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/. 

Discover Your Saxon Roots this Sussex Day

Eastbourne will be celebrating Sussex Day this year with free entry to key attractions, plus historical talks and tours which celebrate all things Sussex.

On Monday 16 June, from guided walks to behind the scenes tours, residents and visitors alike can discover their Sussex roots and learn to speak Saxon or enjoy great offers on a Sussex Cream Tea.                       

The annual county-wide celebration, which takes place on St Richard’s Day, marks the anniversary of the patron saint of Sussex every 16th June.  However it is from the ‘South Saxons’ that the county took its name, after they landed in AD477, later making Sussex a kingdom in its own right. 

To celebrate this the Eastbourne Ancestors exhibition will be revealing more dark secrets in a talk at 2pm at The Pavilion, with the chance to try on traditional Saxon costumes and try speaking the Saxon language. 

Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet Member for Tourism, Leisure & Sports Services, Cllr Carolyn Heaps said “There are so many things to celebrate and commemorate this year, from 40 years of the Aegon International tennis, to the 100 year anniversary of World War One, that this is the perfect year to discover our Sussex roots.”

Heritage fans can look forward to free entry at the Redoubt Fortress throughout the day, including a talk at 11am on the county’s very own Royal Sussex Regiment.  With famous war poet Edmund Blunden serving in the regiment, an exhibition opens on 14 June exploring his life and work, particularly during World War One.

Art lovers can enjoy a free 30 minute guided tour at Towner at 11.30am and explore the exhibitions including Sussex based artists such as Eric Ravilious and the Bloomsbury group at ‘Designing the Everyday’ which runs until 31 August.

After a busy day of tours, The Pavilion will be offering Sussex Cream Teas at the bargain offer of just £5 for two people.

Visitors can also discover more offers for Sussex Day at VisitEastbourne.com including free entry to the Ashdown Forest Llama Park and 50% off at Treasure Island’s adventure golf.

For more information on all events and offers visit VisitEastbourne.com or LoveSussex.com.

Light, green, runners abound

Guest Blogger: Alf Empty

April brings British Summer Time, light in the evenings, green in the hedgerows and runners in abundance where once there were none.  BST meant my first evening run without a head torch, where I had seen no other runner for several months, the light brought out about twelve.

I have midweek routes that I really enjoy, with enough interest for me to relish my familiarity rather than suffer from boredom.  April brings a green wave, May covers the Hawthorn in white foam, June will paint the forest floor blue ... and so it goes on.  In any season, my long midweek run is the big confidence builder, more so than my long, long run.  I often meditate that my evening run is more than twice the distance I ran on my first long, long run.  The fact that I don't find this a big deal, reminds me how far I have come since I started running.

 Spring in the hedgerows.





Some runners will have decided that this is the year that they will run their first marathon.  Those who have chosen Beachy Head, as I did, will be starting their training now if they have not done so already.  I envy them the fresh taste of the experience to come.  It starts when you commit and from your first long run, and continues for some time after the marathon while you come to terms with all you have achieved.  It's a life changing journey, to be enjoyed from first to last.  Confidence sometimes wavers, I find it comforting to know that - DO all the training, don't skimp, but do treat yourself kindly and you WILL succeed and you will recover quickly.

 - Alf Emty
Half full or half empty, it's the same amount of beer.

I'm too busy to train! From our guest blogger: Alf Empty

The subject of a blog I read recently was staying motivated for long, weekend runs.  My approach is to plan weekend runs carefully to include as much interest as possible.  This usually means fine scenery, but also includes variety in terrain.  I don't think of long runs as training, they are days out.  I apply pretty much the same principles when choosing events, which is why Beachy Head is such a favourite.

My last few long runs have been no exception, full days out in the Peak District.  Highlights have been; surreal weathered boulders by low winter sun, bare white birch woods in the mist, paths by shimmering rivers, snaking ridges, the incredible Alport Castles and sunsets from the last summit of the day. 

There is nothing like running from one beautiful place to another to keep one motivated. Keep the journey interesting too and motivation to stop becomes more of a problem.  I have that one sorted as well, I make sure that I have a favourite food in the car.  Chipotle, bean and cheese wraps are my current favourite. 

So there we are, I am far too busy enjoying myself to 'train'.  Now does any one have any tips on making the laundry after a day on muddy hills appealing?

- Alf Emty

Half full or half empty, it's the same amount of beer.

Fight The Post Christmas Blues in Eastbourne

Happy New Year from all at visiteastbourne! Don’t worry, there’s plenty to do over the next couple of months to fight those post Christmas blues.

