Walk This Way for The Coast and Country Walking Festival!

When you think of Sussex, you immediately cast your thoughts to the boundless blue skies, the chalky cliffs overlooking the shore and the everlasting countryside. Wherever you are in Sussex, you can guarantee that with every twist and turn there will be something that makes you want to stop, breathe in the fresh air and cherish your surroundings. Forget the road trip, there's no better way to explore than by foot!

 

For the last three years, Eastbourne and Wealden's Coast and Country Walking Festival has been an opportunity for everybody to step outdoors and discover the South Downs, Sussex Weald and exquisite Eastbourne Coastline, whatever your ability. The walks cater for all audiences so whether you’re after a strenuous trek or a light jaunt, you can choose from a variety of walks from 24th September to 2nd October. The nine day event covers historical, literary, healthy and Nordic walks. 

Little feet won't be left out because 1st October marks the 90th anniversary for one special little bear, Winnie the Pooh, in their home in Ashdown Forest. The free event includes a mile long guided walk along Broadstone Amble, filled with Winnie related activities, followed by a talk by Kathryn Aalto and readings from her book 'The Natural World of Winnie the Pooh'. 

 

If your New Year’s resolution was to get fit, then get stuck in with the festival’s daily health walks. Or if you fancy yourself as a historian, you may be interested by the Historic Old Town walk or the Kipling Country walk, commemorating the 80th anniversary of Rudyard Kipling's passing. 

Fall in love with Sussex all over again by booking onto one of these wonderful walks! For more information visit http://sussexwalkingfestival.org.uk/. 

10 Reasons to Sign Up to the Beachy Head Marathon!

The Beachy Head Marathon is less than six weeks away now and whilst it's important to have undergone some marathon training before signing up, there is still time and a small remainder of places to enter the race! Here are 10 reasons why you should enter the Beachy Head Marathon today and and take part in a fantastic sporting event on the stunning South Coast!

1. Where else can you run a marathon whilst being surrounded by the UK's highest chalk sea cliffs?

2. The Beachy Head Marathon has previously been featured in Runner's World Top 10 UK races, therefore it's one for the marathon runner's bucket list!

3. It may be one of the toughest marathon's in the UK to run, however past runners have described the marathon course as exhilarating and it makes the achievement of running it all the more incredible!

4. There aren't many sporting challenges in the UK (or the world) where you are able to see such incredibly beautiful sights whilst running 26 miles! The marathon route takes in the breathtaking beauty of the Seven Sisters, Friston Forest, some quaint Sussex villages, the Cuckmere Valley and lots more gorgeous coastal scenery!

5. Not only is it one of the most notable marathon's in the UK, it's also a world famous marathon which attracts runners from over 14 different countries, including America, Austrailia, Germany and New Zealand.

6. The event is renowned for it's great atmosphere and support from the crowds which really makes a difference when you're struggling with those hills! There's also incredible support from the marathon marshals who volunteer their time to help keep the runners motivated.

7. Live music along the route also adds extra encouragement when the going gets tough!

8. Cooler October temperatures, together with the coastal breeze means that you won't be beaten or worn out by hot temperatures whilst running!

9. There are multiple checkpoints along the 26 mile course where you can refuel on some delicious and nutritious snacks and drinks, from hot cross buns, sausage rolls, cakes, biscuits, soup, jelly babies, tea, fruit squash and of course water, you won't know what to eat and drink!

10. Lastly, why not make a trip of it this half term and stay in Eastbourne for a family break to relax and recuperate after the marathon? There's plenty of family fun to be had for both adults and children in Eastbourne this half term!

So, if you already have some training under your belt then sign up to the Beachy Head Marathon today, get your running gear on and head to the beautiful South Downs to continue your training ahead of 24 October!

Music and Festivities on Eastbourne's Western Seafront this June

Western View Cafe, if you didn't already know, is the sun trap cafe at Eastbourne's Wish Tower and is the perfect place for catching some rays by the sea.

Making it even more ideal for a relaxing late afternoon drink this Summer, are the Live Music on the Decking nights, which will feature local artists providing great summer sounds in an alfresco setting.

