# Good old English seasides



## Mr Blob (Aug 15, 2011)

I'm going to Southend this afternoon to watch the gulls, enjoy sights of blue sea and feel the breeze on the coast. When we were kids in 1970s my dad loved driving to sea resorts like Clacton, Brighton, Eastbourne etc in the Home Counties. That was before cheap mass flights to Spain and places like Thailand. Now in my 40s I buy tickets for the train on day trips to escape the frenzy of London

Any others still love a trip to a good old English sea resort?


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Aug 15, 2011)

Mr Blob said:


> I'm going to Southend this afternoon to watch the gulls, enjoy sights of blue sea and feel the breeze on the coast. When we were kids in 1970s my dad loved driving to sea resorts like Clacton, Brighton, Eastbourne etc in the Home Counties. That was before cheap mass flights to Spain and places like Thailand. Now in my 40s I the train on day trips to escape the frenzy of London
> 
> Any others still love a trip to a good old English sea resort?



I like going to Southend for the air show, but otherwise I like a nice long walk along Eastern Esplanade to Thorpe Bay and Shoebury as it's nice and empty compared to Southend and I used to live on the seafront there


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Aug 15, 2011)

Not been there for years though


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## Greebo (Aug 15, 2011)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Not been there for years though


Neither have I - meant to go to Southend and Margate after the second of my nans died, but that was over 5 years ago and still haven't got around to it.  FFS!


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## editor (Aug 15, 2011)

Mr Blob said:


> I'm going to Southend this afternoon to watch the gulls, enjoy sights of blue sea and feel the breeze on the coast. When we were kids in 1970s my dad loved driving to sea resorts like Clacton, Brighton, Eastbourne etc in the Home Counties. That was before cheap mass flights to Spain and places like Thailand. Now in my 40s I buy tickets for the train on day trips to escape the frenzy of London
> 
> Any others still love a trip to a good old English sea resort?


I'm a big fan. Brighton, Barry Island, Penarth, Southwold... Yeah!


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## flutterbye (Aug 15, 2011)

porthcawl was my favourite, despite actually shitting my pants there


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## Greebo (Aug 15, 2011)

Not forgetting New Brighton...


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## Hocus Eye. (Aug 15, 2011)

I am in a seaside town in South Devon right now staying with my mother. I do this every year, but this year is different because she is not well. The pleasure of being back in my original seaside hometown is somewhat marred.


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## xes (Aug 15, 2011)

I only ever go to UK seaside resorts.

love it, you don;t need anything esle if you'vegot the weather and the company. There's nowhere on earth like an english sea side resort in the sun.  (not sure if that's abad thing or not tbh  ) (wot no passport!)


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## marty21 (Aug 15, 2011)

Yep, probably going to Walton-on-the-Naze next week, only an hour or so on the train


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## Mr Blob (Aug 15, 2011)

marty21 said:


> Yep, probably going to Walton-on-the-Naze next week, only an hour or so on the train


lovely sand beaches at Walton  nice childhood memories



xes said:


> There's nowhere on earth like an english sea side resort in the sun.  (not sure if that's abad thing or not tbh  ) (wot no passport!)



plus spend pound and pence, no need to change into euros


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## Mr Blob (Aug 15, 2011)

........................


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## Mr Blob (Aug 15, 2011)

Enjoyed sights of Southend and had an afternoon sea front stroll with soft ice cream in a cone   it was high tide and people were relaxing on the beach left clear of water.  A couple of power boats were zooming about the sea.  Casinos and numerous restaurant businesses were busy with diners- all good for local economy and I contributed on my short excursion from Liverpool street station


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Aug 15, 2011)

Mr Blob said:


> Enjoyed sights of Southend and had an afternoon sea front stroll with soft ice cream in a cone  it was high tide and people were relaxing on the beach left clear of water. A couple of power boats were zooming about the sea. Casinos and numerous restaurant businesses were busy with diners- all good for local economy and I contributed on my short excursion from Liverpool street station



I always preferred going from Fenchurch Street for some reason


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## Mr Blob (Aug 16, 2011)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> I always preferred going from Fenchurch Street for some reason


involves the extra walk from nearest tube station


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## scifisam (Aug 16, 2011)

I'm planning on taking the dog down to the seaside soon, if I can find a beach that allows dogs. We visit Southend at least a couple of times a year, and my daughter goes on holiday to her nan's caravan in Norfolk.



