Seafront and 2 Award Winning Parks Stroll...

So, a 90 minute stroll was enjoyed this morning, from the town centre, along the seafront, up through St Leonard's Gardens, over to Alexandra Park via West/Tower Road, and back down through the park to the town centre, a mostly peaceful walk, but more of that later. Here (above photograph), below Warrior Square, is the pleasingly successful Goat Ledge Cafe; winter opening 9.00am to 4.00pm (website).

Entering award-winning (blog), and excellently designed, St Leonard's Gardens (blog) from behind the Royal Victoria Hotel (above), and I found myself in an oasis of peace and quiet, indeed. Walking up...

... and you soon find the pond, literally swimming with wildlife, and it's family of moorhens make their presence felt, and one sad looking herring gull too!

At the North Lodge at the top of Maze Hill, and above St Leonard's Gardens, is the first of 2 closely assigned blue plaques, this one for author Henry Rider Haggard, who lived here from 1918 to 1923.

A little further up in Upper Maze Hill is where the father of computer science and artificial intelligence, and famous for breaking German codes during World War II, Alan Turing lived whilst at school from 1922 to 1926. In July 2019 the Governor of the Bank of England announced that Turing's face will be on the new polymer £50 note, expected to enter circulation in 2021 (Bank of England website). 

Entering Alexandra Park

I carried on up Upper Maze Hill, then crossed over via Tower Road West/Tower Road, where my peace was disrupted for a couple of minutes when 3 police cars shot up Tower Road West from Tower Road, presumably previously from Bohemia Road, 2 of them with sirens blaring (approximately 09.30 hours).

Anyway, peace returned, and I carried on to the far eastern corner of Alexandra Park (blog), another another excellently designed and award winning park in Hastings, and gradually walked back down to the town centre.

And Alexandra Park has its own fair share of wildlife, and it's own families of moorhens too, for example in the pond above. The walk was a joy!

Wander to Bexhill...

By Steve the Beermeister 

I had a nice wander to Bexhill on St George's Day, beautiful weather, and I hadn't visited the Albatross Club (R.A.F.A. Bexhill) for quite a while, indeed, I still had to collect my 2015 membership cards! It's a 10-mile round trip, and you can walk along without undulations, unless you fancy tackling Galley Hill once or twice. It's easy to forget how nice it can be walking along with the sea lapping at the nearby beach...    

One of the first sights on entering Bexhill is what I call the "Flag Raiser's Home", always a flag flying, unsurprisingly, it was the Cross of St George, but I've recorded many a different flag flying here... I always take a photograph, I have so many images of the owner's roof! 

I reach my destination (website), collected my cards from the pigeon hole, and had a wee drink there; some lovely ales at just £3 a pint (4 different real ales and a good range of bottled and real ciders). As an Associate member, I can enjoy a drink and a chat here, and, of course, I may sign in non-members. As a member of CAMRA, I was allowed in anyway before joining. A suggested donation of £1 is requested of non-members. 

The Bar is now run by the new (ish) Head Bar Steward, Karen, my mate Geoff having wandered off to run his own pub in Kent. Karen is ably supported by her Assistant Head Bar Steward, Peter, with whom I chatted yesterday. I was a little apprehensive of what ales would now be served following the departure of Geoff, but shouldn't have been concerned, because Karen and Peter are still stocking some wonderful ales, cheers!  

Anyway, time to leave Bexhill, and, as you can see, the sky was still clear, and a wonderful walk home ensued, a venture I would always recommend. 

I will be writing about the ales on my own blog very soon...