Of Smugglers, Battles and Mummies

We started our second day in Hastings at the pier, soaking up the sun of the early morning on the pebbled beach. Our guides Graham and Quentin picked us up for a tour of the New Town, the castle hill and The Old Town of Hastings. They delved into anecdotes about the founders of the New Town and contributions smugglers have made to the city over the centuries, pointing out the underground get-away tunnels that connect churches, hills and houses. We carved our names into the sandy stone on the castle hill, as did so many before. One graffiti dates back to the 1600s. We roamed the narrow streets of the Old Town and learned about superstition and how people tried to fend off witches by putting two cats into a hole in their chimney, some of them perfectly preserved until today.

We spend some free time in Hastings, shopping for souvenirs and exploring the sea-side fun rides, before heading to Birling Gap were we hiked up and down the cliffs towards Beachy Head.