OK, actually I've enjoyed two long walks this week, on Thursday, along the seafront to Bexhill and back, about 10 miles, and, yesterday, twice that distance, starting from Battle, then along the 1066 Country Walk to Pevensey Level...
The magnificent 1930s fusion of art deco and modernism, the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill (website), always a pleasure to visit, and I also had a couple of pints at the Royal Air Forces Association Albatross Club nearby (website), before returning to Hastings.
Yesterday, together with my brother, Dan, we caught an early train to Battle, with it's twee station, then walked along the 1066 Country Walk from just below Battle Abbey, using a compass and Ordnance Survey map to guide us. I shan't bore you with a mile by mile transcription of the meandering 'walk', but shall mention a few of the more exciting sights, and pubs of course!
I've seen this before in Catsfield, but a rather old twee (word of the day) cottage, 16th century I do believe, just before you reach the 19th century White Hart (facebook page), which does some remarkable deals, as you can see from the photograph below. We have imbibed here before, but were way too early to have a drink on this visit, as in, the pub hadn't opened yet...
It was a gorgeous day, and started getting quite warm (my turn to carry the backpack probably made it appear even warmer to me!), and we stopped to admire the beautiful East Sussex countryside every now and then. Whilst enjoying the view below, we were drinking a wee coffee and eating a topic bar, hadn't had one of those for a while!
Then we reached Brownbread Street near Ashburnham, and were still 50 minutes too early to have a pint at the 17th century Ash Tree Inn (website) sadly. We had a chat to a lass who had been walking the wee pub dog, some special breed of pug, so Dan had to take a photograph to share with his youngest daughter, who loves such wee creatures! Anyway, no pint again, though we definitely shall return when it is open in the (hopefully not too distant) future, but here is the pub...
... and here is evidence Brownbread Street exists, amused us!
After dragging our boots through much mud, we finally reached somewhere we could enjoy a pint of Harveys, in their first ever pub, I do believe; ie at the 16th century (buildings are getting older as we wandered back in time!) Bull's Head in Boreham Street near Herstmonceux (website).
Not long after leaving the Bull's Head we came upon some primroses, the first I've seen this year, and usually the harbinger of Spring, a wee bit early indeed!
Anyway, whilst near Herstmonceux, we carried along by the quite delightful Herstmonceux Castle, built between 1440-1441 of brick, indeed, one of the oldest buildings in the country built in brick, the Saxons not using such materials, I have been told! For more information visit the Sussex Castles website.
Next we reached the even older All Saints Church (For more local history, and about this church and the castle, visit the Parish website). Parts of the church remain from the 12th century, including the Tower and West Wall (below), and the rest has been gradually rebuilt or added over the centuries since.
Well, we carried on down to Pevensey Level, but darkness was threatening, and we still had about 5 miles to go before we would reach Pevensey itself, we thought about it, but walking through the wetlands in the dark didn't seem such a great idea, so we walked back up to Herstmonceux to catch the 98 bus back to Hastings... Next time!
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