If you’re still feeling festive, there is still time to catch the Panto; Aladdin at the Devonshire Park Theatre until 12 January! Tickets start from £12 with two performances a day!

If you are looking for something a little more tranquil, why not join the Eastbourne Astronomical Society at the Redoubt Fortress for some stargazing! The free event takes place Saturday 11 January, 8 March and 5 April. It provides an opportunity for beginners to become familiar with the night sky, learn the constellation patterns, locate hard to find star clusters, nebulae and galaxies and to explore the surface of the Moon and planets under the guidance of experiences observers – as well as for informal discussion and the exchange of ideas.

For those who want to indulge in some culture, award winning art museum Towner opens its new exhibition on 25 January, running until 6 April. The exhibition; John Skoog: Redoubt is free and incorporates works with film and video. Until then, visit Towner to see the Wonderland exhibition.

For history buffs, the Eastbourne Ancestors exhibition comes to the Pavilion on 1 February. This groundbreaking project has scientifically studied the human bones from the collection, made some amazing discoveries about your ancestors and is now ready to tell you their stories.

To bring history to life, experts have even recreated some of these people so that you can gaze into the faces of the past.

The free exhibition will put the flesh on the bones of people from Eastbourne’s distant past and will give back a little life story to those long passed.

What about a night of laughter with the Screaming Blue Murder comedy club on 7 February at the Winter Garden. Enjoy some fantastic entertainment from Rob Heeney who has been dubbed as a ‘deluded genius’ by Johnny Vegas, Jessica Fostekew who performed on Stephen K Amos’ Radio 4 show, BBC Breakfast and supported Micky Flanagan, and Elis James a bilingual stand up performer! Food and drinks are available to make an enjoyable night out.

The days will soon be getting longer and Eastbourne has another exciting year ahead. Plan your visit with these dates for your diary:

• Eastbourne Half Marathon - 2 March
• Magnificent Motors – 3 & 4 May
• Beer and Cider by the Sea – 23 – 25 May
• Eastbourne Carnival – 31 May
• Eastbourne Cycling Festival 1 June
• AEGON International Tennis – 14-21 June
• 999 Emergency Services Display – 5 & 6 July
• Eastbourne Extreme – 12 & 13 July
• Eastbourne Lammas Festival – 26 & 27 July
• Airbourne International Airshow 14 – 17 August
• Eastbourne Beer Festival – 9 – 11 October
• Beachy Head Marathon – 25 October

Find out more about all up coming events and things to do in Eastbourne on www.visiteastbourne.com

Our Exclusive Interview With Santa!

To our VisitEastbourne fans… you’ve stuck by us all year round through scorching heat waves and the December wind and rain, so here’s our Christmas gift to all you good girls and boys – an exclusive interview with the man himself…  Santa Claus!

Santa, we are delighted you are taking time out of your busy pre-Christmas schedule to talk to us today.  You must be busy at your Christmas Cottage in Drusillas Park, how’s it all going?

Everything is going very merrily indeed. I have a lot of help from my elves and we are having a lovely time meeting all the boys and girls at Drusillas Park and finding out what they would like for Christmas. My Cottage is bursting with presents the elves have made ready for delivery on Christmas Eve and children can sit on my sleigh, which is parked just outside, to have their photo taken.

Have the people of Eastbourne been good this year?

Yes, Eastbourne has such a wonderful community spirit I think you’ve all been amazing this year.  Your Santa Fun Run event for charity tickled me greatly, what fun I had jogging along! And your 12 days of Christmas Competition was a great celebration and I was happy to supply the gifts early - it’s so important at Christmas time to celebrate what we have, and to help those in need.

Your team of reindeer must be getting ready for their big trip on Christmas Eve, how do you prepare them?

Like all animals, it is very important that I care for my reindeers properly to ensure they remain happy and healthy; after all they have a very important job to do!

I always make sure they are well fed and have plenty of fresh water and during December I give them extra helpings of grass, moss, birch and willow leaves to help them through the long night on the 24th December.

My pre-flight checks involve a thorough look at their antlers and hooves! After Christmas male reindeers lose their antlers before new ones grow back again for next year. During the winter months, their hoof pads also shrink and tighten to help with the cold conditions…and reduce slipping on rooftops!

What other animals live near your main home at the North pole?

 When I’m back home at the North Pole, I see a whole host of other wildlife, including polar bears, seals, whales, arctic foxes, arctic wolves and sometimes the beautiful snowy owl, like the two at Drusillas. I have to come to the zoo though to see penguins - they live in the South Pole which lots of people don’t realise!

