East Sussex Walks: Seaford Head to Cuckmere Haven Beach

I absolutely love going for a long walk and exploring new places and to my mind, there is nowhere better to do this than by the sea. I've posted many times about walking the cliffs at Beachy Head, Birling Gap and the Seven Sisters but this was the first time I have walked the cliffs in the opposite direction starting at Seaford Head and walking to the Cuckmere Valley. It really is beautiful and I can't recommend it highly enough.

Drive to Seaford and you can park on the seafront and plenty of it is free for up to 12 hours, so that's great news! Definitely take some time to enjoy walking along the prom and in low season you'll hardly see anyone. They have the classic pastel-coloured beach huts and lots of nice little beach hut cafes as you wander along. We've had coffee at Martello's Coffee before and they have plenty of seating on a deck right on the beach. But my favourite is Frankie's cafe where you can get a slice of homemade cake and a toastie for a very reasonable price. 

Walk down the seafront towards Splash Point. You can fail to notice the enormous white cliff face there, so you'll know you're heading in the right direction. In parts, there is quite an incline to climb up onto the clifftop and I wouldn't say I'm the most proficient hill walker, but I managed fine.  So just make sure you have on good shoes and wear a backpack, rather than a handbag like I did. Turn back to look over Seaford as you head up as it is a really nice view and not too spoilt. You see the gold course at the start of this walk and I can't say I'd fancy golfing on the cliff.

Pick Your Own Fruit at Tibbs Farm, Near Rye, East Sussex

We visited Tibbs Farm in the picturesque Tillingham Valley, just outside Rye for the first time last July and we loved it. Pick Your Own fruit places are such fun. You can have a couple of hours out in the East Sussex sunshine having fun as a family and take home some tasty produce too. We're determined to get along to Tibbs Farm at least a couple of times this year, once restrictions lift. 

Pick Your Own Fruit

Tibbs Farm has been running as a PYO for decades now and you can tell, as their operation is slick. There is great variety in what they grow too. We went there for raspberries last year but keep an eye on their Instagram page that they update regularly and you'll see what is ready for picking and when. Looking at last year the schedule was roughly as follows (but of course each year can be different depending on the weather, rainfall etc) -

• Early June for gooseberries (a whole host of varieties, some of which are sweet enough to eat like a grape) 
• Early to mid-June for strawberries, 
• Quickly followed by tayberries from mid-June
• Loganberries end of June
• Blackcurrants and chillies in mid-July
• Early August for plums

Their picking season opened on 11th June 2020 last year, so I am planning for similar this year and already have a weekend in my diary, so I don't forget!

Visiting Bewl Water, East Sussex/ Kent - Fun for all the Family

I'm so optimistic about this summer with better weather and a greater ability to be able to see friends and family in the coming months. Of course, not all is lost at the moment though as there are places we can safely go and visit and as of tomorrow, we'll even be back to the rule of 6 or able to meet with another household outdoors.

Bewl Water is a perfect place to be able to visit now or later in the year as it is all open air and there is so much space to explore. The reservoir itself is a huge 308 hectares and if you take the walking path around the reservoir will keep going for just over 12 miles. With this kind of space, it is perfect for exploring on bikes, foot, sailing or even horseriding.

We visited last year for the first time and had an enjoyable couple of hours there in the early summer sun, there were plenty of families with children paddling in the shallow waters by the adventure playground, but I'm not sure they are supposed to! lol

Before you travel check the current opening hours but right now in March, they are 8am - 4pm for the car park and adventure playground. The toilets are open from 9am to 4pm and the cafe (for take-away only) is just Wednesday to Sunday 11am - 3pm currently. 

National Trust Bodiam Castle - Wider River Walk, East Sussex

I adore the National Trust, I make no secret of that and I've posted so many times about the sites we have visited. Bodiam Castle is probably the closest site to my home, so we have been there dozens and dozens of times. My husband and one of our daughters love to feed the ducks (with birdseed, no human food please), whilst I have a coffee and read my book. It works well. This is one of my husband's photos from a recent visit.

