Kent and East Sussex - Part II

12th September, East Sussex  - Not going to Battle, not going to Lewes

'Christ on a bike!' I noted in my diary at the end of the day. I was totally defeated in my attempt to get in to the village of Battle to see the famous 1066 location - it was flipping heaving! I was naively expecting a big empty field with some information boards and maybe a shop selling plastic Norman helmets for the kids. Wrong! A real tourist hotspot, with an abbey and high street - cramped and overwhelmed by traffic, I pity the poor buggers who live there. Despite it being one of the main reasons for my trip South, I drove off in a hissy fit.

But - happy day - I found the super Pevensey Castle by accident, with the Royal Oak PUB for lunch next door, a car park with special motorhome spaces (yay!) so I had a brilliant time. The castle marks the spot where William the Conqueror's  boats came ashore, so in fact is even more significant than that other place. A really relaxing visit, and I joined English Heritage.

On the way to Broomfield CMC site, I was intending to visit the Long Man of Wilmington. I did see the huge figure, carved in to the hillside, but it was from sitting in an enormous sweaty traffic jam on the A27. I lost the will to live and didn't visit. Here is an artist's impression (by UKPhoenix79).

The campsite site was lovely (but isolated, and along tight, narrow lanes). I was in a quiet wooded section complete with owls at night. 

13th Sept, Seven Sisters

The next day it was off to see the cliffs of the Seven Sisters, by this time I was fully expecting not to be able to PARK, but thankfully all was ok. I joined the path from the visitor's centre down to the famous viewpoint. Agatha Christie's Poirot fans will recognise it from TVs Elephant's Can Remember.

I walked most of the way there with four women from the US, who were all on holiday, very interesting people. A lovely 3m walk in all, in glorious sun. On return to the centre I had a picnic lunch and headed back.

On the way back to the site, a real piece of serendipity - I called in at a nearby farm shop/cafe for supplies and got chatting to the lady there (no, surely not, how unlike you to start gassing to complete strangers Alison). She asked if I had come for the gallery opening the next day. Gallery??? I had stumbled on Farleys House and Gallery, which only opens twice a week.

So I booked another night at the campsite and took a look the next day (14th):

Lee Miller and Roland Penrose lived here, she was a photographer and cook, and he a sculptor. They entertained many famous people including Picasso, Ernst and Miro. The house interior was gorgeous, take a look at the link, as no photos were allowed.

What a find! And a lovely last visit of the trip, as I feel the weariness in my bones that says it is time to go home.

15th Sept, Cambridgeshire, Hill Farm

I decided not to go to Lewes or Charleston, and instead spend 2 nights at the stop-off, rather than thrash it back up to Harrogate.

The route took me through Royal Tunbridge Wells which did look lovely, but I was back in to congested roads now, all through the Dartford tunnel and on the M11.

I was very glad to get to the site. Bizarrely, I had booked a pitch right under Duxford Air Show! The heat continued, so I had a full day mucking about with the van and peering at the Red Arrows and all sorts of planes just overhead - the photos don't do it justice, I was too busy watching. Plane-spotter neighbours on site told me about the nearest shop, as they come every year, so I was able to get some treats for my last few nights.