Daytrips from London – 5 things to do in Bexhill-on-Sea
An elegant seaside town with a long beach, the birth place of British motor sport and a penchant for Art Deco. An easy day or a weekend trip from London with some great restaurants, or pop into the famous De La Warr Pavilion for concerts and art. When you want something a bit quieter and genteel than Brighton for a day by the sea. Just writing about it I have already used such words as ‘penchant’ and ‘genteel’!
The art deco gem built in the 1930s is now a centre for the arts, with interesting contemporary exhibitions, concerts and other events. The reason I came here for the first time was to see a concert that I could have seen in London: nice small venue, book a B&B within a walking distance and make a trip of it!
The pavilion is named after the 9th Earl De La Warr aka “Buck” who was the mayor of Bexhill in the 1930s. The building of this “people’s palace” was his initiative. After an international competition for its design, it was built in the cutting-edge style of the time. With my Finnish background, I was interested in reading that the original interior included chairs designed by our most famous architect and designer Alvar Aalto. Next time, I’ll have to check if they’re still there! The US state Delaware takes its name from the De La Warr family: Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, was Virginia’s first colonial governor.
Bexhill has a beautiful, long seafront with a promenade. It allows for good coastal walks if it’s not the best for swimming with its shingle beach. But then, when is the sea warm enough to swim in in the UK in the first place? You can easily do a day walk to Hastings and back (or take the train) along the coast or even to Eastbourne to see the Birling Gap and Seven Sisters chalk cliffs. You may be able to catch some fossilised dinosaur footprints on the beach when the tide is out!
In his time, Earl De La Warr of the Pavilion fame allowed mixed swimming in Bexhill and it’s quite possible that Bexhill was the first beach in the UK to encourage such outrageous behaviour. Maybe it is for this relaxed attitude that there is now also a known naturist beach nearby, towards Normans Bay. I won’t admit that this was the reason that during my recent visit we took the train to Normans Bay and walked back to Bexhill. We followed this Sussex Hospices Trail we found online. It continues further on to St Leonard from Bexhill from where you can take the train back. Just note that if you’re travelling by train, you need to go to St Leonards Warrior Square rather than West St Leonards train station to get back to Bexhill. The whole walk was about 13 km (8 miles) and took us about 5 hours with a stop for a drink in the Star Inn pub in Normans Bay, ice-cream and coffee by the promenade in Bexhill and many photos. And it didn’t go via the naturist beach!
3. FOOD AND DRINK
BISTRO 45 A wonderful, friendly small seafood restaurant close to the beach and the De La Warr Pavilion. They do mussels 45 ways, hence the name, but if mussels are not your thing, there are plenty of other delicious options. A good selection of Belgian beers. I particularly appreciated the décor with blow-ups of characters from the Tintin books, one of my favourite comic book series. I’ve been to Bistro 45 twice now and will be going back! It’s small so book to avoid disappointment!
ROCKSALT-ON-SEA Trendy, shabby chic restaurant and bar, just opposite the De La Warr Pavilion. Not eaten there yet myself but it gets good reviews on TripAdvisor and from friends whose taste I trust. I have personally enjoyed their gin cocktails.
I have yet to visit the museum but I hope to make it there before the end of the year (2017) as they have an exhibition called Roaring Twenties & Stylish Thirties until 17th December. I love the Art Deco period and they are displaying 20s and 30s clothes from their collection. Watch this space – more photos to follow in case I make it. Otherwise, the museum website instructs that it “offers something for everyone from local history and archaeology to fashion and Bexhill’s motor heritage”.
They also have a big train set that belonged to the comedian/actor/writer/marathon man Eddie Izzard who lived in Bexhill as a child and is the patron of the museum.
5. MOTORING HERITAGE
Bexhill is the birthplace of British motoring. Earl de la Warr hosted the first international motoring meeting in Britain on his estate in 1902 which saw cars racing side-by-side for the first time on British soil. The event attracted thousands of visitors across UK and the continent. There is a motoring heritage trail with 5 information boards in town and you can learn about the history in the museum, too.
PLACES OF INTEREST NEARBY
- The Coastal Culture Trail links 3 award winning galleries in East Sussex: Towner Art Gallery in Eastbourne; De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill and Jerwood Gallery in Hastings. Permanent collections of modern art, changing exhibitions and events.
- Battle – a pretty little town close to Bexhill with an Abbey and the location of the famous battle of 1066.
- Eastbourne – home of the highest chalk sea cliff in UK – the Beachy Head.
- Hastings – a historic seaside town with the remains of the first castle built by William the Conqueror.
How to get there on public transport:
Bexhill Railway Station is served by trains from London, Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings & Ashford International.
From London, you can take a train from London St Pancras with a change in Ashford International or a direct train from Victoria (runs via Clapham Junction, East Croydon and Gatwick airport). Both take just under 2 hours. Check train times and prices through the National Rail Enquiries website.
Unless otherwise stated, all photos on this website are my own. All rights reserved, so please ask permission if you wish to use them.
PEP WALKS 