Do you have any special gifts for the people of Eastbourne?

Next year is going to be very exciting indeed as we have another great list of events planned with Magnificent Motors, Carnival, Tennis, Extreme, Airbourne, two beer events and much more!

How do you celebrate on Christmas Day?

Well delivering presents all around the world is quite exhausting, so I always have a little nap and feed the reindeer when I get home.  I’m usually refreshed by mid morning, so with a little Santa magic, I might take Mrs Claus to the free Christmas Day concert at the Redoubt Fortress for some festive singing and dancing.

What festive gifts will you and Mrs Claus be getting each other this year?

I have a book on Eastbourne History for Mrs Claus as she is very excited to go to the new Ancestors Exhibition at the Pavilion in February. She’ll be ready to see the fascinating reconstructions and findings that the Ancestors team have uncovered.

I’m hoping for panto tickets to see Aladdin at the Devonshire Park Theatre – the evil Abanazaar is being a bit greedy wanting the magic lamp, so he won’t be getting any Christmas presents this year!

What’s your favourite Christmas Film?

It’s got to be White Christmas, I try and watch it every year but I am extra excited this year as the stage version is on at the Royal Hippodrome Theatre! Opening on 19 December and running to 4 January, the show is based on the paramount film and includes some fantastic festive cheer and songs, including the famous ‘White Christmas’. I can’t wait!

Thank you Santa for taking the time to talk to us, before we go - any special requests?

A mince pie or two and a carrot for Rudolph would be lovely, however the most important thing is for you all to have a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends, help those around you and celebrate your wonderful town of Eastbourne!

Merry Christmas Santa!

Visit Santa in his Christmas Cottage at Drusillas Park between now and 23 December, open from 10am to 5pm each day.

Free Entry and Fireworks Brings a Spectacular Close to Proms on the Lawn

Fans of Last Night of the Proms can look forward to FREE entry to the live screening and fireworks in Eastbourne this Saturday 7 September, as Proms on the Lawn provides a stunning musical finale live on the big screen!

With live music on the seafront Western Lawns in the afternoon from classical string quartet Ensemble Reza, the countdown begins to the live BBC screening at 7.30pm featuring traditional flag waving favourites such as Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory. 
A fantastic firework finale will follow the concert to bring a spectacular end to the evening.

The event will kick off with Ensemble Reza at 3.45pm featuring a wealth of talent, with members having performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the BBC Symphony Orchestra, to name but a few.  For this concert, Ensemble Reza will also be joined by Jane Haughton – one of Britain’s finest mezzo-sopranos, having sung with the Royal Opera House.

The group will be performing a programme that will have the audience dancing in their seats. From all singing sea shanties and jazzy Gershwin hits to the more sublime classical works, including Vivaldi’ Four Seasons, Beethoven’s String Quartet Op 16 No 1, George Butterworth’s ‘Love Blows as the Wind Blows, as well as pieces by Dvorak, Berlioz and lesser known Greek dances.

The live screening from the Royal Albert Hall follows, beginning at 7.30pm with Nigel Kennedy and Joyce DiDonato the star soloists in the programme which picks up both sea-faring and transatlantic themes.  It will begin with the world premiere of a celebratory new work by Anna Clyne, a rare performance of Britten’s 1967 overture for chorus and orchestra ‘The Building of the House’, a touch of Broadway magic and female conductor Marin Alsop takes charge, becoming the first woman to ever conduct the Last Night!

Gates open at 3pm on Saturday 7 September on the Western Lawns with Ensemble Reza starting the show at 3.45pm followed by live BBC footage on the big screen from 7.30pm. The evening will then finish with a Fireworks Finale at approximately 10.45pm.

Visitors are encouraged to bring their own blankets, chairs, lights and red, white and blue for what is sure to be a rousing afternoon and evening of a great British tradition. A full licensed bar and catering is available at the event.

Entry for this event is now free.  Existing ticket holders can obtain refunds from the Congress Theatre Box Office or by telephoning 01323 412000. 
For more information on all events visit VisitEastbourne.com.

Last Night of The Proms On The Lawns

On Saturday 7 September, Ensemble Reza will be performing on the Western Lawns, in an afternoon and evening of entertainment   followed by big screen viewing of the BBC’S Last Night of the Proms and finishing with a firework finale.

The event will kick off with Ensemble Reza which is made up of Miriam Teppich, Andrew Thurgood, Robert Duncan, Pavlos Carvalho, Sarah Dubost-Hautefeuille and Jane Haughton.

