Created by KeefH Web Designs, May 6th, 2023, 9.15 AM
A Travel Blog by KeefH Web Designs
Motorhome trip No53: April 26th - May the 4th be with you 2023
NOTTS-> Brighton, Along the East Sussex Coast and ending up at Charles Darwin's house Kent, All Caravan and Motorhome Club Sites (M&CC site) or affiliated -> NOTTS 525 miles
Prefer to listen than read a blog, click HERE for the audiobook.
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OVERVIEW
We had a lovely 8 days away on the East Sussex coast and apart from the 2nd days very wet weather for about half of the day we had wonderful warm days with mostly clear blue skies. Sometimes May in the UK is a joy to behold. Keef even got a bit of a tan whilst sitting out chatting to the oldies at Tanner Farm Park on the second to last day. So to summarise this travel blog we set off on the Wednesday and travelled down to Brighton, you cannot get into Caravan and Motorhome club sites these days before 1 pm so we called in firstly at Handcross where Annie did her teaching practice all those years ago for six weeks at the primary school. She lived in digs up the road when at Brighton Teachers training college. Her view was in 50-ish years it had changed much. #smile After that we travelled to Shoreham by Sea to the west of Brighton. Parked up and went for a very blustery walk along the board walk on the sea front past what looked like an excerpt from Grand Designs, one even had an outside pool. After that we drove all the way along the sea front through the grotty Portslade to the magnificent regal splendour of Hove , then Brighton's sea front past Roedean where Annie work all those years ago up through Kemptown (do-dah!) to the campsite in East Park at Whitehawk. We set up and had french patisseries from Chef Phillippe (famous) who bakes on the site #yummy The next 2 days we had great fun with our dear pals Pete and Joy who arrived on the Thursday. Much catching up, eating, drinking and making merry. We used our old peoples bus passes to get into town on the Sunday from Whitehawk bus garage and had such fun revisiting the Lanes. No old vinyl shops for Keef these days its gone very upmarket. You can see our fun via the slideshows etc under the BRIGHTON heading. After saying our fond goodbyes we set off for Fairlight or Pett Woods campsite, another Caravan and Motorhome club site (M&CC site) We travelled through Newhaven, stopped at the harbour, Eastbourne, which was lovely and even found Keef's old paddling pool from trips with Mum and Nan back 60+ years during summer holidays, despite the pier guides at Eastbourne suggesting it must be in Treasure Island (Yuk!) it was in the Princes Park but now used as a boating lake, its even got the old metal railed bridge I remember so fondly. My little grey cells must still be working, which is a relief #smile. Fairlight is quite a nice site, full because we pensioners had forgotten it was a bank holiday weekend, we naively thought that was only going to be the Coronation weekend. Word of warning the single track and water logged road is not an easy approach, indeed we did it from the wrong end 2nd time when coming back from Winchelsea , not a good idea. My guess is that would be impossible if you were towing a caravan. Still the short side from Pett village isn't too bad as long as no one is coming in the opposite direction #hintsandtips Whilst going through to the site we went along the sea front at Hastings, very regency but impossible to park up at. Note most of these coastal town need you to download the parking app to pay and guess what the apps are all different depending upon which town you want to park in. Reminds me of the old Beta Max versus VHS era, come on councils get it sorted please! From Fairlight woods campsite we bit a circular tour along the coast , to see more please click HERE Revisited the old Pontins site at Camber sands we as a family stayed at years ago, I mean when I was a kid, it wasn't great then, its far worse now #haha Loved Winchelsea and Rye, although Mermaid street in Rye is getting a little steep for both of us especially downhill. Rye is fab. Must look up Henry James, a resident. The only book I remember is Portrait of a lady. After Fairlight Woods site we traveled onto Battle and took up where Harold and