You can read about our previous visits to Bodiam Castle, about the superb Living History events they put on in normal times and how it is fabulous for all ages. This post is about the wider area, if you park at Bodiam Castle you can take a 3KM river walk and enjoy some great views as well as time at the castle itself.

This is perfect at the moment, as you can't explore inside the castle right now, so it gives you somewhere extra to walk and make your visit really worthwhile, as the actual Bodiam Castle grounds are not very extensive. 

We are all being encouraged to book in advance before visiting any National Trust site at the moment as this allows the site to prepare and ensure that social distancing can be maintained. We have been to Bodiam Castle a number of times in the last year and we have always felt safe with sanitiser available, toilet entry being managed, the cafe having a one way system and card payments only and as the site is outside, you can keep a good distance from other people. 

Spa Day at Bannatyne Hastings During the Covid-19 Pandemic

I've been to the Bannatyne Spa in Hastings a few times now and always really enjoyed myself. It's not the most glossy or exclusive spa I've ever been to and realistically the cafe can be quite hit and miss, but seeing as I only ever go when I can book a good deal, either directly or through a site like Wowcher I'm generally happy.

Here are some of the deals I've bagged in the last couple of years via Wowcher:

• £29.99 for day spa access and 25-minute treatment
• £69 for day access for 2 people and 3 mini treatments each
• £49 for day spa access and 3 treatments
• £95 for day access for 2 people and 4 mini treatments each

Then the latest trip I took was for a half-day entry to the spa (9am - 1pm although they didn't seem to care what time I was there as the receptionist was trying to book me brunch for 1pm), 2 treatments (45 minutes) and brunch for £59.50 (booked directly and the offer is still available now), which was probably my most expensive trip but the brunch really made it a special treat.

I shared my thoughts on a day spa visit that my husband and I took in January 2019 and this is now an updated review on how a half-day spa went for me in December 2020 between the two lockdowns in the UK. This was my early Christmas present from my parents and I went alone. After doing lots of spa days with friends and my husband I actually think I enjoy the days I go alone the best, as I only have myself to suit and I do love to relax and read.

Bannatyne Hastings

The centre itself feels more like a gym/ sports centre than a traditional spa, so make sure you have the right expectations when you book for here. If you want the kind of experience you'd get at Champneys then I'd say don't bother. On the last two or three visits, the reception staff have seemed pretty new and not very clued up. I've even had a couple of rude ones and certainly, it appears, some like to chat with each other more than help you, but I take it with a pinch of salt as the actual spa and the treatments I've received on every occasion have been exceptional.

Bedgebury, Goudhurst, Kent - An Amazing Day Out for all the Family

Back in April 2017, we visited Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest as we were going to try out the Go Ape course. Despite having lived only 30 minutes away for a good few years it was our first visit there and we were impressed. We all had an amazing day at the Forestry Commission site that is a 200-acre Pinetum and 2000-acre forest. I'd heard many times before that it is a great place for families to visit but I wasn't in a hurry to drive over and pay for parking as we ourselves live in 220 acres of glorious East Sussex countryside. 

It wasn't until a couple of weeks ago when we were due to head to Go Ape again that we made our next trip to Bedgebury, and it still is as glorious as ever. We need to go back as a family and take a picnic to spend a number of hours there walking the trails without the distraction of doing Go Ape and being tried afterwards!

I love that the Forestry Commission describe Bedgebury as a 'world of trees' and you can check out their website before you travel if you want to know more about all the tree species you'll see once there. If you like to be outside there is so much to do at Bedgebury and it is open 8am - 7pm daily at the moment -

Walking Trails

Again head to the website to download maps for various trails across the massive site. There are gentle strolls, nordic walking trails, seasonal trails, challenging health walks and calorie mapped trails. Normally you can pick up maps in the Visitor Centre too, but right now, due to Covid-19 it is closed. They are working on reopening it soon though and you can find lots of information on the website.