On Sunday 7 June, head to Western View to sit out on the decking, taking in the gorgeous views of Beachy Head and the South Downs whilst sipping on a glass of wine (or bottled beer, whatever your preferred tipple), and listen to the chilled sounds of Owen Donnovan as he performs cover music made for relaxing Summer evenings.

The bar on the decking will be serving a variety of wines, bottled beers, Pimm's and some spirits with mixers. Make the most of Summer in Eastbourne and soak up every last second of your weekend. Look out on VisitEastbourne for further Live Music dates (in the incidence of wet/bad weather the Live Music nights will be cancelled).

At the end of the month, when Summer will be in full swing, the Wish Tower Slopes will be bringing the festival vibes of Glastonbury, to Eastbourne on big Screen on the Green, from 26-28 June.

If you missed out on Glastonbury tickets, Eastbourne will help to cheer you up. Located on the beautiful seafront, the Screen on the Green will bring the atmosphere of the UK's most talked about festival, to Eastbourne.

Bring a blanket or deckchair and relax in front of the big screen, watching the epic Glastonbury line-up of The Foo Fighters, Lionel Ritchie, Kanye West, Florence and the Machine, George Ezra, Rudimental, Mark Ronson and Pharrell Williams, across the weekend. 

On Saturday afternoon, live BBC coverage of the climatic AEGON International ladies' singles final, being played just minutes down the road, will be broadcast on the big screen, making it a fantastic weekend of music and sport on the Wish Tower Slopes.

To complete the festival feel, there will be a fully licensed bar, serving alcoholic beverages and barbecue food so you can stay and watch uninterrupted all afternoon and evening. There will also be a limited number of chairs available, but to make sure you're comfy enough to enjoy the screening, bringing something of you own to sit on is advised. 

The big screen will be in operation from 5.30pm-10.30pm on Friday 26 June, 1pm-10.30pm on Saturday 27 June and 2pm-10pm on Sunday 28 June. The ladies' singles final begins at 1.30pm on Saturday, with Glastonbury footage commencing at the end of the final. 

10 Things We Love About Eastbourne

In the run up to Valentine's Day, the team at Visit Eastbourne have gone all sentimental over the lovely little seaside town we live and work in. So, we've declared what it is we love about Eastbourne and put it altogether here in this list - 10 Things We Love About Eastbourne!

1. I love the stunning view of Eastbourne as you run over the Downs from Beachy Head - it takes your breath away! And on a dry, crisp day, we love taking our kids on their bikes along the cycle path from the Sovereign Centre, and stopping at The Pavilion for cake and hot chocolates! - Laura F

2. There are so many quirky and lovely independent shops in Eastbourne. I love that I can always find a special gift for a friend, or a treat for myself in these unique little shops. - Sarah

3. I love going for walks along the seafront and around the Sovereign Harbour. Particularly during the summer it’s lovely to sit outside one of the restaurants and watch the boats sail by whilst enjoying a meal. - Cat 

4. Going for a walk in the beautiful Italian Gardens and then having lunch in the Western View cafe is one of the most relaxing ways to spend an afternoon in Eastbourne. - Annie

5. I sometimes find myself standing outside the gates of St Mary's Church in Old Town and imagining the countless people who have gazed at the same view over the 900 or so years it has stood here. It makes me feel part of a community that spans the generations and about whom it is my work to discover. - Jo

6. There is so much that I love - The anticipation of tennis week in June as all the branding is erected around town, and then the late evening shadows on the tennis courts at Devonshire Park with the sun going down and the gentle thud of tennis balls against rackets. Eating fish and chips from the paper, sitting on Eastbourne seafront us the sun goes down with music playing from the Bandstand will always be one of my favourite past-times. - Mike

7.  I love a good night out in Eastbourne. Starting off with a few drinks in one of the swanky cocktail or wine bars, followed by dancing with friends in TJ's nightclub until the early hours! - Laura G

8. I love walking along Eastbourne’s prom with the family.  Whatever the weather it’s great to get out in the fresh air with those glorious sea views.  We often stop for coffee and cake in one of the seafront cafes or if we’re feeling energetic walk from the seafront onto the Downs to explore the South Downs Way – bliss! - Lisa 

