Beachy Head Lighthouse Challenge 2023.

This walk is organised by The Rotary Club. There is a cost of £8.50 with money going to different charities, including the RNLI and also towards the upkeep of the lighthouse’s famous red and white stripes.

There are very few days when it is possible to walk around the lighthouse as it must be during spring tides and when it is light enough.

The meeting point was at the foot of the Downs by St. Bede’s school in Eastbourne. We then proceeded up the lane for approximately half a mile to Whitbread Hollow where we checked in. Once checked-in, we set off across the Downs to Cow Gap, down the steps to the beach and over the rocks, boulders, sand and slippery seaweed to the lighthouse.

It was a fairly strenuous walk; the beach part the hardest. You could go right up to the lighthouse and climb the steps up onto the base. Stewards were there counting people on and off, ten at a time. Stewards were also strategically placed along the route, as were paramedics and the RNLI shoreside.

Beachy Head is a notorious suicide spot in the South Coast and the sad part of the walk as we came closer to the lighthouse along the cliff base was the rusted remnants of car parts caught in the rocks. We had a silent moment of contemplation for those who had been driven to such drastic measures.

On return, all participants received a certificate to authenticate that we were one of the few people who have undertaken the “Lighthouse Challenge”.

It was a beautiful still and sunny evening for this unusual walk in a beautiful part of the South Coast.

Community Choir Joy.

Last night I went to listen to one of our local Community Choirs sing at the underground Grove Theatre, one of Eastbourne’s more intimate theatres.

They were an absolute joy. There is something uplifting and joyous in a group of people, all ages, getting together to sing. Songs we all knew and some we didn’t. You don’t have to be pitch perfect, just enjoy singing; sing loud and proud. It was a pleasure!

Groombridge. East Sussex.

Had a spring walk around the quintessential English village of Groombridge in East Sussex on Easter Sunday.

Groombridge is a village of about 1,600 people, straddling the borders of the counties of Kent and East Sussex in England.

I had been working in the village school during the week and wanted explore this beautiful area more. It was a stunning Easter Sunday morning and we had a great, if muddy, ramble of about five miles.

A Little Lane, the brook runs close beside
And spangles in the sunshine while the fish glide swiftly by
And hedges leafing with the green spring tide
From out their greenery the old birds fly

John Clare (1793-1864)

Herstmonceux Castle Estate.

A beautiful sunny, warm autumn morning saw us heading out to the stunning 15th century moated Herstmonceux Castle, set in a beautiful estate featuring woodland trails, lakes, meadows and themed and formal gardens, including a magic garden with definite echos of Francis Hodgson Burnett (The Secret Garden).

Built as a luxurious fortified home in the mid 15th century by Sir Roger Fiennes, who had fought at Agincourt with Henry V, it is now owned by Queen’s University in Canada and is their UK campus as well as a visitor centre.

It’s is a magical location and well worth the £8 entrance fee

Eastbourne Funk and Soul.

The Craig Charles Funk and Soul Show came to the Western Lawns at Eastbourne.

He was part of The E-Festival- Eastbourne’s very own ECO and MUSIC festival held over three fabulous summer days July 29-30-31 across the towns most iconic seafront locations. And what a treat it was. Headlining artists were Toploader, the Symphonic Ibiza Orchestra and of course the Craig Charles ‘Funk & Soul Show’

It was also my first experience of bhangra, from the energetic Bhangra Smash Up; a three piece drumming band based in Birmingham and playing all over the UK. Find them on Facebook and TikTok.

Well done Eastbourne E festival for putting on a high quality, professional event.

Pier Review by Jon Bounds and Danny Smith.

Pier Review: A Road Trip in Search of the Great British Seaside

Pier Review: A Road Trip in Search of the Great British Seaside by Jon Bounds

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


A Road Trip to cover all fifty five piers in England and Wales- starting at Weston-Super-Mare in the Midlands and finishing at Penarth in Wales. Writers Danny and Jon, with Midge the driver.
I love a road trip, but this ended up feeling a bit downbeat, enforcing all the reasons why I prefer to go overseas and seek sun and adventures, rather than holidaying in the UK- even if it is seaside England.
Their journey started off up-beat, but somewhere in the middle the tone changed to a darker, bleaker trip. It reminded me why I have resented every moment of having to holiday in the UK over 2020/ 2021.



View all my reviews

The Royal Crescent, Bath.

We had a little Road Trip down to Dorset and Somerset a couple of weekends ago. The weather was rubbish so we went inland to the city of Bath.

A true high point for me was the Royal Crescent.

This is one of Bath’s most iconic landmarks, was built between 1767 and 1775 and designed by John Wood the Younger. This impressive landmark is arranged around a perfect lawn overlooking Royal Victoria Park and forms a sweeping crescent of 30 Grade I Listed terrace houses.

It is iconically Georgian. I wanted to look behind that sweeping bank of closed doors. Have a wander. Stay a night. Play at being mega rich.

Oh! There was also a cricket pitch…

We didn’t do the Roman Baths- the obvious Bath attraction. Still in COVID times pre- booking online is the way to go- obviously 🤦🏽‍♀️.