There are four orienteering trails for all abilities, they are professionally designed and affiliated to the British Orienteering Federation. The four different routes are suitable for children, beginners, intermediate and advanced.

Dogs are welcome at Bedgebury, but of course, you must follow the forest rules.

Visiting Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, East Sussex

A great free place to visit

A couple of weeks ago when life was more normal, my husband and I headed out for a walk around the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve and had a quiet lunch together. Of course, right now, we couldn't do that as the pubs are closed and we're all staying home to heed off the coronavirus but I think it is important that we can enjoy the wider outdoors from the comfort of our homes right now.

Also, it's enjoyable to plan where we can go once the lockdown is over and things are safer again. Looking back on photos of all the amazing places I have visited is definitely helping me not to feel so cooped up since we started to self-isolate nearly two weeks ago. 

We were really impressed with the nature reserve, it's free, it is massive (465 hectares to be precise) and there is loads of free parking at the entrance to it, as long as your vehicle is under 2 metres. You are encouraged to make a donation in the car park, to help with its upkeep and ensure it stays free for all to use, but you can't moan at that!

There are easily accessible public toilets too, and nearby are a couple of pubs, a cafe, bed and breakfast, shop and the lifeboat station, all just a few minutes walk from the parking. 

A Beautiful Lunch at the Vintage Inns Beachy Head Pub

Last week my husband and I had the pleasure of a weekday off together, so we decided to head to the Eastbourne area for a walk along the beautiful cliffs at Beachy Head and to enjoy lunch at the Beachy Head Vintage Inn pub. We’ve eaten there before so we were expecting it to be good and we certainly weren’t disappointed.

Check out the Vintage Inns App
I downloaded the app as I knew you could get some good deals via that. Straight away I saw there was a 33% off food voucher running for all of January, but noted this couldn’t be used on set menus. I booked a table via the app and this was easy and I received a confirmation quickly.

Arrival at the Beachy Head Vintage Inn
We know this area well, so it was easy for us to find the pub, and even for someone travelling there for the first time, if you follow the signs or your SatNav for Beachy Head you’ll arrive easily. Make sure you park in the pub car park behind it, so you don’t have to pay, as most local car parks up on the cliffs are local council pay and display ones.

The pub looked clean, well maintained and welcoming. When we went inside it became clear that it wasn’t the busiest day and we just grabbed a table where we fancied. There are good seating areas outside for warm weather use, at both the front and back of the building. The views from the back are breath-taking and stretch right across to the lighthouse, Birling Gap and Seven Sisters cliffs from inside the pub/ restaurant.

National Trust - Sheffield Park - Summer in Pictures

We've visited the National Trust site Sheffield Park a couple of times before and both times had a lovely visit, but recently with the kids away my husband and I decided to visit again and see what the colours and plant life were like in the summer months (we visited at the beginning of August). 

Sheffield Park is acres of landscaped gardens, surrounded by parkland and woodland. There is a gorgeous looking stately home there too, but that is a private residence and you can only see if from afar.

So far my favourite time to visit has been Autumn as there is an abundance of colour across the gardens and we could see this developing in August. The colours at this time of year mostly seem to come from the trees and foliage. There isn't really many floral plants there.

I do love the four lakes, they are probably my favourite feature and there is a nice variety of styles and bridges that you can cross and get great pictures on. You can really see the influence of Capability Brown.

Visiting The Llama Park, Forest Row, Sussex

A couple of weeks ago my husband and I took our twin girls over to The Llama Park, it's about an hours journey from us, but it is a pretty easy one. We had a pleasant few hours there, taking a walk, feeding the animals and enjoying a snack.

The regular price for a family of 2 adults and 2 children is £25 and I think this is a bit steep for what there is. We got a deal on Wowcher, which was £6 for an adult and a child, so we paid £12 entry for the four of us and that felt about the right price.