Mr Blob said:


> involves the extra walk from nearest tube station



That walk is about a minute long, if that.


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## DotCommunist (Aug 16, 2011)

camber Sands ftw. Gets a tad fucking crowded during peak season mind, but still worth it. Mirror shades ftw


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## Kanda (Aug 16, 2011)

I went to Broadstairs on Sunday but didn't even get to the seaside bit!


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## xes (Aug 16, 2011)

Mr Blob said:


> plus spend pound and pence, no need to change into euros


 And it's usually cheeper in little coastal villiages. Taking the doggies on a holiday to Bracklesham Bay in a couple of weeks. West Wittering beach is just a couple of miles away, and it is a really nice beach, a couple of miles of lovely sand for the dogs to run around on.  (well, 1 dog, the other can stay fecking put)


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Aug 16, 2011)

Mr Blob said:


> involves the extra walk from nearest tube station



Yeah, I know, but always preferred the route


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## ice-is-forming (Aug 16, 2011)

xes said:


> And it's usually cheeper in little coastal villiages. Taking the doggies on a holiday to Bracklesham Bay in a couple of weeks. West Wittering beach is just a couple of miles away, and it is a really nice beach, a couple of miles of lovely sand for the dogs to run around on.  (well, 1 dog, the other can stay fecking put)



i spent 2 weeks every year for decades in wittering when i lived in england, i went there as a kid and in turn took my kids. i love wittering and that walk along the top of the beach and the pub beer garden. happy memoriesoh and bosham! bosham is awesome, love sitting in the pub with the sea just lapping the window sill


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## hammerntongues (Aug 16, 2011)

I went to Southend last week for the first time in about 10 years , its changed a lot , for the better at least the parts I saw around Pier Hill , the huge old falling down seafront hotel has been totally restored , looks like flats . The area directly behind the Esplanade was smart too , I had lunch in the bowling green cafe , it was falling down 10 years ago , now its a place for ladies who lunch . Surprising in the current climate but looks like a lot of money has been spent and lots of building work still on the go. Those big old Edwardian and Victorian double fronted houses are spectacular .


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## newme (Aug 16, 2011)

Seaside resort meaning what exactly, surrounded by beaches here but not sure exactly how many of Cornwalls could be considered any kind of a resort.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Aug 16, 2011)

hammerntongues said:


> I went to Southend last week for the first time in about 10 years , its changed a lot , for the better at least the parts I saw around Pier Hill , the huge old falling down seafront hotel has been totally restored , looks like flats . The area directly behind the Esplanade was smart too , I had lunch in the bowling green cafe , it was falling down 10 years ago , now its a place for ladies who lunch . Surprising in the current climate but looks like a lot of money has been spent and lots of building work still on the go. Those big old Edwardian and Victorian double fronted houses are spectacular .


 
I was walking the Esplanade recently on google maps and saw that scaffolding was up on Pier Hill.  Unfortunately couldn't see the pedestrianised bit of Pier Hill though.  That used to be my hangout in my teens


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## hammerntongues (Aug 16, 2011)




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## hammerntongues (Aug 16, 2011)

bet it wasn`t like that last time you were there ? the Royal Hotel . the huge one on the otherside of Peir Hill is still undergoing refurb , scaffold still up


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## Maggot (Aug 16, 2011)

DotCommunist said:


> camber Sands ftw. Gets a tad fucking crowded during peak season mind, but still worth it. Mirror shades ftw


A great beach, but not much to do away from the beach.  I like nearby Hastings.


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## davesgcr (Aug 16, 2011)

Glad to hear Saffend has come up a bit ....


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## keithy (Aug 16, 2011)

I love the seaside and me and my boyfriend are currently doing a seaside tour of Britain. So far we've only done Southend and Margate but we are very very over-excited and have a LIST. Suggestions please!

Southend was 2p slots and acid, Margate was sand sculpting and antiquing


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## Pickman's model (Aug 16, 2011)

keithy said:


> I love the seaside and me and my boyfriend are currently doing a seaside tour of Britain. So far we've only done Southend and Margate but we are very very over-excited and have a LIST. Suggestions please!
> 
> Southend was 2p slots and acid, Margate was sand sculpting and antiquing


[offtopic]not seen you round recently, good to hear yer doing well [/offtopic]

i suppose you could do hastings... you've got to do brighton too


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## Maidmarian (Aug 16, 2011)

keithy said:


> I love the seaside and me and my boyfriend are currently doing a seaside tour of Britain. So far we've only done Southend and Margate but we are very very over-excited and have a LIST. *Suggestions please*!
> 
> Southend was 2p slots and acid, Margate was sand sculpting and antiquing


 
Oh Whitby !


