It was a sunny morning as I packed up the tent. The busy traffic
continued but as I don’t have a long day I decided to have a look at
the windmill on the hill above. It is on Beacon Hill and is a very
substantial structure that is occasionally open to the public. A
sign on it said: “This Smock Mill was erected in 1802 and ground
the corn for the village until 1881. Restored & maintained by the
Rottingdean Preservation Society.”
I wheeled my bike up the hill and was annoyed with myself as I could
have come up here last night and camped away from the road and
vehicle noise. I rode down the grassy hill and back to the road
where I descended into Rottingdean.
I was back on the busy road and continued through Peacehaven
and descended into Newhaven. I called at the railway station to
check about my tickets for the Hastings to Preston journey. I was
told I could use by Hastings ticket for any time of day and Euston
Rail Station was back working normally after he fire caused a power
problem earlier in the week. I continued along the busy A259 then
turned off to follow the seafront through Seaford. I stopped to look
at an impressive Martello Tower the continued before heading along a
rough cycle track.
Martello Tower, Seaford
I bumped and bounced back to the main road and on to Exceat where
the busy A259 took the long steep climb up Friston Hill. The climb
was manageable but the road was narrow with double white lines along
the middle and no path or cycle track. After another long climb to
Crapham Hill I turned off to the right to take a much quieter road
steeply down into Eastbourne.
The earlier sun had gone and it was very cold and overcast. The
flower displays in the town were rather nice. I called at the Rail
Station to get a second opinion on the trains for tomorrow. Then I
rode out of the town to the supermarket to get water and something
to eat. I stayed there for a while as it had started to rain. I
headed back to the A259 and Pevensey Bay where I turned left to
follow a minor (and quiet) lane across the railway level crossing
and into Pevensey and the castle complex.
I wheeled my bike through the substantial Roman Fort walls and also
had a look at the 1066 Norman castle inside which was built after
the Battle of Hastings. William Duke of Normandy had used the
remains of the Roman Fort as a base before defeating King Harold at
the Battle of Hastings. I waited till 15:30 and as prearranged,
Alice drove over from Brighton after finishing her shift at work.
Alice
Sluice Lane
Alice was on the trek I did in Nepal last year and said I was to get
in touch if I was in her area. We drank tea and chatted for a while
then I had to leave to find a camp near Hastings. I left Pevensey to
the east and cycled along the wonderful Sluice Lane. It was quiet
and open with few hedges. I followed it to Bexhill and was able to
stay on a good cycle track along the front. I crossed the railway by
and underpass and in to the supermarket complex and Tesco to get
some food before continuing to some sports fields just before
Hastings. I was also near the Waste Recycling Site. I found a
secluded spot to pitch my tent.
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Whittle Wanderer