What Animals are There?
At the park there are llamas, alpacas, sheep, horses, goats, donkeys, pigs, a reindeer and many different types of ducks, geese etc. All the animals are in fairly close proximity and you could easily cover them all in half an hour, if you didn't linger. If you do want to be there longer you can utilise the woodland walks and explore more of the 33 acre site.

We all really enjoyed feeding the animals and you can buy a small bag of feed for £1. We ended up spending £5 on the food, so you need to build that into the cost for the day. I was impressed that there was a couple of hand washing stations with soap and disposable towels to ensure that you don't pick anything up from the animals. Although that shouldn't happen anyway as we saw signs telling us the animals were regularly tested and they all looked happy and well kept.

Review of our Day Spa at Bannatynes, Hastings, East Sussex

Image Credit

I wanted to get my husband something different for Christmas, he’s the kind of guy who never wants anything and doesn’t appreciate people spending money for the sake of it. So I decided that I’d book for us to do something together and enjoy a day or a night out. We often go to the cinema, out for a meal or enjoy the theatre. I’d already bought us some comedy gig tickets with money from his Grandma, so I was racking my brains for something different.

As I was browsing a marketing email from Wowcher, I saw loads of great deals for spa days and I thought that might just be perfect. He works hard and his job can be stressful, so I figured a massage might be just the ticket. Without telling him why, I got him to take a day off in January and I booked for our local Bannatynes in Hastings, East Sussex.

I’d definitely recommend checking out both Wowcher and Groupon if you want to book a Bannatynes spa day for two as they have some great deals. There were a few different options I could have booked, starting from £69 for two people, but I wanted the option with the most treatment time, so I spent £95 for the two of us to have 4 mini treatments each (55 minutes of treatment time), and full use of the spa, leisure facilities, gym and classes.

To be honest we only spent a half day there, as we headed off to enjoy a late lunch elsewhere, but I’d definitely go back and would spend more time next time. I wanted to share my experience with you, so if you book, you’ll know what to expect.

Spa reception - Image credit

Enjoying our Time at Masterpiece Pottery Painting Studio - East Sussex

The girls received some money for Christmas and from the first envelope opened Miss E was adamant that we would have to head over to Masterpiece pottery painting studio, near Hailsham in East Sussex. It's somewhere we've been a couple of times before and enjoyed, so I was happy to promise that we would go over there during the Christmas school break.

Pottery Studio
Masterpiece is a pottery painting studio based on the Holmes Hill Estate, on the A22 heading from Eastbourne to Lewes. There is an abundance of free parking and also onsite is a furniture store, fabric warehouse, cafe and a couple of nice lakes where you can sit or walk. You're always best to call first and book in so that a table can be ready for you but on occasions where we have turned up without a booking, we have been able to be accommodated, just maybe on a shared table.

Knockhatch Adventure Park, Hailsham, East Sussex - Review

Recently my girls were lucky enough to have a Monday inset day and we used this as the perfect opportunity to visit Knockhatch without it being too busy. I would say that Knockhatch Adventure Park is a perfect (and really reasonably priced) day out if your child is aged between about 2 - 12 years. My twins are just about to turn 11 and they’re on the cusp of being a bit big for some of the attractions.

As we were visiting with many friends with kids of varying ages it worked well as they were able to help the little ones in the Pirates Cove splash area and on things like the soft play and Quadapillar ride without feeling too big. I have to admit to being really pleasantly surprised by the whole park. We had briefly visited about five years ago and not been that impressed but this visit was enough to make us want to go back a good few times before the girls really outgrow it.

High Season, Term Time

We visited on an Orange day, which is high season but within term time, so everything was open but we had timed sessions for them all and there was at least three or four sessions (spread throughout the day) for each activity/attraction in the day so you could do most everything. I have to be honest though, we found it hard to fit everything in during the five hours we were there. We were given a leaflet with the times as we arrived so it was easy to be able to plan.

