'''East Sussex''' [http://www.eastsussexcc.gov.uk/leisureandtourism] is a county in the South East of England.
Cities and towns
Brighton and Hove — East Sussex's hub and only real city is a famous English seaside resort
Battle - Site of a famous battle in 1066
Crowborough A hilltop town situated in the beautiful Ashdown Forest
Eastbourne A popular seaside resort, popular with all generations
Hastings A Castle, History, Beach and beautiful countryside
Lewes The County town, situated in the South Downs, perfect for a brief visit
Newhaven The counties Ferry port to the continent - but with a little more under its belt
Rye — a singularly picturesque medieval seaside town
Uckfield Between the High Weald and the Low Weald, a small town with a sprinkling of History
Hartfield this beautiful Ashdown village has a famous resident - Pooh bear
Other destinations
'''Ashdown Forest''', for walking, wildlife, and Winnie The Pooh; [http://www.ashdownforest.org/ Ashdown Forest Tourism Association]
'''Bodiam Castle'''
The '''South Downs'''
'''Beachy Head'''
The '''Bluebell Railway''', near East Grinstead, Ardingly and Uckfield. Timetable and fare information is available [http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk here].
The '''[http://www.sussexpast.co.uk/property/site.php?site_id=13 Long Man of Wilmington]''', near Eastbourne. Car park is open all year, 24 hours a day. A prehistoric (maybe) chalk representation of a man carved into the side of a hill. Admission to the site and car park is free. ''Walking on the figure or the surrounding vegetation is not permitted''.
''' The Cuckoo Trail''': 11 miles of mostly traffic-free path for walkers and cyclists between Heathfield and Polegate along a disused railway line, with a further 3 miles link path to Eastbourne. It is also possible to cycle from Tunbridge Wells to East Grinstead (and Crawley) along the '''The Forest Way''', which passes through Forest Row. The two paths link up on an on road link; see sustrans [http://www.sustrans.org.uk/] and East Sussex County Council Cycle Network Page [http://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/leisureandtourism/countryside/cycling/guidesandmaps/ncn/ncr21.htm] for more information
'''Cuckmere Haven''' famed for its meanders
Understand
Geology
The Rocks that underlay most East Sussex are Jurassic to Cretaceous in age (150 million years ago to 65); around 2 million years ago the Wealden Anticline was formed, due to the continental collision of Africa with Europe. The dome extends from the coast to the North Downs, in Kent and Surrey and across the channel to France; Sussex has played an important role in Geology, the first dinosaur was identified (others had been found, but not identified) in Cuckfield, in West Sussex, one of the greatest hoaxes of modern times, the Piltdown Man was 'discovered'in Piltdown near Uckfield and the cliffs that line the coast are noted for their specimens of Ammonites, fishes and other marine animals, (the cliffs at Peacehaven, nr Brighton are famous for their giant ammonites). Dinosaur Footprints can be seen at Fairlight, East of Hastings. For those interested in Minerals small deposits of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminate| Aluminate] are present in the Tertiary sands of Newhaven
History
In prehistoric times, the whole of Sussex was populated by tribesmen, some of whom settled on the tops of the downs. Sites can still be seen at '''Firle Beacon''', '''Mount Caburn''' and other sites. From the invasion in AD46 Sussex played a major role in Roman Britain. The Romans left '''Pevensey Castle''' and various '''Roman Roads''' as a reminder of their presence. In West Sussex '''Fishbourne Roman Villa''' remains a prime example of Roman houses in this part of the world. From the 5th–11th centuries, Sussex became the Kingdom of Sussex, controlled by a succession of monarchs.
It was in East Sussex from where the Normans landed in 1066 at '''Pevensey''', where they fought Harold's army at a field near '''Battle''' which can be visited to this day. '''Battle Abbey''' was built by the Normans after the battle. Most of the county churches had their first stones laid at this time. During the Middle Ages, a great number of Castles were built or improved on—'''Bodiam Castle''' and '''Lewes castle''' are prime examples. Most the Churches in Sussex date from this time and offer brilliant examples of Middle Ages architecture.