Guillaume left off, great fun. What concern us is no remains have ever been found on the site so seems unlikely it really was the Battle site but who am I to ruin a good story? With 7000 killed its hard to belief not even a solitary molar was found. Loved the fact that the Abbey was built allegedly where Harold was smote #haha After Battle, where we joined English Heritage as it was a great bank holiday deal, we went to the best campsite of the holiday at Normanshurst Court Manor. Palatial and pitch 110 had such great views. We then did a day out circular trip on our second day at the Battle campsite, shopping in our famed ASDA at Pevensey Bay (scones, tip tree raspberry seedless and clotted arteries for the 2nd time , oh dear , bad habits die hard (literally!) ) before Herstmonceux observatories, quite weird and old now , Pevensey castle, both Roman and Norman, it was invaded by french school kids whilst we were there, again restarting the 100 year way #smile Then onto Norman's Bay (the Conqueror William I guess rather than Wisdom) #funnyman NOT! before Crowhurst , a lovely village, where my Nan's second husband Harry lived and back to the Battle campsite, another great day of adventure. Our final site was at Tanners Farm Park over the border from East Sussex just into Kent. We did an early morning stop in the lovely historic village of Robertsbridge, give it some time if you are that way, you will not be disappointed. We visited Bayham old abbey on route and the village of Goudhurst, with its coronation celebration bunting everywhere and such a lovely peaceful pond full of fish and a floating wooden miniature wooden dove cote bathed in sunlight and the tranquility enjoyed by both of us from the comfort of the strategically placed town bench. The village hall sign said it was all medieval, wow! we liked it anyhow, then onto the campsite. Apple tree blossom every where, we had arrived in the "garden of England"
The last day on the way home we stopped at Charles Darwin's home in Downe, Kent near Orpington, wow and was I jealous of his garden... forget the Origin of Species, that greenhouse was to die for #haha The journey back after that was full stop start, folks leaving early maybe for the Coronation weekend, who knows Feel free to read more under each travel blog subject heading, thanks, KeefH Web Designs
Found this image all over the place in Goudhurst on our travels , this village was having a Kingly party to celebrate, being the ardent royalist that I am I felt the need to publish this logo for prosperity #fun
#shorts #reels #fun Here is our promo short to advertise this new travel blog all in 4K UHD. It is an introduction to this Travel Blog by KeefH Web Designs there is also one to advertise the Audiobook.
The origin of Fun or is it species, we loved visiting Charles Darwin's house and were drawn back again to his learnings on the Beagle, the first of dear pal KJ's short stories in his 7 ships series available on Amazon (or in all good book shops, other products are available #fun)
DIARY
Here is the diary of our trip. It was constructed prior to the trip to give us a plan of the adventure and post return i have updated it and turned it into our usual travel blog diary. A slides show with one slide from each place visited is also included.
This slideshow of our travel blog headlines with text is set up to summarise the diary above, it shows one slide for each of the key places visited. If you wish to see more as a You Tube video that is available in the overview, to see it now, click HERE To start this slideshow of the headlines click on the first image, thanks
PANORAMA's
BRIGHTON 3 days 26-28th April 2023
Great fun , love Brighton, such a classy city. Remember Chef Phillippe, pals, travellers with nicked bin and nappies outside pitch oh and that camping portable washing machine a real first. Too much port, great food and conversation, the lanes, jewelry, clocks, old weapons, no vinyl stores (boo!) , regency architecture, the new BA tower, west pier, cold, wind and rain, plus sunshine a sitting out on the table and chairs at the site for the first time this year. Whitehawk bus garage and noisy crowd as they watched their team get promoted. Take a look at the slideshows, it will give you a far better picture than my words.