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## keithy (Aug 16, 2011)

Pickman's model said:


> [offtopic]not seen you round recently, good to hear yer doing well [/offtopic]
> 
> i suppose you could do hastings... you've got to do brighton too



Ello chuffnut! Brighton is covered as bloke is from round there  I think we do need to do Hastings yeah. I rayt want to go up to Skeggy/Mablethorpe/Ingoldmells as that's where I went on holidays as a child. Thinking Great Yarmouth too!

And Whitby - YES! Scarborough too. Oh I love the seaside 

Does anywhere still have donkey rides?


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Aug 16, 2011)

hammerntongues said:


> bet it wasn`t like that last time you were there ? the Royal Hotel . the huge one on the otherside of Peir Hill is still undergoing refurb , scaffold still up



Not at all.

Trying to find some pictures I recognise from when I left there in 1982. Stumbled across this website where it states that



> *Unemployment Higher Than National Average -* At October 1982 the rate of unemployment in the Southend-on-Sea travel-to-work area was 15.9 per cent. compared with 13.8 per cent. for the United Kingdom as a whole.[/QUOTE]
> 
> http://www.southendtimeline.com/1982.htm
> 
> Found a pic of where I used to live as well


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Aug 16, 2011)

Southend also now has the Mulberry Mud Run.  I used to walk to Mulberry Harbour 35 years ago though


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## Mr Blob (Aug 17, 2011)

hammerntongues said:


> Those big old Edwardian and Victorian double fronted houses are spectacular .


I like big Victorian houses especially by the sea.  Live in a detached Victorian converted building myself


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## Mr Blob (Aug 17, 2011)

newme said:


> Seaside resort meaning what exactly, surrounded by beaches here but not sure exactly how many of Cornwalls could be considered any kind of a resort.


Would love to go to Cornwall- I've only been to seasides in SE England


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## newme (Aug 17, 2011)

Mr Blob said:


> Would love to go to Cornwall- I've only been to seasides in SE England



Never been to any seasides in SE England, closest is probably Bournemouth lol. Just came back off the beach, rum and sun


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## bi0boy (Aug 17, 2011)

Whitby, Wells-next-the-sea, Aldeburgh, Westward Ho!, Lulworth and Lyme Regis are my favourites


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## Mr Blob (Aug 20, 2011)

newme said:


> Never been to any seasides in SE England, closest is probably Bournemouth lol. Just came back off the beach, rum and sun


In the South East the sea sides are more crowded


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## Espresso (Aug 20, 2011)

keithy said:


> Does anywhere still have donkey rides?



Blackpool still has donkey rides. But they won't let you on if you are any older than 8.


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## wingsunfurled (Aug 21, 2011)

Cornwall is great with its own St. Michael's Mount. I also liked Beachy head (south Brigthon) very much as well as Isle of Purbeck. Those landscapes are just wonderful, and I wonder why they are not more talked about...


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Aug 21, 2011)

Mr Blob said:


> In the South East the sea sides are more crowded



Southend's pretty empty, due to more pebbles and mud than sand


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## twentythreedom (Aug 23, 2011)

Hemsby 

and Felixstowe Ferry. And Sheringham. And.... etc  Gotta love the old skool British seaside towns


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## Kanda (Aug 23, 2011)

Last time I went to Southend, the pier burnt down the day after


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Aug 23, 2011)

Kanda said:


> Last time I went to Southend, the pier burnt down the day after


 
I watched it burn down all night in the 70s


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## Mr Blob (Aug 23, 2011)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> I watched it burn down all night in the 70s


we were there that day too- watched rising smoke in the sky as we drove the road away after a day's outing.  Back home it was top news on TV


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Aug 23, 2011)

Mr Blob said:


> we were there that day too- watched rising smoke in the sky as we drove the road away after a day's outing. Back home it was top news on TV



I lived on the seafront then.  Went onto the beach next morning and there was loads of pier washed up


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## twentythreedom (Aug 24, 2011)

bi0boy said:


> Aldeburgh



Been to Orford? (and the castle?)


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## Callie (Aug 24, 2011)

Ive been to Orford 



I saw a possibly myxamatotic rabbit.

