This looks and sounds like a delicious expedition, Terri. There are number of vineyards now in our part of Sussex. We keep intending to do a vineyard tour but are concerned we’d spend far too much!
Really? What types of wines do they produce in Sussex? There's so much more to England than I realized, I'm realizing! What are your region's best qualities and what things should a visitor not miss (aside from the usual tourist traps)??
I don't know much about wine types, I'm afraid. My supermarket default purchase is any NZ Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, because that's where my family are from and where my uncle used to have a small vineyard!
I know that Sussex is good for wine producers because we have chalk soils and a warming climate. There were only one or two English wine producers a few decades ago. Now, Google tells me there're 138 vineyards and 23 wineries in Sussex alone. I had no idea there were that many. Those closest to us, that I know of and that we pass regularly or pop into on occasion are Seddlescombe, Carr Taylor, Chapel Down, Charles Palmer and Biddenden. All within about 10 miles of us. Most of them do very good sparkling whites as well as some rich and fruity reds.
If you're interested in other Sussex highlights, there's a huge amount of history to explore, if that's your thing. Battle Abbey, the site of the Battle of Hastings is owned and managed by English Heritage. Well worth a visit, especially if you take the audio tour. The battleground walk is closed at the moment because of excessive wet weather, but it's great in summer. We were there at the weekend and go regularly as it's great for dog walking. I can't post photos in comments but I'll post some in Notes and tag you. There're also multiple castles that stretch back 16 centuries and more, as well as several Roman sites.
Hastings itself, which is where we are, has gorgeous old buildings in the Old Town and loads of good restaurants. It's quite an isolated town for one in the southeast - transport links aren't great - so the town has a reputation for making its own entertainment. Loads of pubs have live music with some seriously good local bands. Also, during the summer months, there's always some bizarre event on that involves people dressing up, drumming and setting fire to huge bonfires on the beach. It's a bit tribal at times ... But very entertaining.
If you're ever planning a visit to this part, give me a shout!
This looks and sounds like a delicious expedition, Terri. There are number of vineyards now in our part of Sussex. We keep intending to do a vineyard tour but are concerned we’d spend far too much!
Really? What types of wines do they produce in Sussex? There's so much more to England than I realized, I'm realizing! What are your region's best qualities and what things should a visitor not miss (aside from the usual tourist traps)??
I don't know much about wine types, I'm afraid. My supermarket default purchase is any NZ Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, because that's where my family are from and where my uncle used to have a small vineyard!
I know that Sussex is good for wine producers because we have chalk soils and a warming climate. There were only one or two English wine producers a few decades ago. Now, Google tells me there're 138 vineyards and 23 wineries in Sussex alone. I had no idea there were that many. Those closest to us, that I know of and that we pass regularly or pop into on occasion are Seddlescombe, Carr Taylor, Chapel Down, Charles Palmer and Biddenden. All within about 10 miles of us. Most of them do very good sparkling whites as well as some rich and fruity reds.
If you're interested in other Sussex highlights, there's a huge amount of history to explore, if that's your thing. Battle Abbey, the site of the Battle of Hastings is owned and managed by English Heritage. Well worth a visit, especially if you take the audio tour. The battleground walk is closed at the moment because of excessive wet weather, but it's great in summer. We were there at the weekend and go regularly as it's great for dog walking. I can't post photos in comments but I'll post some in Notes and tag you. There're also multiple castles that stretch back 16 centuries and more, as well as several Roman sites.
Hastings itself, which is where we are, has gorgeous old buildings in the Old Town and loads of good restaurants. It's quite an isolated town for one in the southeast - transport links aren't great - so the town has a reputation for making its own entertainment. Loads of pubs have live music with some seriously good local bands. Also, during the summer months, there's always some bizarre event on that involves people dressing up, drumming and setting fire to huge bonfires on the beach. It's a bit tribal at times ... But very entertaining.
If you're ever planning a visit to this part, give me a shout!