tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13665817.post8652903585512798192..comments2024-03-28T11:16:38.801+00:00Comments on SWC - This Week's Walks: Saturday Walk Winchelsea to Hastings - Icklesham, Pett, Fairlight, Hastings Country Park, steep Glens, a secluded beach for swimmers, then on into HastingsAndrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11395064086819994526noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13665817.post-51544529018153558322021-07-04T09:51:29.270+01:002021-07-04T09:51:29.270+01:00Well Walker, it's all very well saying you fol...Well Walker, it's all very well saying you followed a route known only to yourself . . . the two who didn't eat in the pub, both newcomers to this walk, took a wrong turning after Fairlight Glen. After much debate, following dotted lines on our phones and being confused by reaching a caravan park which was not the one mentioned in the directions, we found ourselves on the wrong side of the fencing protecting the Ecclesbourne Glen landslip. However on doubling back, a kind local lady gave us directions to Hastings which, it turned out, was very close. We made the 1750 train which was quiet until Orpington. No time for refreshment and no refreshment options at the station or on the train. Got home in time to miss the first goal! Sandynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13665817.post-47033869237963561062021-07-03T22:47:34.404+01:002021-07-03T22:47:34.404+01:00Thirteen on this walk, I am told. I mean I was the...Thirteen on this walk, I am told. I mean I was there, it sounds about right, but I did not bother to count because I was not expecting to do a walk report. Also some people joined later and local friends turned up to walk bits of the route, and all in all it is above my pay grade (especially as I don’t have any pay) to work this all out. So n=13 it is, and if you want to give a higher figure just write n= and the number in a comment and it will update the record. <br /><br />The bad weather forecast was a blessing in one way. Southeastern put on a 12 carriage train out of St Pancras (good) but it would have been rammed if it had sunny (bad). As it was, it was not too busy, but much busier than it ought to have been on such a miserable day. Significant numbers of young people seemed to be going to Rye. What is it about that place that every twenty-something on the planet has to go there? But the connecting Marshlink train at Rye was at least a four carriage train, not the derisory two carriages we have had in the past. <br /><br />Only SWC-ers and one startled indie walker got off at Winchelsea, which would have tripled its passenger stats for the week if we had bought tickets to Winchelsea, but since we had been told to get ones to Hastings it didn’t. The weather was grey and gloomy and paths quite muddy, but lush grasses and flowers reminded us it was summer. Climbing up to the Queen’s Head we encountered a big herd of cows and calves that even a former stockman in our group was wary of walking through. But as it turned out the cattle were more scared of us and ran off lowing. <br /><br />It felt odd to pass the lovely Queen’s Head by, but we had a booking at the Royal Oak in Pett kindly made by our absent walk poster that we expanded from four to eight, and then made redundant by sitting outside anyway. They were friendly and attentive, but a bit slow with the food. About half an hour after we ordered someone else came to take our order, which was not encouraging. Then we had the old “we are just cooking it” and “We do have other customers” lines (aka “We forgot your order”). But the food when it came was very nice. Every dish looked interesting. So we award them a qualified tick. <br /><br />There was some breaks in the cloud as we ate, prompting hope that the seaside bit would be sunny too. But in fact there was a tablecloth of mist on top of the Fairlight massif: you could not even see the sea from the cliff path. By now we had fragmented and so what follows is a partial and prejudiced account, but all the others I was with decided to do the high (non-dip) route into Hastings, and I hear one or two others did likewise. <br /><br />Despite the gloom I felt I could not abandon this walk’s signature dips entirely. I skirted round the top of the first one (on a route known only to me and anyone who was done the Winchelsea to Hastings via Three Oaks walk) and as I was coming down into Fairlight Glen (dip two) there was definite light out to sea. I thought the weather might be clearing and went down to the beach. But any sunny interval had gone and the tide was at the awkward height where it conceals rocks but does not cover them with sufficient depth. So I went on without swimming. <br /><br />Hardly had I emerged from Fairlight Glen when the sun broke through. It was then blue sky all the way into Hastings. (So w=murky-with-unexpected-sunny-bits) I got there at 6.15 and went for a swim: nice silvery light and a pleasant water temperature. Afterwards, despite the sun, Hastings was showing its less salubrious side to me, so I fled to the station. I decided the tight connection on the Marshlink-High Speed route was too risky, given that the Charing Cross route was only 10 minutes slower, so I took the latter, at 7.30pm. It was the quietest train I have been on for several months. I had a carriage to myself nearly all the way. I have a feeling there is a football match on…..Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09314024151810191831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13665817.post-82261101856259277542021-07-02T19:03:12.594+01:002021-07-02T19:03:12.594+01:00Sorry - I will not be with you tomorrow - my dodgy...Sorry - I will not be with you tomorrow - my dodgy knee is playing up (an old war wound).<br /><br />if one of you could do the track and trace honours for me that would be appreciated.<br /><br />i have a reservation at the Royal Oak pub, Pett, for 4 at 1 pm. Give my name and the table is yours (I will let the pub know 'aforehand).<br /><br />Enjoy the walk - and again, I'm sorry I will not be with you. Marcushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14896105028157686446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13665817.post-11742890881279494572021-07-01T13:07:21.032+01:002021-07-01T13:07:21.032+01:00I understand the that the England Ukraine match wi...I understand the that the England Ukraine match will be shown on Hastings Pier.<br /><br />https://www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/news/people/fan-park-on-hastings-pier-for-football-fans-to-watch-euro-2021-matches-3176067<br /><br />GavinGavin Robinsonnoreply@blogger.com