#R2BC - The Village Country Fete

Happy Thursday friends, I hope you're well and the Summer holidays are going swimmingly for you (if they make any difference, that is!).

I've had a fab week, we have a big Christian festival going on in the grounds of our home this week and we all get involved and enjoy some worships, craft, time with friends and good biblical teaching. My girls particularly have had an absolute ball as it is their first time going to youth and they have made friends and been allowed to stay out a bit later in the evening.

Last Saturday was the annual village fete and I do love going to it. After growing up in a town and then living in various towns all my life it was a complete novelty to move here five years ago and find out what real community and village life is like.

Let me share some pictures of it with you -

5 Great Places to Mountain Bike as a Family in Sussex

Image thanks to Jonty Wilde

Mountain Biking can be an immense amount of fun and it is a superb way to get or stay fit. My husband loves to go out with our kids for bike rides and I admit that I'm tempted to join them. It's therefore perfect that Halfords have created a comprehensive but super easy to navigate Beginners guide to Mountain Biking and now I can get myself kitted out and on the tracks with them.

Getting Kitted Out
Of course as a newbie I need to head off to my nearest Halfords to check out what mountain bike will suit me. There really isn't a standard bike that fits everyone, so you do need to go in and try them out. All our family's bikes have been bought from Halfords and we've found their staff to be knowledgeable and helpful. I also like the fact you can take your bike back in for a six week check after purchase and if anything needs adjusting they do this free of charge for you.

Once I've sorted the bike then I need to ensure I have the proper kit to wear as nothing is more important that personal safety. A well-fitting helmet is a must, comfortable trainers that are not too hard, gloves to help with my grip and some anti-glare sunglasses will be my first purchases.

Review: Dining at The Lamb Inn, Pevensey Marsh, East Sussex

Thanks to Vintage Inns for the image

I've lived in East Sussex for coming on five years now and The Lamb Inn at Hooe, or Pevensey Marsh as they call it is a pub that I've heard a lot about. When I've asked the question 'where is good to eat locally?' I've had the The Lamb Inn recommended quite a number of times before and as such I have no idea why I have never been there.

My husband has been there before for a leaving do and he said it was great too and it was with this in mind that I said a very quick yes when I was asked to come and try out the new menus and check out the pub after a recent refurbishment. The Lamb Inn is part of the Vintage Inns chain, which I knew from when we lived in Herts and used to frequent a couple of their pub restaurants there.

Our family (minus JJ as he was working) headed over to the Lamb Inn for Saturday lunch. Despite it being a very miserable and grey February day the building is still beautiful and you can tell parts of it date back to 1084, where it got a mention in the Doomsday book as a shepherds cottage. Then in 1520 the cottage became an inn and there was a charter decreed to allow shepherds to bring their sick lambs in to warm by the fire. My girls were enthralled to learn this little piece of history about where we were to eat our lunch.

Feeling Welcomed
As soon as we entered the building we were greeted by a lady serving behind the bar. It was good to get such prompt attention as she was already busy with a customer but it gave an indication that customer satisfaction is important to the staff at the lamb Inn. Within just a couple of minutes Sarah came over to greet us and show us to our table and she was our waitress for the whole meal and what a great one she was. I'd definitely employ her.

I think they have done a really great job refurbishing the pub, it looks clean, well appointed and is very comfortable. There is nothing stark or corporate about it, it has a very homely feel with each table being a little different and the chairs being mismatched but equally comfy. There are two distinct sections to the pub with the area to the left of the bar being much more light and open plan and the part we went in to was full of character with lower ceiling beams and plenty of cosy nooks.

The Highs and Lows of my Spa Day at The Grand Hotel, Eastbourne

What a lovely day it has been. I've been at the Spa with a friend and thoroughly enjoyed a workout in the gym, a swim, jacuzzi, steam, relax and then delightful afternoon tea. Can I do it all again tomorrow please?