Under the Tudors, Sussex prospered. '''Anne of Cleves House''' in Lewes is perfectly preserved with many examples of Tudor architecture. '''Hever Castle''' just over the border in Kent was frequented by Henry the Eighth himself. To ward against the Spanish, during Elizabeth's reign beacons were set up to warn of invasions, these live on as names, such as Ditchling Beacon and Crowborough Beacon. On Ashdown forest Iron working prospered, it is remembered today in the form of deep pools, once used to power the billows for the furnaces.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, '''Brighton''' was transformed from a small fishing village to seaside resort, with the '''Royal Pavilion''' being a stunning example of the eccentricity of the King and his subjects. Elsewhere in the country, towns grew and great houses began to be built in '''Lewes''' and '''Rye'''. In the late 18th and 19th centuries, Sussex's coast became popular with Londoners escaping the city on the new railways. '''Brighton''' continued to grow with the expansion towns like '''Eastbourne''' and '''Hastings''', which offer fine examples of period architecture. The '''Volks Electric Railway''' was constructed—the '''first electric railway in the world'''. Some great houses, such as '''Firle House''' and '''Glyndebourne''' were constructed (Glyndebourne is a popular and world famous opera venue). Great Gardens were set up, like '''Sheffield Park '''near Uckfield.
Sussex was not just a place for pleasure; it was a place for defense. Some of the most important military constructions include the '''Newhaven Fort''' and the '''Royal Military Canal''' in the east, with '''Martello towers''' built along the coast. These monuments remain in '''Seaford''', '''Eastbourne''' and '''Rye'''. In the 20th century, Sussex played a major role in WWI and WWII; in both '''Newhaven Fort''' assisted with the D-day landings and as a naval base.
Geography
Sussex has a varied and beautiful geography. From the stunning Seven Sisters Chalk Cliffs Near Eastbourne to the flat marshes of Pevenensy and the high Ground of Ashdown Forest to the beautiful lowlands and river landscapes of the Lower Weald. Sussex is the most Forested county in England and lost in Friston Forest or Ashdown Forest (although much of it is open land) it is easy to believe. often the only thing breaking the horizon is trees or the Downs.
The country has a dense and varied network of footpaths (see East Sussex Footpaths) making walking easy, walking books and ordinance survey maps are easily available - there's really no excuse to go out walking!
Talk
English - dialect is Home Counties.
Speakers of other languages may have trouble being understood, but locals are often willing to be patient and multilingual dictionaries are available at book stores. tourist information offices hold multilingual information. Speakers of English from other counties (e.g Canadians, Australians and Americans) should have no trouble at all understanding.
Get in
Sea:
After a checkered history ferries to Newhaven run to Dieppe (run by Transmanche Ferries) throughout the year, taking 5 and 4 hours,
'''[http://www.transmancheferries.com/ Transmanche Ferries Website]''' would be your first port of call<br>
'''Telephones'''<br>
United-Kingdom : 0800 917 1201 <br>
France : 0800 650 100
Alternatively tickets can be bought at the two ports, the ferry port in Newhaven is on the East Quay, while in Dieppe it is the the east of the main harbour, both are well signposted
The Ferries to Dieppe are some of the newest sailing in the English Channel, and due to the former troubled history of the route (and massive subsidies) this can be cheaper than Dover to Calais, also the view from the ferries of the Seven Sisters and Cuckmere Haven is beautiful
Road:
The '''A22, A/M23, A24, A26, A27, A272''' and numerous other roads go into Sussex, destinations within Sussex include, Brighton, Lewes, Newhaven, Eastbourne.
'''Coming from the North'''
East Sussex is connected to the motorway network via the A/M23, which passes Crawley (in West Sussex) and south towards Brighton; from the A23 the A272 and the A27 - both offering great access to East Sussex; alternatively the A22 runs from London to just outside Eastbourne, passing by East Grinstead, Forest Row, Uckfield, Hailsham and Polegate. It offers a great route through the countryside and Ashdown Forest.
'''Coming from the West'''
The A272, A27 and A264 head towards East Sussex. Simply follow the signs to any town in East Sussex.
'''Coming from the East'''
Head towards Brighton, Newhaven or Eastbourne - these will bring you into East Sussex
Rail
Services from London, Hampshire, Surrey and Kent; main terminus's and destinations are:
'''From London'''; Gatwick Airport ? Hawards Heath, Wivelsfield (split to Lewes for Eastbourne and Seaford/Newhaven) ? Brighton
'''From London''' to Uckfield passing through Oxted and Ashdown Forest
'''From London''' to Hastings passing through Tunbridge Wells, Battle and Robertsbridge
'''From Hampshire''' Chichester ? Shoreham (Birghton City Ariport) ?Hove (split heading up to London) Brighton
'''From Kent''' Hastings, Eastbourne, Lewes
'''From further afield''' From Reading (which has services to the Midlands, West Country and Wales) First Great Western run a service into Gatwick Airport (some trains terminate a little further up the line, in Redhill) from these services you can access trains to Brighton, Lewes, Eastbourne, Hastings etc
All the major towns in East Sussex have a rail connection, for further information and train times can be found on the [http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/planmyjourney/ National Rail Planner] or by calling 0845-748-4950 from anywhere in the UK (costs quite a bit, so if you have got a WAP enabled phone it may be better to use services provided on them.)