9. I love the many beautiful parks in Eastbourne, and I especially love to spend a hot summers afternoon in the gardens next to the former Towner Gallery in Gildridge Park. Then when it turns a little cooler, to stroll over the road to the Counting House for evening drinks in the beer garden. - Beth

10. One of my favourite things about Eastbourne is Airbourne  - I love to go up to Beachy Head to watch the flying displays, it's such an amazing spot to view the planes from - and the view of Eastbourne from there is also incredible! - Amanda







Eastbourne really is a special town, we love it. What do you love about Eastbourne and why?

Top 5 most haunted places in Eastbourne!

This week we have a fantastic guest blogger who's written a brilliant in sight into Eastboune's haunted past and the ghost's that are said to roam the land - oooooooh spooky!

With Halloween fast approaching why not take a visit to one of Eastbourne's top 5 spookiest places.

Beachy Head:

By day the stunning south down cliffs make for a beautiful scenic walk, by night the strange happenings are enough to scare anyone off. Do you dare take a moonlit walk, with some unexpected company?

It has been reported on many occasions that harmless walkers have been greeted by some spooky guests. The most commonly reported is the Grey Lady who has been seen walking along the cliffs, she has been said to approach walkers, and most people mistake her for a harmless passer by, until she suddenly vanishes into thin air. One dog walker was taking an evening stroll when the lady approached him, lent over to stroke his petrified dog that ran off howling, and then disappeared in front of his eyes.

There is also the Monk in black who is said to beckon people to their death, although no known monastery has ever been discovered on the downs. He is said to appear from no where and calmly point to the edge of the cliffs.

Would you take the risk of meeting one of these two on a misty evening on the cliffs?

Royal Hippodrome Theatre:

The Victorian theatre, built in 1883, has so much history and being the oldest theatre in town there are bound to be some creepy spirits. The building has been host to many play, musicals and variety shows, who knows who is left walking the creaky boards.

There are said to be a few ghosts who haunt the historic walls, a lady has been spotted sitting in the grand circle harmlessly watching rehearsals and she will occasionally visit the stage when it's quieter, no one knows her identity or why she still visits the building.

Some people have reported being pushed and grabbed by unexplained forces, and then feeling the atmosphere around them gets remarkably colder.

Pevensey Castle:

Having been host to many battles, at Pevensey Castle you are definitely going to feel the presence of something. Many people have said to have seen the ghost of Lady Pelham who has been seen walking the crumbling walls at dust, elegantly gliding and then suddenly disappearing. In 1976, 4 young boys were left petrified after they reported seeing her, could you handle being that close to a ghost?

The dungeons of the castle are very claustrophobic and no one knows what went on in them, dogs refuse to stand anywhere near the stairs let alone venture into the dungeons. Let your imagination take over!

Gildredge Manor (Gildredge Road):

This manor, a former art gallery, belonged to a local reverend until he died and it was taken over by the local council. Medieval marks were found on the cellar walls and local architects had no clues as to where they came from or who had done them. To this day they are still unexplained. Maybe they come from the people whose voices you can still hear around the building. Staff at the former art gallery have said they have often heard muffled conversations when the gallery was closed, and clear footsteps, after searches no one has ever been found.

There are many hidden rooms in the manor house, which got blocked off when the gallery was converted. Who knows what lurks behind those walls.

Redoubt Fortress:

The fortress was built in the 19^th century as a defence against the threat of invasion from Napoleon. It was also used in the first and second world war as a base for troops and also possibly a prison/interrogation centre. With all the history and unused casemates there must be some unexplained events. Ghost walks are now being hosted at this historical location, who knows what you might discover.

Other sightings at the fortress reportedly include a strange crouching man on the gun platform, the mysterious woman in a white gown and also an eerie figure walking through the cell walls. However one of the most common reports is of cold and uneasy feelings in the cells and in particular casemate 11!

That's it for now folks, so keep those eye's peeled and let us know if you have any stories of your own or spot anything extra ordinary!