UK Adventures, Summer 2009. Part 2

Westminster from the London eye.

Having done the usual tourist thing in London it was off to Maidstone in the train to pick up another car and off down towards Sissinghurst Castle Gardens.

Gail in her element about to enter Sissinghurst.

(Raincoats were not far away on this day either.)

Neatly manicured garden “rooms” at Sissinghurst

Next overnight stop after London was near Iden in Sussex as this is near Battle (quite a big town but more about this later.) Having found the B&B it was time to set off for Rye where we parked to car, heard the approaching thunderstorm and set off to find “the best beach on the south coast” at Winchelsea.

The beach at Winchelsea.

There were people out swimming here when there was a bitterly cold wind blowing! Whoever called this the “best beach on the south coast” must have been blind. Caroline Bay on a cold windy day in winter would be preferable. (We did see others swimming in the North Sea at Whitby – mad dogs and Englishmen swim when and where we wouldn’t even think about it)

However the trip down to the coast did mean the discovery of yet another nice old pub for dinner that night.

Next day of was off to Battle with a couple of hours in Rye. Had an interesting discussion in a shop with a photographer who sold only prints of his landscapes. Some excellent photos including some of the very beach we were at the day before- right tide, good light …

Rye – yet another town with the main road going through a medieval gate.

A pub in Rye.

After a good look around Rye it was off to Battle around midday. Going from the A21 to the A2100 I did and double take and headed back for Gail to take the photo here – couldn’t resist!!!

The inn in the village of the same name!!! East Sussex.

So what’s at Battle, why Battle Abbey of course. The plaque reads:

The traditional site of the high altar of Battle Abbey founded to

commemorate the victory of Duke William on 14 October 1066.

The high altar was placed to mark to spot where King Harold died.

The plaque at Battle Abbey

Battle of course is about 5 miles from Hastings through which we travelled to our next port of call, Portsmouth and HMS Victory.

UK Summer Part 1 (Yorkshire and Norfolk), Part 3 (Portsmouth, Devon, Cornwall, the Cotswolds and the Lakes District), Part 4 (Scotland).