NEWHAVEN, EASTBOURNE, HASTINGS, BEXHILL ON SEA , COOBDEN BEACH, FARLIGHT WOODS CAMPSITE 29th April 2023
Really like this coast and especially enjoyed our walk along the front at Eastbourne, what a nice place. Had a walk on the pier to the very end, hugely sunny, great views back. Very Victorian. Oh and those ice creams at the Gelato shop on the way back to the van. We also visited the food and craft stores on the promenade buying a Moroccan mesa dish set in the process. Bexhill was posh Coobden beach the usual pebble beach all the way along this coast. Hastings looked nice but far too busy and after Eastbourne which we think we preferred, we didn't have the energy and that decision was made for us as all the way along the miles of sea front there was no where, literally no where to park, so we went onto the site, quite late in the after noon. The wardens were friends of Lawrence and Yvonne, our pals and said we were the last but one to arrive, filled with water and set up camp. Nice bluebells and wood anemones in the rather damp and soggy woods on the site. Very busy with kids as Bank Holiday weekend which in fairness we didn't know about. Take a look at the slideshows, it will give you a far better picture than my words.
PETT LEVELS, RYE, CAMBER SANDS, LYDD, WINCHELSEA 30th April 2023
Decided we wanted to take the van out for the day, much to see and clearly not an area we had been to for many a year. Started at Pett Levels with a walk on the pebble beach and learned about the wreck of the Anne off this area. Appropriately named we thought. Then it was onto Rye a great town we have been to before but at least 10 years ago. Climbed up to the high street along the cobbled streets, learnt about Henry James, snapped everything that moved, the place is , how do we say in old English, quaint! Used the look out, visited the shops, saw the castle and then braved going down Mermaid street, not a great choice, it was fine 10 years ago, not so now with my knees. #teehee Nice ice cream at the end though, well it is summer, just! After Rye we went to Camber sands, not great and Lydd plus airport, likewise, not great and as for the pot holes and road quality in East Sussex don't get me started. Winchelsea however was lovely. The site of Spike Milligan's gravestone , in Gaelic, I told you I was ill, #haha Then it was back to the campsite Take a look at the slideshows, it will give you a far better picture than my words.
GUILLAUME THE B'STARD, BATTLE, 1066 and NORMANSHURST COURT MANOR CAMPSITE 1st May 2023
We left the Pett Woods campsite having done ablutions and filled up with water. Yep you really needed that detail didn't you? Remember well buying our English heritage oldies yearly membership, even we couldn't resist that deal. We "did" 4 sites on this travel trip so we are quid's in and you don't have to pay for carparks, and we can take up to 4 grand children with us for free, if only they might be interested, unlikely I know. So Battle abbey and site great, great coffee and cakes to start the day. Loads of history. Spent hours there, very educational. It was David Starkey's voice as an overview on the audio units I think. Then walked up the hill to St Mary's church to find graves of Annie's relatives Sir Anthony Browne and Alis (Alice) Gage, they choir master was rehearsing. Loads of pics today. The 1066 country trail is interesting. Then onto the campsite, nice wardens, very helpful. They were painting chickens, coronation chickens, oh dear bad joke time, but it came from their lips not mine. Normanshurst Court Manor is a great campsite #recommendation Take a look at the slideshows, it will give you a far better picture than my words.
I've included the Battle site plan in this travel blog to show what you can see, its provided by English Heritage
PEVENSEY CASTLE, CROWHURST, BATTLE, 1066 and NORMANSCOURT MANOR CAMPSITE 2nd May 2023
We had a day out in the van. Went to our usual ASDA in Pevensey bay first where we bought our usual fruit scones and clotted arteries to go with our Tip Tree raspberry seedless jam, hey if you can't have a cream tea or 2 when you are on holidays when can you. After that we went onto Pevensey castle which was both Norman and Roman. A hugely interesting castle and once we had been through most of their audio headsets and finally got two that worked we were off to explore. The Pevensey gun and Trebuchet cannon balls (recovered from the moat, what a messy and heavy job that must have been) were a must as was the various exhibitions around the site, so worth a visit. The car park this time was privately owned so had to pay. We got slightly blocked in by a coach from Czechoslovakia but my 2 wheel maneuver soon sorted that (NOT!). After Pevensey we visited Norman's bay, not great area, all private roads but there is a Camping and Caravan club site there although you would have to climb uphill to see the sea. We then went onto Crowhurst a very nice village and from there back to the fab Normanscourt manor campsite near Battle.