I like Bexhill - which is along the coast a bit from Hastings on the way to Eastbourne. If you can go to the De La Warr Pavillion - there are various music ands comedy gigs and stuff held there and art exhibitions. I love the funny little houses along the seafront


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## trashpony (Aug 24, 2011)

Kanda said:


> I went to Broadstairs on Sunday but didn't even get to the seaside bit!


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## trashpony (Aug 24, 2011)

keithy said:


> I love the seaside and me and my boyfriend are currently doing a seaside tour of Britain. So far we've only done Southend and Margate but we are very very over-excited and have a LIST. Suggestions please!
> 
> Southend was 2p slots and acid, Margate was sand sculpting and antiquing


And you as well! Coming to my manor and not telling me


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## Kanda (Aug 25, 2011)

trashpony said:


>



It was Moonpigs family thing, I couldn't have got away... sorry!


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## scifisam (Aug 25, 2011)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> Southend's pretty empty, due to more pebbles and mud than sand



 All the beaches I've been to down there are sandy.


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## Lo Siento. (Aug 25, 2011)

From my parents house, I love driving to Dunwich, walking from there to Southwold, having a pint in one of their beautiful pubs, walking back to Dunwich for the fish n chips in the car park.


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## Greebo (Aug 25, 2011)

Mr Blob said:


> I like big Victorian houses especially by the sea.


Not a fan, having had the dubious pleasure of staying with relatives who lived in one. Plenty of floorspace, plenty of rooms & outhouses, high ceilings & good size rooms on most floors, but...

Cold and draughty even in summer  (to be fair, it was on the Wirral). Noisy pipes, lots and lots of stairs. Not to mention the cost of maintenance - the cost of getting the roof done eventually forced a move from there.


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## keithy (Aug 25, 2011)

trashpony said:


> And you as well! Coming to my manor and not telling me



I don't have your number, which is obvious innit cos if I did I'd be sending you pics of my bum ALL THE TIME. Give me your number and I promise next time we hit a seaside in/around/on your manor we will let you know


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## Onket (Aug 25, 2011)

Hopefully going to Margate soon. Vauge plans have been made.

This post is just an excuse to subscribe to this thread, really.


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## trashpony (Aug 25, 2011)

Onket said:


> Hopefully going to Margate soon. Vauge plans have been made.
> 
> This post is just an excuse to subscribe to this thread, really.



Let me know when you come. You can stop over here if you want - we like babies


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Aug 25, 2011)

scifisam said:


> All the beaches I've been to down there are sandy.



I'm sure I read they put some extra sand on the beach on the main tourist stretch, but I may have imagined it, but then I suppose it depends on what time of day you're there and whether the tide's in or out


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## scifisam (Aug 25, 2011)

Minnie_the_Minx said:


> I'm sure I read they put some extra sand on the beach on the main tourist stretch, but I may have imagined it, but then I suppose it depends on what time of day you're there and whether the tide's in or out



I remember it being sandy 30 years ago too. It is only the main tourist bit down to Westcliff that I'm thinking of.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Aug 25, 2011)

scifisam said:


> I remember it being sandy 30 years ago too. It is only the main tourist bit down to Westcliff that I'm thinking of.



Can't really remember much of that area of beach as I lived in Thorpe Bay which was pretty pebbly


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## marty21 (Aug 25, 2011)

Mr Blob said:


> lovely sand beaches at Walton  nice childhood memories



We had fun, easy to get to from London - train from Liverpool St, one change (the train waits for you) and then on to Walton on the Naze - we popped on to pier - traditional one - fairly long - plenty of space for Dodgems and that - Mrs21 wasn't really into that sort of thing - would be a good place for a urbans trip though!

We then walked through the town - past the Naze (which is a Victorian Light house type thing, now a cafe and shop/gallery) along the cliffs to the estuary - where we had sandwiches on the beach - then back to the town where we came across the town's carnival possession - loads of bored carnival queens being pulled along on trailers  plus majorettes, groovy dancers, a bag pipe band  all collecting for charidee - it was really hot and i got a builders sunburn - face and neck. We stopped at a few pubs - had a couple of drinks - then got the train back - will be heading there again


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## Onket (Aug 26, 2011)

trashpony said:


> Let me know when you come. You can stop over here if you want - we like babies



That's a lovely offer, cheers.


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## keithy (Sep 20, 2011)

I'M GOING TO SKEGGY!!! ! ! !


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## RoyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

Surely Brighton's the only place for any self respecting South Londoner!


