WalkWise Walking Weekend, The Hastings Bonfire March and Fireworks
Friday 11 October 16:00 - Sunday 13 October
(2 nights)
From £219.00
Listed by Spice National
Overview
Well the date has been announced for the Hastings Bonfire Night, so we thought we had better get in there early. The Sussex Bonfire Tradition began essentially as a night of revelry. Many Sussex towns now organize street parades with everyone in fancy dress marching through the streets carrying flames alight. They usually culminate in a bonfire and a fireworks display. Their history lies weaved in pagan history but is also associated with Guy Fawkes and the Cult of the Sussex Martyrs. To avoid repercussions it was customary to either dress up in costume or to paint their faces black. This way the revelers were free to cause mischief and mayhem without fear of punishment. The tradition remains strong and Hastings holds the first festival march of the season with most of the other bonfire societies joining in making for a tremendous parade that frequently lasts over an hour. The colourful parade works noisily works its way down through the old town with flaming torches, drums and flares lighting up the town. This eventually culminates with a huge bonfire on the beach and spectacular firework display over the sea. The party then usually continues late into the night! So, cant wait to see it again
Includes
- 2/3 nights accommodation in twin or double share rooms
- 2/3 evening meals
- 2/3 breakfasts
- 2/3 picnic lunches
- 2/3 days of guided walking with options to do a moderate or harder walk
Extras
- Sole Occupancy Room Supplements
- Local transport costs to walks, if possible own cars may be used.
- Guests who are new to Spice are welcome to book at a £36 supplement though they may prefer to join to obtain the member rate and any deals that may be available at the time of booking/joining. Please call your local office/group to enquire about booking as a guest.
As usual we will also be having 2 or 3 days days of walking but we will tailor the walks so that we can follow the parade down through the streets of the old town to see the bonfire on the beach and the fireworks going off out to sea. If the weather is kind, some of us usually head into town and grab fish and chips and watch the parade, whilst others prefer to dine in the hotel and join meet up later on the beach. Nb only society members can join the parade of fire through the streets so we will just be attending as spectators
Basing ourselves in the seaside town of Hastings allows us to explore all the delights that East Sussex has to offer. There is a sublime coastline to discover which is also home to some amazing nature reserves such as at Rye Harbour and of course this is adjacent to the picture perfect town of Rye. Slightly inland lies the lovely Winchelsea and the historic Battle with its famous Abbey and Castle is a definite must see too! Of course all of this is set amongst the beautiful High Weald which is one of the largest protected landscapes in south east England and a designated area of outstanding natural beauty ‘AONB’. Our base for the event is the 3 star Best Western Royal Victoria Hotel, which occupies a stunning position on the seafront, you may even remember it from Foyles War! The hotel was built in 1828 and blends impressive period features such as the listed marble staircase with antique furnishings and modern elegance. There is also a welcoming piano lounge and friendly bar, and some of the spacious bedrooms are more like suites! Its also only a short stroll into the old town where old shops and traditional inns hosting live music on an evening. So to summarise a lovely location, an historic hotel and some great walking… see you there!
Location & Itinerary
For this event we are looking to put together a weekend of contrasts with on the Saturday we will head out to the east around towns of Rye and Winchelsea. Both towns are interesting places to visit in their own right. Rye remains a beautiful medieval town with lots of historic buildings whilst New Winchelsea was recently rebuilt in a “batide” style after the great storm of 1287 by Edward 1. Needless to say both are lovely to explore and are brimming with history not to mention a maze of local shops and tempting cafes. But this is a walking weekend and there are also some lovely walks which can be accessed from here either via the Naval Canal or by following the river as it meanders down to the sea. Between the towns and the coast sits a low lying area, part of which is farmed part of which is managed for wildlife. There are footpaths through these nature reserves which allow us to view the myriad of wildfowl so bring any light weight binoculars! Finally we can cross the dunes to reach the sea itself and here we can pick up the coastal path. In fact it is even possible to walk back to the Old Town of Hastings, hugging the coast all the way. This is the part of the town which was extensively used as a set for “Foyles War” and it’s quite nice to finish the day wandering the old streets with the innumerable numerous cafes and curio shops.
By way of contrast we may head off into Battle on Sunday. This village also hosts its own March later in the season. It gains its name from to its association with the scene of King Harold’s demise. This is another town that is of interest in its own right and there will be time to explore it at the end of the day. For now we leave the Abbey and ancient streets behind and head out to explore the High Weald. We follow leafy lanes between rustic farmhouses, skirt through the tranquility of Fore Wood Nature Reserve, cross Pebsham Country Park, and wander along the dykes as the cut through the marshlands, before marching in the footsteps of Harolds Men along the 1066 way to return to Battle. Needless to say we will then have time to wander around and explore the village before concluding the day with afternoon tea. Another perfect weekend away. Alternatively we may do a circular walk around Rye and Rye Harbour depending on the local weather
To allow you to choose a walk that suits you best, WalkWise UK will provide a minimum of two walks on each day, led by professional and knowledgeable walking guides. On each day there will be a harder walk of 10-12 miles with up to 1000ft of ascent, and a gentler walk of 7-9 miles with less ascent. Walks are weather dependent.
To allow you to choose a walk that suits you best, WalkWise UK will provide a minimum of two walks on each day, led by professional and knowledgeable walking guides. On each day there will be a harder walk of 10-12 miles with up to 1000ft of ascent, and a gentler walk of 7-9 miles with less ascent. Walks are weather dependent.
All walks are weather dependent and own transport may be taken to the walk starts.
Walk options will be reduced if booking numbers don't allow 2 guides in attendance.
Travel & Stay
The Royal Victoria Hotel is situated on the seafront in the heart of St Leonards. They have 52 en suite bedrooms, some of which have stunning sea views. The hotel was built in 1828 by architect James Burton and is filled with stunning period features, antique furnishings and a breath taking Grade II listed marble staircase with 22ft mirror, which leads to our welcoming Piano Lounge and Bar. They are proud to be part of Best Western, the largest group of independently owned hotels. This means it retains all the charm and personal service you'd expect from an independent hotel and you can trust in a brand you know to ensure the high standards you deserve. The bedrooms continue this elegant spaciousness and offer well-appointed en-suite accommodation and they are all individually styled and decorated in a manner which complements the historic nature of the hotle. All rooms come equipped with phones, hair dryer, radio, trouser press, TV and courtesy tray. All in all, this makes an ideal base for our weekend away!
| Type | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Member Double Share Space - Must be 2 | £219.00 | Available |
| Member Twin Share Space | £219.00 | Available |
| Member Single Room Space | £239.00 | Available |
Booking Options
| Option | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Member Double Share (Must be 2) Sunday 13th Octobe | £110.00 | Available |
| Member Twin Room Sunday 13th October | £110.00 | Available |
| Member Single Room Sunday 13th October | £120.00 | Available |
Not enough spaces left for you? Join the waitlist
What to bring: To ensure that you are properly equipped, please take a moment to read through the ‘What to bring list’ and ensure that you have the necessary clothing and equipment.
MAPS: We recommend this map for this event: 1:25000: EX 124 Hastings and Bex Hill
Host & Everything Else
Gallery
