Your February Half Term Fun in Eastbourne!

We're here to help with the all important planning for half term, providing you with ideas for indoor and outdoor activities to keep children of all ages entertained and happy this February!

The Llama Park at Forest Row is great for outdoors fun whilst enjoying some of the wonderful four-legged creatures of the world. Home to herds of llamas and alpacas, reindeer, Spanish horses and Jacob Sheep, the Llama Park is currently offering 2 for 1 on admission, with a voucher redeemable on VisitEastbourne. The park also offers Llama walks, for those children who want to take the lead. 

The half term will see the first visits by lovable characters, Hello Kitty and the Fat Controller to Drusillas Park, the UK's best small zoo! The Fat Controller will be back running the Thomas and Friend's Railway on 17 February, whilst Hello Kitty fans can meet the Japanese kitty in her Drusillas house, having a souvenir photo taken, on 18 February. 

On Wednesday 18 February, take the children to Towner for the morning to watch Japanese animation Ponyo. This is a free screening of the animated underwater adventure which tells the magical story of a curious young goldfish on her quest to become a human. Inspired by Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid, this is sure to entertain aspiring young mermaids and mermen.

If you go down to the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise... Not quite the woods, but Birling Gap and the Seven Sisters Hotel are hosting a Teddy Bear's Picnic for children and their bears on February 18 at 12-2pm. A picnic will be provided for all children for the price of £7.50 - a seaside picnic not to be missed!

For the more active children Tennis in the Park, at Gildridge Park are holding a Tennis Holiday Camp. Suitable for both beginners and more advanced tennis players, children will learn new skills and improve on existing ones in a fun and relaxed environment. And for parents, relax in the Love All Cafe with delicious breakfast, lunch, snacks, hot and cold drinks served all day long.

It might be half term, but it doesn't mean that children's learning has to stop. The Observatory Science Centre in Herstmonceux has a fun interactive afternoon workshop; 'A Hearty Work Out' for children aged 6-9 on Tuesday 17 February, in which they will learn all about how the heart works to keep them alive. The creative workshop will have them making their own stethoscopes, learning how to check their pulse and making yummy heart melting chocolates.

Enjoy some Disney magic on stage in 'Aladdin JNR' at the Royal Hippodrome, telling the story of 'street rat' Aladdin, as he falls in love with Princess Jasmine and fights with the evil Jaffar for her hand in marriage. Catch an afternoon or evening performance between 18 and 21 February!

For more half-term attractions and events go to the Visit Eastbourne half term page!

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!