My start point today is back at the bottom of Fairlight Glen, on the bridge over the stream…
I set off through the woodland, climbing out of the glen. It doesn’t look it on the photos, but this is a steep old path! As I am wheezing my way up I’m passed by a bloke jogging up. Smug git.
Shortly I reach the top and the path levels out across the cliffs…
Here be witches…?
Ten minutes later the bushes thin out and I can see the Rock-a-Nore breakwater and car park at the eastern end of Hastings seafront…
I just have one more glen to cross. This one is called Ecclesbourne Glen and is a bit smaller but, if anything, even steeper than the others!
Like the others, this one also has a small stream at the bottom…
…and a stiff climb out…
Reaching the top, I find a wide grassy area with the remains of an Iron Age hill fort in the middle.
I stroll down the gentle slope to Hastings…
The path passes the top station of the funicular railway that runs up the cliff, although it seems to be closed today.
Beside it is a path of many, many zig-zagging steps…
Halfway down gives a great view of Rock-a-Nore and The Stade…
The steps emerge onto a small road. There is an alleyway to the seafront past the houses to the right…
I come out next to the popular Dolphin Inn…
Across the road is The Stade, home to reputedly the largest beach-launched fishing fleet in Europe! The word ‘Stade’ is Anglo-Saxon and means ‘landing place’, so there have likely been people fishing from here for a very long time! The area is famous for the black-tarred Hastings net huts, used to store the fishing gear…
After a quick look back at the funicular from below…
…I head over to the lifeboat station where I am finishing today.