A post shared by Michelle Pannell (@michelletwinmum) on Jan 29, 2018 at 11:53am PST

Earlier this week I enjoyed a leisure day at The Grand Hotel Spa in Eastbourne with my friend Annie. I had some spa vouchers to use and it seemed a good idea to gift Annie half as her Christmas present. I choose the Grand Hotel as it isn't far from our homes and as it is a 5 star hotel I expected the spa to be pretty luxurious and it certainly looked good in the photos on the website.

We arrived to the hotel about half an hour before I had booked our treatment times and our first struggle was finding some free parking. The streets round the hotel generally have free on-street parking but it was super busy. You can park in the grounds of the Grand but that's £25 a day and you pay to park on the seafront as well. Luckily just as I was about to give in and pay we found a space close by and headed in to the hotel. We were greeted by a lovely jolly doorman who gave us instructions were to go. Let the fun commence!

The first impression of the hotel is fabulous, it's not called the Grand for nothing but as we headed in the lift to the basement the view gets consistently more grotty. Old carpet, plain cream walls and not a touch of glamour in the corridors or reception areas. Thankfully the staff were in total contrast to the look of the area and they were great. Really friendly, super professional and nothing was too much trouble for them.

A Family Day Visit to Seaford, East Sussex #CountryKids

A few weeks back we had a spare Sunday with nothing planned and the kids suggested a trip to the beach. Since moving to East Sussex we've been to Eastbourne, Bexhill and Hastings so many times and they are all great but I thought it would be nice to visit somewhere new. So we got ourselves together and headed over to Seaford, I had no idea what to expect as it is more of a local residential town rather than a tourist one.

As we visited on a Sunday there was plenty of free parking around the town and that's always a bonus. We didn't really walk around the town, preferring to head straight for the seafront as it was a lovely day. It wasn't massively busy on the seafront and the kids could easily have bought their skates, scooters or bikes with them as it is a lovely long, smooth promenade.

Hastings Country Park - Fabulous, Fun, Fresh Air!

We've lived in East Sussex for four years now and we are only about ten miles from Hastings and we are there at least once a week so it was a real surprise to me to find that Hastings has a country park situated up on the cliffs.

What a great find it is and there is enough to keep every keen walker or explorer busy. The country park forms part of the Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve along with Hastings Cliffs Special Area of Conservation, Hastings Cliffs to Pett Beach Site of Special Scientific Interest and is 345 hectares (853 acres) of coastal gill woodlands, open pasture and cliff top grassland, together with five kilometres of dramatic soft rock cliffs and coastline.

Some of the most stunning views of the south east coast can be experienced from the cliff tops but sadly not on the day we visited as there was to much sunny haze! On a clear day there is spectacular views overlooking the coastline from Beachy Head to Dungeness and as far afield as Folkestone and the coast of France.

Review: Middle Farm, Near Lewes, East Sussex

The other Saturday as we awoke the sun was shining and we decided it would be a shame to waste it so we headed over to Middle Farm, near Lewes. We've popped in the tea room before (and not been impressed if I am honest) but at just £5 each entry (for children over 3 years and adults) to the actual farm we didn't think there was too much to lose and friends had said they'd enjoyed time there before.
Middle Farm is a 625 acre working farm. It has been in the Pile family for 50 years and they are proud of their high quality produce. It is really heart warming to read the history and learn that the family have innovated and pulled together in all sorts of ways to make Middle Farm what it is today.

Plenty of room for everyone 
As we arrived, we were surprised to see just how busy the overflow car park was and we started to worry that we had made a mistake and the place would be rammed. We needn't have worried though as there is loads of space within the farm and we got to see everything we wanted to and there wasn't long waits for the animal petting or play park equipment.

Explore at your leisure 
You don't get a map on entry to the farm but it is small enough that you can just explore and see where your feet take you. There was a big sign up as we entered advising us when the day's events were - lamb feeding, pig feeding, animal petting, cue milking etc. These were well spread within the day and whatever time you arrive I'm sure you'd get to see or take part in something.