Eastbourne: Worth a Visit?

You might think I work for the Tourist Board, but honestly, I don't. Did you know that Eastbourne has just been designated the second most popular holiday destination in England (or was it the whole of the UK)? I feel priveleged to have lived here for almost 14 years of my life.

Apparently Eastbourne has one of the best sunshine records in the UK, along with the Isle of Wight (although it's raining at the moment). Not only am I an English patriot but I also love my home town, Eastbourne. I don't know whether I'm quite so proud to have been born in Hastings (Ore to be precise), but never mind?

Views of Holywell (Meads area)

Views of Sovereign Harbour

The first feature of Eastbourne I would like to focus on is the wonderful seafront. It varies from the 'posh' Holywell end of the town with its prestigious Meads residential area to the new East end of Sovereign Harbour with its interesting eateries and art shops. It's lovely to park here (free) or cycle through it on the designated cycle route, or to walk around this new development and watch the boats coming in and out of, or just moored in the marina. I personally wouldn't want to actually live here, as the houses are crowded in with very little space around them. We did look at a two-level show apartment a few years ago and it had the most amazing view of the Downs from the Beachy Head end towards Lewes. On the other side you could look out of the window and watch the boats sail past and if I remember rightly, it was even in our price range! Maybe in a few years time we will be ready for living in such a place, but we're not quite there yet.

My personal feeling is that they have now overbuilt in the Sovereign Harbour area, the prices tend to be on the high side and there is always the risk of flooding even though there are active lock controls in place. They were supposed to have put more safeguards against flooding in place when they started building there, but it hasn't been done yet. Also in the Sovereign Harbour area is a retail centre with an Asda, Matalan and lots of other shops. There is also a cinema complex should the weather turn bad and you want something else to do.

Langney Point

As you walk (or cycle) out of the Sovereign Harbour there is a seafront area known as Langney Point which is excellent for walking and exercising dogs, there is even a skate and BMX bike area near a public swimming pool. One can also watch the sailing boats, yachts and cabin cruiser boats coming in and out of the harbour, people working on their small fishing boats and surfers and windsurfers testing their skills at making the most of the winds and waves. There is an adventure playground for those of a more tender age and just over the busy seafront road is Princes Park with its boating lake and pleasant ambience.

Marine Parade

Continuing in an Easterly direction you eventually come to the pier. For a year as a student I lodged on Marine Parade, about 100 yards from the pier and my wife, who I was then courting (what a good old-fashioned word that sounds now) lodged on the 7th. floor of Metropole Court nearby. Just beyond the pier you can appreciate the Carpet Gardens which look glorious most times of the year. You then approach the bandstand where there are still regular top military bands (they contain brass and woodwind, whereas brass bands only feature brass instruments) featured during the Summer season. I don't think many seaside towns use their bandstands for such prestigious concerts any more, it's become too expensive in these days of increasing austerity.

Terminus Road

Terminus Road, which is part of the main shopping centre leads off the seafront and on the corner of the road by the seafront is a Harry Ramsden fish and chip shop. They have forbidden any other shops, apart from some ice-cream establishments to spoil or commercialize our wonderful seafront. There are mainly hotels and guest houses to be seen along the seafront itself.

The town centre itself has all the shops you could wish for, including Debenhams, T.J. Hughes, Marks and Spencer, W.H. Smith, Waterstones, Sussex Stationers and many others. There is also the Arndale Centre where you can window shop or buy (if you are in such a fortunate position) many different things, clothes, electronics, garden accessories and you can even get a cup of coffee at Shades or Starbucks. Bookstack is there with a good range of bargain books and CD's and there is also a Sony shop, Early Learning Centre and HMV. I'm not really a shopaholic so I won't go into any more detail.

Views of Beachy Head

Views of Arlington and Reservoir

For those who want to explore the area around Eastbourne, there is Beachy Head, (don't pretend you can fly!), Arlington Reservoir, Drusillas and the nearby city of Brighton and County town of Lewes.

Congress Theatre & LPO connection

Oh, I mustn't forget the culture. There are three theatres with good shows on, I've been to London Philharmonic Orchestra concerts there, they are there 4 or 5 times during the Winter season. They like to promote young up and coming artists, particularly violinists and pianists. As a student I saw the touring version of Godspell, Ivan Stepanov and his dancers, complete with balalaikas, Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky and Mozart's 'Magic Flute' performed by Kent opera.

Swan Lake Godspell Ballet

Out of all the seaside resorts I have visited in the UK I think Eastbourne is the best looked after and tidiest of all I have seen. No expense seems to be spared to keep it that way and the tourists keep on coming, no wonder it is the most popular holiday destination in England. A friend of mine, now no longer in this world, lived in Pevensey Bay and he used to go on holiday to one of the Eastbourne hotels in his 90's, saying that he was off to the finest seaside resort in the world. He was of Czechoslovakian origin and had seen quite a slice of the world in his time, so I think he had a wide experience of different seaside holiday hot-spots.