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## Onket (Sep 30, 2011)

Not a fan of Brighton, to be honest, mainly because of the type of people that seem to gravitate there. I did have a very good weekend there once which included seeing Jerry Sadowitz and then going to an excellent DnB/Jungle night.

Anyway, we're off to Littlehampton tomorrow morning cos my brother has moved there recently. Not really sure what to expect but the weather looks like it'll be very good indeed.


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## trashpony (Sep 30, 2011)

Was lovely here today


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## Onket (May 11, 2012)

Seeing as I bumped the 'worst seaside' thread, I've got to bump this one too.

Anyone got any trips planned for the summer that can't, surely, be too far away now?


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## Minnie_the_Minx (May 11, 2012)

Onket said:


> Seeing as I bumped the 'worst seaside' thread, I've got to bump this one too.
> 
> Anyone got any trips planned for the summer that can't, surely, be too far away now?


 
London is having three whole full sun icon days from today


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## Geri (May 11, 2012)

We are on our way back from Newquay, we had a great time. I even caught the sun.


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## Callie (May 11, 2012)

I'm going to Brighton tomorrow and I may well go again next weekend on the Sunday as its the mini rally


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## Bahnhof Strasse (May 11, 2012)

If you have car, West Wittering is a cracker of a place.


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## marty21 (May 11, 2012)

Lo Siento. said:


> From my parents house, I love driving to Dunwich, walking from there to Southwold, having a pint in one of their beautiful pubs, walking back to Dunwich for the fish n chips in the car park.


 Stayed in Dunwich in March, at the Ship Inn, beach was lovely and not very busy - only hardy fisher men were about .


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## marty21 (May 11, 2012)

Callie said:


> Ive been to Orford
> 
> View attachment 12984
> 
> ...


 I like the castle - going up there in July for the weekend.


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## Onket (May 11, 2012)

marty21 said:


> Stayed in Dunwich in March, at the Ship Inn, beach was lovely and not very busy - only hardy fisher men were about .


 
I'd like to see Dunwich one day by doing the Dunwich Dynamo.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunwich_Dynamo


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## Lo Siento. (May 11, 2012)

Onket said:


> I'd like to see Dunwich one day by doing the Dunwich Dynamo.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunwich_Dynamo


Ooh, I wanna do that!


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## marty21 (May 11, 2012)

Onket said:


> I'd like to see Dunwich one day by doing the Dunwich Dynamo.
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunwich_Dynamo


 sounds good - hell of a cycle ride though!


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## Onket (Aug 22, 2013)

I just bumped another thread but actually this is the one I meant to bump. 

Little piece in London's London Evening Standard today listing 9 different UK coastal areas and why you should visit. 

Good to see Littlehampton on there but bit strange to see they are saying it's for 'foodies', on the basis of only 2 places they mention to eat!


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## T & P (Jun 20, 2021)

Another bump as my musings are certainly not worth a new thread. I’ve been to Eastbourne twice in the last three years at this time of the year, for the tennis. The previous, pre-Covid visit was on a Friday. And then today Sunday.

On both occasions the weather turned out to be glorious. And yet, the town felt bizarrely devoid of people on both visits.

If today had been my first I might have been tempted to put it down to the pandemic (even though I reckon Brighton down road would have been busy as fuck today). But given as we experienced the same two years ago, I can’t really blame Covid for it.

For a reasonably pleasant coastal town close to crowd pleasers such as Lewes or Brighton, it really does look strangely deserted, both on the seafront and the town’s main streets. Never mind tourists, it’s almost as if there are no residents either. Bizarre…


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## Elpenor (Jun 21, 2021)

Eastbourne is known as Gods Waiting Room by the people I knew who lived round there for a reason. I've visited 4 or 5 times, but only to do the Beachy Head marathon. Admittedly this is in October so perhaps not very lively to be begin with!


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## hash tag (Jun 21, 2021)

There is some great walking around the coast and have walked lots of it around Kent and East Sussex.
Am planning a train journey and 10/20 mile walk a bit further West next weekend. Looking at Fareham/Portsmouth
or maybe Wittering/Chichester. Not sure yet as still looking at logistics and local interest.


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## not-bono-ever (Jun 22, 2021)

Brighton and Rottingdean Seashore Electric Railway - Wikipedia
					






					en.m.wikipedia.org


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## hash tag (Jun 22, 2021)

Interesting reminder - I have been on the Volks railway and wasn't even sure if it still existed


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