East Sussex
The beautiful county
Eastbourne is in the county of Sussex, in the South of England between London and the Coast. To the east is the county of Kent, to the west is Hampshire, and to the north is Surrey. Famous for its beautiful landscapes and mild weather, Sussex receives many tourists from the United Kingdom and from around the world every year. Bordered by the English Channel and close to London, there is much to do and plenty to discover.
Visit the Seven Sisters and enjoy a great view over the English Channel as well as thousands of acres of unique natural habitat from the chalk cliffs to the South Downs. Featured in movies such as Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, the famous chalk cliffs and the Seven Sisters Country Park offer outdoor activities from bird-watching to cycling and canoeing. Walking enthusiasts enjoy taking the South Downs’ Way that winds along the cliff edge to the sea. Spend the morning in the local Sussex village of Alfriston and enjoy a traditional cream tea, and then take a walk up the public footpaths to the Long Man of Wilmington.
Sussex and Kent are both famous for parks and gardens. The mild climate means that an amazing variety of trees, shrubs and flowers can be grown. The season is long and you are guaranteed a spectacular show whatever time of year you visit.
Gardens vary in size from small and intimate cottage gardens developed over many years by enthusiastic experts to large parks which are part of the estates of grand country houses owned by the English aristocracy. Visit some of the most spectacular gardens in Sussex with the Fifty Plus programme at Eastbourne School of English.
The varied countryside also offers a range of sporting opportunities. On the one hand the South Downs between Eastbourne and Brighton have the perfect conditions for hang-gliding and paragliding; on the other, the expansive seafront offers all sorts of water sports from windsurfing and kite-surfing to canoeing and sailing. Typical English sports such as cricket, rugby, bowls, croquet, golf and tennis have an established presence in the county.
For those interested in British history, a visit to the original site of the Battle of Hastings is a must. A new audio tour of the 100-acre battlefield helps visitors to imagine the scene of the English and Norman conflict of 14 October 1066 and a new interactive exhibition brings this legendary battle to life again.
For the musically inclined, the world famous Glyndebourne opera house looks back at more than 70 years of professional opera. Its romantic garden setting offers glamorous picnics and a wide range of high-profile productions such as Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” and Bizet’s “Carmen”. A diverse array of music and theatre venues, galleries and exhibition centres make Sussex a rich focal point for the arts world.
