice one Dan! 

Walking through some parts of the park you can imagine walking in the countryside, and not the centre of Hastings town! There are many rare and beautiful trees, and bird song filled the air as I carried on through the park. Garden birds dominate the songs, with Song Thrushes, Robins, and Blackbirds, the obvious voices, but Wrens, Tits, and even Nuthatches can be seen regularly too.

Although, ducks are seen on the various waters, this being Hastings, gulls are more prevalent, though other aquatic birds do live in the park, water fowl, such as Coots and Moorhens, for example, and you may be lucky and see a beautiful Kingfisher too; indeed, Swans, Herons, Cormorants, and even an odd Bittern or two may appear now and then! 

If you carry on Northwards, you will reach, later added, and even wilder, Coronation Wood, Little Roar Waterfall and Old Roar Ghyll, for a greater taste of nature...

I enjoyed my day! If you would like to find out more about Alexandra Park, or become involved with the Friends of Alexandra Park, have a look at their website.