I don't think I'll get my passport renewed, it ran out a while ago. Is it really £72.00 to renew it at the moment? I didn't need an ID card, I know who I am anyway! Also, they're a rip-off, especially if you don't want to leave England. Give me England any day, especially Eastbourne.

The Seven Sisters, another local attraction

It has been another week of mixed weather here in the Willingdon Trees and I have not been out very much this week, it's been a time for catching up with news and doing some odd jobs like looking at my accounts and emails, rather boring really. So, by way of a change I thought I would draw your attention to another local attraction which is within a very short distance of where I live, the 'Seven Sisters'. The road which leads off the road where I live is named after this local beauty spot, Seven Sisters Road, so I am often reminded of this remarkable feature even though I may not visit it very frequently.

The 'Seven Sisters' are a famous series of chalk cliffs which face onto the English Channel to the West of Eastbourne, between Eastbourne and Seaford. They form part of the South Downs and are situated within the Seven Sisters Country Park. The Seven Sisters are remnants of dry valleys in the chalk South Downs which are gradually being eroded by the sea.

As you are probably aware by now, a large part of the South Downs between Eastbourne and Winchester have now been designated as a national park. Defra has announced that a hearing will be held on 18th. August at the Chatsworth Hotel in Steyne to consider any objections and representations relating to the six additional areas proposed as part of the National Park at the end of March 2009. Final decisions have yet to be made about the boundaries and extent of the park.

The Seven Sisters Country Park covers 280 hectares of chalk cliffs, meandering river valley and open chalk grassland. It is very popular with people living in the area and visiting from further afield and is used to indulge in a number of different outdoor activities including walking, bird watching, cycling and canoeing. My children (who are 28 and 26) enjoy going there especially for the cycling and canoeing. When I visit it is usually for the purpose of walking and bird watching. Again, like Eastbourne pier, it is one of those local delights which I should visit again in the near future.

Meanwhile, back here in the Trees I'm going to continue with my blogging, accounts and mountains of reading. I hope the Summer weather hasn't come to an end yet, it's too early to think about the arrival of Autumn!

Another Summer Saturday and a Wedding

We have been getting some nice sunshine lately in the Willingdon Trees but the wind seems to have rather got the upper hand, especially today when if felt quite cool walking around in town and even inland.

Views of Eastbourne Town Hall

We had the joyful experience of attending a wedding today, of two of Hazel's colleagues. The actual wedding ceremony was held in Eastbourne Town Hall, where we were treated to some nice George Gershwin piano solos very well played and which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was a treat for me not to have to actually be playing on this occasion! The room where the ceremony was held was quite imposing but it wasn't really large enough for the number of people who attended. Nevertheless, it was a lovely occasion and it was really good to see such a large representation of friends and relatives of the bride and groom in attendance, especially these days when people seem to be so busy with their own agendas.

Following the wedding ceremony we proceeded to Alfriston where the reception was due to take place at the War Memorial Hall which is situated by the Cuckmere river right next door to the Parish Church. This brought back to me memories of when I lasted visited Alfriston to play the organ in this church. It was during the time when the Cuckmere had burst its banks and it was only possible to get into Alfriston via one of the back roads which hadn't been immersed in water. It was quite an unusual sight to see car rooves peeping out above water in the main car park. My main concern at the time was as to whether or not I would get out of the church after the service before my car was also submerged in water or the other roads were blocked by water, it was still raining heavily at the time. I discovered that a member of the choir owned a bed and breakfast establishment in the village and they were prepared to take me in if the need should arise. Fortunately I managed to get out of Alfriston all right before the water rose any higher.

Parish Church, Alfriston

What a contrast it was there today, the Cuckmere was reduced to a mere trickle and the cows and calves were grazing peacefully in the field next to the river. There were a lot of serious walkers and hikers out on the path which runs alongside the Cuckmere and a more peaceful rural scene would be hard to envisage. It's hard to believe that this lovely rural treasure is only about 4 or 5 miles from my home in Willingdon Trees! I hardly ever seem to get out and about to enjoy such delights, I really must make more effort.

Alfriston War Memorial Hall

View from War Memorial Hall towards the Cuckmere

The wedding reception went really well and we enjoyed some really nice music sung and played by a young lady soloist accompanied by a talented pianist. They performed mainly jazz standards and songs from musicals, including 'What a Wonderful World', 'Bewitched' and 'Someone to watch over me', the sort of songs I always enjoy hearing. We had a wonderful buffet with lots of different food to choose from and some nice wine and champagne. We departed before the evening entertainment began, which was going to be more like a disco/dance, something that we tend to leave for the youngsters to enjoy. On returning home about 6.15p.m. it was still a pleasant Summer evening and the wind had dropped a little bit.

I hope that now the school Summer holidays have begun we will get some nice hot days minus the strong winds that seem to have been so prevalent lately. If you are going away I hope you enjoy your Summer break, and for those of you who are staying at home why not try to visit some of the local rural villages like Alfriston? This is just one of many local villages that I hope to explore in the near future.