The group brings together a wealth of talent and experience in both performance and education work with players representing some of this country’s finest orchestras including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, The London Mozart Players and The BBC Concert Orchestra to name a few.

For this concert, Ensemble Reza will be joined by Jane Haughton – one of Britain’s finest sopranos. The group will be performing a programme that will have the audience dancing in their seats. From all singing sea shanties and jazzy Gershwin hits to the more sublime classical works, including Vivaldi’ Four Seasons and lesser known Greek dances.

Last Night Of The Proms is held at the Royal Albert Hall and Nigel Kennedy and Joyce DiDonato are the star soloists in the programme. It will begin with a celebratory new work by Anna Clyne, and will also include a rare performance of Britten’s 1967 overture for chorus and orchestra ‘The Building of the House’, a touch of Broadway magic and the sound of a glass ceiling being broken as Marin Alsop takes charge of her first Last Night.


Gates open at 3.30pm on Saturday 7 September on the Western Lawns with the bar open and refreshments available. Ensemble Reza start the show at 4pm with their fantastic performance and visitors can then watch the big screen to see BBC’S Last Night of the Proms from 7.30pm. The evening will then finish with a Fireworks Finale at approximately 10.45pm.
Visitors are encouraged to bring their own blankets, chairs ,lights and red, white and blue for what is sure to be a rousing afternoon and evening of a great British tradition. A full licensed bar and catering is available at the event.

Tickets for the whole event are £12 for adults, £10 for OAP’s and those in full time education between 16 years and 18 years, and £5 for children under the age of 16. A family ticket can be purchased for £31 for two adults and two children.

Tickets are available from the Congress Theatre Box Office, Carlisle Road or by calling 01323 412000.

F-16 Selects Eastbourne Airshow For Only Mainland UK Seaside Display

The Belgian Air Component F-16 is set to join a thrilling line up of the Red Arrows, Eurofighter Typhoon and Chinook at Airbourne: Eastbourne International Airshow on 15 – 18 August.

The rip-roaring fast jet has signalled a return to the UK’s Best FREE Airshow (as voted by Airscene), with Eastbourne’s seafront display being the only free airshow in the mainland UK set to welcome the team this year.

The heavy metal jet joins an international line up with the Royal Netherlands Air Force AB412 and a new display from a pair of Dassault Flamants from France, who make their UK debut in Eastbourne.  The Red Arrows will also fly on all four days of the show, the only UK airshow to receive an incredible four displays.

The four day airshow last year enjoyed the busiest day ever in its 20 year history, and this year looks even more promising with a strong line up of RAF displays from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Tutor, Tucano, Eurofighter Typhoon, Red Arrows and a brand new routine for 2013, for fans of the Chinook. 

Parachute teams from The Tigers and Royal Navy Raiders will be dropping in on all the action, plus displays from the Lynx and Sea King will entertain at close range.  World record holders, The Blades, will be zooming across the skies, along with more close formation aerobatics from the SWIP Silence Twister team, Rv8tors and the Breitling Wingwalkers, providing daring feats.

For historic and classic jet fans, the iconic Spitfire will be joined by the Jet Provost, Kittyhawk and the unique ‘Miss Demeanour’  Hunter jet.

On the ground, budding aviators can climb aboard a replica Chinook or Hawk in the military exhibition, featuring the best of the RAF, Army and Navy.  Arena events and children’s entertainment beaches keep all of the family entertained, including a special free concert in the arena on Thursday and Friday by the Central Band of the RAF.

For top flight hospitality, the Aviator Club and Cirrus Rooms offer fabulous views and great food in the heart of all the action with a buffet lunch or 3 course meal option.  Or reserve your place with exclusive seating at the Bandstand for uninterrupted views of all the action.

Fans can also get a birds eye view of the flying from iconic beauty spot Beachy Head or take to the skies with a helicopter pleasure flight over the scenic South Downs National Park.

In the evening Bandstand concerts entertain each night, along with an outdoor film screening at the arena and a seafront firework spectacular over the weekend.

The Red Arrows are due to perform on Thursday 4pm, Friday 4pm, Saturday 5pm and Sunday 3pm (times are subject to change).  

The full line up of displays so far includes: Red Arrows, Belgian F-16, Dutch AB412, French, Dassault Flamant, Eurofighter Typhoon, Chinook, Lynx, Sea King, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, Tucano, Tutor, The Blades, Breitling Wingwalkers, The Tigers parachute team, Royal Navy Raiders, Parachute Team, Spitfire, Jet Provost, Kittyhawk, SWIP Team, Rv8tors, Hunter.

