John Burke's Hastings, August 1999
Hastings Seafront |
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| Saturday 31 July 1999
After a look around the Old Town and the main shopping area, it is time to look at the parts
of Hastings that attract the holiday maker!
The beach, like most beaches around the south east, is a pebble beach and is on the same level as
the seafront paving as can be seen here!
You can simply step off the pavement and onto the beach! |
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Modern hotels jostle against an elegant Georgian crescent, though a row of kiosks
and shops spoil the view of it from the front.
In the background on top of the cliffs is Hastings Castle, one of the first Norman castles,
made in the early years following the invasion of 1066. More of that in a later page! |
| Hastings doesn't have a funfair as such, though there
are some kiddies' rides towards the east of the seafront.
Paddle boats in the shape of huge swans are a popular ride with the tots. |
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There are lots of stalls selling food and many of them had tables and chairs
outside. We may not have had time to enjoy these in Paris in May, but we certainly tried a
few this week!
Being so close to the ferry ports, there were large numbers of French, German and Spanish
tourists in the area. |
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Fishing boats operate from the beach - an
interesting place to mooch! |
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As in almost any fishing harbour, piles of lobster traps are waiting to be
taken out and laid on the sea bed. |
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The lobster enters by a cone of chicken wire, drops
to the floor, and cannot reach to leave by the same route.
Tall narrow timber buildings stand at the edge of the fishing beach and from
them the fish are sold presumably after a judicious bit of gutting. the smell of the work
ensures an ever-present crowd of gulls. |
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Hastings has two furnicular cliff railways. This is the East Cliff Railway.
We shall see - and travel on - the West Cliff Railway on a later page. |
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Beyond the cliff railway Hastings - and this page - come to an end.
We have decided upon Dover for tomorrow - come with us! |
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