Take a look at the slideshows, it will give you a far better picture than my words.
ROBERTSBRIDGE, BAYHAM OLD ABBEY, GOUDHURST and TANNERS FARM PARK CAMPSITE 3rd May 2023
We left the campsite about 9-ish having , what the expression, broken camp. On route we stopped at the fabulous village of Robertsbridge. It was very sunny so we had a good walk both ways through the town, many thatched and half timbered old buildings, a lot of history here. After taking a picture of the town sign (so love those about English villages) we got an Eccles cake and chocolate brownie from the bakers and ate them in the van. Quiz time: is a chocolate brownie more likely to be eaten by male or female. Answers have already been digested. #haha After Robertsbridge we went to Bayham Old Abbey, a 12th century monastery now somewhat dilapidated but hugely interesting. The same stone masons had worked on this as those for Westminster abbey and it showed in the craftsmanship. We spent quite a while here before going onto Goudhurst, another fine English village. As the weather was so nice we decided to head onto the campsite, very friendly lady warden, we did the grand parent chat and set up table and chairs to relax in the sun. We had a long chat with the old couple from Maidstone next to us mostly about genealogy and football teams. A great day on the farm. The site facilities are a little tired but perfectly adequate and half the price of the Brighton site. So with the sunshine a true win.
Take a look at the slideshows, it will give you a far better picture than my words.
CHARLES DARWIN's DOWN HOUSE and ORIGIN OF SPECIES 4th May 2023 & BACK HOME
Had breakfast , drained and emptied everything and set off for the village of Downe near Orpington. Took ages to find Charles Darwin's house as no English heritage signs anywhere from the direction we arrived in. Even a lady villager had no idea where it was. Eventually found a workman who knew exactly where it was, thank heavens. A truly wonderful experience, so worth a visit. Spent quite a few hours here, Beagle journey, Origin of species, garden, weird experiments, how nice to be rich enough to enable your passions. It took him 20 years to publish because of the damnation he felt he would (and did encounter) from the religious word but hey it makes a whole lotta sense to a mere mortal like me. We had a lovely lunch in the café there, tuna mayo jackets and Mrs. Emma Darwin cake for me and yoghurt raspberry cake for annie, yum yum. Post this visit the long (and I mean long) journey back, stop start for over 100 miles. So boring! Anyhow it was a fab 8 days. Take a look at the slideshows, it will give you a far better picture than my words.
CAMPSITE INFO
We collected the campsite info documents on our travels for use by others should you chose to stay at these sites. I have to say I would recommend the Battle site.
AUDIOBOOK
If you are the sort of person who likes to listen rather than read this is for you, head phones on!
This is a slideshow with the audiobook as an overlay, enjoy
4K & UHD QUALITY BY KEEFH WEB DESIGNS
From the Newhaven slideshow / video onwards I have used full 4K UHD functionality, now available to KeefH Web Designs (KHWD) when creation happens throughout, initially using the latest AVSVideo 4K functionality to link together all images, separated by a standard 3 second duration, then using Clipchamp to create clever intros , and text / music tracks added where Warner Bros allows, and publishing again in 4K UHD and then uploading to my You Tube channel and publishing in 4K. Overall for a travel blog enhanced picture quality is a great technique. See what you think? Maybe leave me some commentary on the Blog. I'm persoonally quite please with the result. Its amarked improvement on previous slideshows, however one word of warning there are still issues with it, possibly based on speed of creation which means we end up with some blurred fuzzy pink / purple coloured screens. I'm sure over time this issue will be sorted and eradicated. Lets hope so! #gremlins
what a great write up even if I say it myself, love the East Sussex coast and the weather