Airbourne takes place on Eastbourne seafront with arena and ground displays on the Western Lawns over all four days, and entry is free.  For more information visit www.eastbourneairshow.com or telephone 0871 663 0031.

New Summer What's On Guide for Eastbourne!

Visit Eastbourne has just launched the all new What's On Guide for Summer 2013, giving visitors and residents the lowdown on what's coming up in Eastbourne!

The What’s On Guide can be found in the Tourist Information Centre, located on Cornfield Road Eastbourne, in a number of hotels and is now downloadable here! 

There are many offers that readers can take advantage of including 2 for 1 at various attractions and money off at restaurants and theatre tickets!

The Guide takes you through the exciting events programme that Eastbourne has to offer this summer; including the AEGON International Tennis Tournament, Eastbourne Extreme and Airbourne! Not to mention, the Sunshine Carnival on 25 May, Beer and Cider by the Sea on 24 -26 May and all the events at the Redoubt Fortress.

If it is entertainment you are after then the What’s On guide shows a fantastic theatre line up including Gotta Sing Gotta Dance and Priscilla Queen of the Desert, along with a list of shows at the Bandstand.

Readers can also find a full events listing until September!

To pick up a guide head to the Tourist Information Centre or download the PDF here!

Eastbourne joins in with English Tourism Week!

The UK’s sunniest place will be joining in the fun of English Tourism Week from 16 - 24 March, with some great offers and daily prizes to be won. 

Residents and visitors will be able to test their knowledge of tourism in Eastbourne by entering the competition each day on Facebook and Twitter for the chance to win a range of great prizes from concert tickets to fish and chips!

English tourism week was set up by VisitEngland and is a week long celebration of events from 16-24 March. The week will highlight all the fantastic things to do and see in England and Eastbourne.

Eastbourne and Tourism go hand in hand as 4.9 million visitors come to Eastbourne each year and spend an average of £261 million annually. Further more, £102 million is spent just by day visitors alone! Eastbourne thrives on tourism as it brings over 7000 jobs to Eastbourne and a whopping £346 million to the local economy.

Eastbourne was the first town to hire out quadricycles. To celebrate this and English tourism week, Ride and Joy are offering half price hiring on both weekends of English tourism week - 16/17 and 23/24 March. They can be found next to the open air tennis courts on Eastbourne seafront and are a fantastic way to see the delights of Eastbourne.

Also celebrating the week is The Grand Hotel. The hotel, named ‘Downton-by-Sea’, is a white palatial landmark on Eastbourne seafront and are offering a complimentary upgrade for anyone who books a bedroom and a complimentary glass of bucks fizz for anyone who books full afternoon tea from 16-24 March.

Visiteastbourne.com will also be getting involved in English tourism week, showing offers on their website and holding a week long quiz on social media sites, giving daily prizes! Prizes could include anything from fish and chips to Bandstand tickets.

For more information visit www.visiteastbourne.com, Facebook.com/visiteastbourne or Twitter.com/visiteastbourne.

Eastbourne Attractions in Running for England’s 101 Things to Do Before You Go Abroad

Several Eastbourne attractions are in the running to feature in a nationwide poll of ‘101 Things to Do Before You Go Abroad’, as part of a new Facebook app launched by VisitEngland this month.

The brand new app involves Facebook users suggesting their own favourite experiences in England, with fans voting on their top choices to decide who should appear in VisitEngland’s ultimate bucket list of 101 things to do.

With a Beachy Head adventure, Afternoon Tea at the Grand Hotel, running the Beachy Head Marathon, Boxing Day at the Bandstand and Trafalgar Day at the Redoubt, all featuring so far, we are encouraging YOU to suggest some more awesome local activities and vote for their favourites!

The new app is designed to inspire the nation into taking more holidays in England and will feature the very best experiences, only on offer in this country.  With 60% of the population feeling more British after the exciting events of 2012, research also shows that 20% of the population plan to take more breaks in England as a result of the feel good factor.

The app includes six categories of Food & Drink, Arts & Culture, Health & Fitness, History & Heritage, Wildlife & Nature, and finally Because It’s Awesome!  Facebook fans can upload their own favourites to these categories, which once approved, will feature on a map of England.

Anyone nominating or voting will automatically be entered into a prize draw to win a weekend break away. So go on what's stopping you...get entering now!

The app will be live until 10 March and a selection of winners announced during British Tourism Week from 16 - 24 March.  The full 101 things to do will be announced on St George’s Day on 23 April.

View the app at www.facebook.com/EnjoyEngland or visit www.visiteastbourne.com and follow the links online.