Adventures around Hastingswith PlusBus
With history, art and nature in abundance, the seaside town of Hastings is a great place to visit at any time of year. There’s plenty to do here, from watching the fish in the Aquarium to walking the clifftop England coast path. A PlusBus ticket means you can travel round the town and visit neighbouring Bexhill on unlimited buses all day for a small extra fee on top of your train fare. Here are a few of the things you could do.
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1. Hastings Castle
England’s first ever Norman motte and bailey, Hastings Castle was built by William the Conqueror in 1066. Henry VIII knocked down its church. World War II saw anti-aircraft guns outside the castle walls. Now, it’s an atmospheric tourist attraction with great views across the town. If you haven’t already bought your Hastings PlusBus ticket when you arrive in town by train, you can buy one at the station.
- How do I get to Hastings Castle by bus? Bus 328 leaves hourly from Stop B outside the railway station and stops, five minutes later, at the foot of Castle Hill Road. Walk straight up the lane and turn sharp right up the tarmac path signed Hastings Castle.
- What about refreshments? Coming back out of the castle gate, turn right along the path and left up the steps. Walk straight across a clifftop grassy area and left down a tarmac path to find the fabulous West Hill Kiosk, open Wednesday to Sunday from 8am. The toasties are really tasty!
- What else is nearby? Hastings Old Town, with its pretty narrow streets and cosy pubs, is just down some steps on the far side of West Hill. Nearby, you can find a whole host of museums and attractions, including Hastings Aquarium. You can also reach this area by walking over East Hill with its walking trails and prehistoric remains. Read on for more.
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2. Ecclesbourne Glen
One of many great things about Hastings are the picturesque wooded valleys along the coast just east of the town. Head up to Eastbourne Glen for a beautiful ramble with views across the whole coastal area.
- How do I get to Ecclesbourne Glen by bus? This sprawling nature reserve has several entrances and ways to reach it car-free. One way is to catch bus 321 and walk. Bus 321 leaves every half an hour from Stop B outside Hastings railway station.
- Get off, ten minutes later, at the stop called Godwin Road in the Clive Vale area. Keep walking a few more steps in the direction the bus was going (there’s a Londis on the corner if you need supplies!) Turn right opposite Londis down a little lane, which soon becomes a track and keep straight between some ponds. On the far side of the ponds, follow the path left and right to emerge onto Barley Lane. Turn right along the lane and soon left into the nature reserve.
- From here, you can explore a huge area of woods and gorse-covered grasslands. Heading back towards Hastings, you will pass an iron age fort on East Hill and a beacon. From here, you can climb down some steps into the old town and carry on exploring…
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3. De La Warr Pavilion
Your PlusBus ticket covers a large area around Hastings and you can use it to travel all the way along the coast to the iconic De La Warr pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea. Travelling by bus is a leisurely way to see some sights along the route.
- How do I get to the De La Warr pavilion by bus? Bus 98 runs along the coast from Hastings to Bexhill, passing rows of Regency seafront houses, palm trees and garden squares. Bus 98 links up with bus 101 to run through from Rye, stopping near Hastings Old Town. Reaching Bexhill-on-Sea, the bus loops through the houses, passing pretty Manor Gardens, to arrive at the Marina near the seafront pavilion.
- The De La Warr has a changing programme of exhibitions, live shows, concerts, and a great café.
For more car-free adventures in the area, check out Battle Abbey and the site of the 1066 Battle of Hastings, 20 minutes away by train. And see our previous guides to Hastings, Brighton and Brighton by bus.