Plane:
[http://www.gatwickairport.com/ Gatwick Airport] services the world, it is just outside East Sussex, but you_fll see the county on the way in! there is also the smaller 'Lydd Airport' running to Le Touquet in France at the moment it is a small airport, however major expansion is expected. Lydd Airport is in Kent, but about 10km from East Sussex. To the West there is Shoreham airport (or Brighton city) which deals with mainly UK destinations.
Get around
The county has a fairly good road network, with almost every destination attainable by road; traffic is a problem though, with most towns having inevitable weekday traffic; Brighton is the main transport hub, with '''trains''' to London, Hastings and Newhaven (via Lewes and Eastbourne) and west towards Portsmouth and Chichester. the only real central railway is from Uckfield to London, via Crowborough and Oxted. there is another line from Hastings - Battle to Tundbridge Wells, Kent and London.
'''Buses''' are fairly good; with Buses from Brighton to Tunbridge Wells (__6.00 return), Eastbourne to East Grinstead and Heathfield in the North, Brighton and Newhaven in the West and Bexhill and Hastings in the East, as well as local routes. [http://www.travelinesoutheast.org.uk/se/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en&timeOffset=15 '''Traveline South East'''] gives more route details and routes into the surrounding counties. Essencially if there is a main road, the chances are there is a bus route along it.
Everywhere is accessible by roads, but be aware that traffic is fairly horrific in most of the towns and Brighton during the rush hour(s) it is well worth buying either a county map or a country map (the AA and RAC among others produce decent enough maps, which are fairly modern). since roads in Sussex can be small and attractions in 'out of the way' places
Do
Itineraries
Walking or cycling either in part or the whole thing
The '''Cuckoo Trail''' from Eastbourne to Tunbridge Wells.
The '''Forest Way''' From East Grinstead to Groombridge (with a on-road route to Tunbridge Wells).
The '''South Downs Way''' From Eastbourne to Winchester (Hampshire)
'''East Sussex Footpaths''' has more information and different paths
Long distance trails
these either pass wholly or partly through East Sussex; all are marked on Ordinance survey Maps (OS)
1066 Country Walk, 50 kilometres Pevensey Castle to Rye
High Weald Landscape Trail, running 145 kilometres from Horsham to Rye (West Sussex, East Sussex, Kent)
Saxon Shore Way, Gravesend, Kent — Hastings 261km
South Downs Way National Trail
Sussex Border Path, 256 kilometres from Thorney Island to Rye
Sussex Ouse Valley Way, 67.5 kilometres Lower Beeding to Seaford
Vanguard Way, 107 kilometres from Croydon in south London to Newhaven
Wealdway, 129 kilometres from Gravesend, Kent to Eastbourne
Shorter Walks
Abbots Wood near Hailsham has two walks, the Abbots Amble, 2.5 kilometres following yellow waymarks and Oak Walk, just over 1 kilometre following red waymarks.
Beaneys Lane 'A Walk For All Seasons' 1.5 kilometres on the outskirts of Hastings through the Maplehurst Woods (Site of Special Scientific Interest), following wren marker posts between The Ridge and Stonestile Lane; mostly flat and good surface, one incline near The Ridge.
Butcher's Trudge, a 2 kilometre circular walk from Butchershole near the town of Friston in Friston Forest following white waymarks.
Ditchling Common Country Park Trail, located between Haywards Heath and Lewes, 1.5 kilometres long following purple waymarking.
Forest Way circular walks incorporating parts of the Forest Way — 5 kilometres following orange waymarks from Forest Row, 4.5 kilometres following green waymarks and 6 kilometres following red waymarks from Hartfield, and 8 kilometres following purple waymarks from Groombridge
The High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has lots of different walks; see the link to their website [http://www.highweald.org/sites.asp?PageId=27]
Marline Valley Nature Reserve on the outskirts of Hastings has various walks, but note they are steep and often muddy. No car park, access is from the B2092 Road (Queensway), car drivers are asked to park in one of the roads opposite the site and cross over Queensway (the road is quite busy). A pdf map of the site is available [http://www.sussexwt.org.uk/Reserve%20Guide%20pdfs/marline%20valleymap.pdf/ here]
Park Wood in Hellingly (to the north of Hailsham) has a number of signed circular walks.
Seven Sisters Country Park has an easy to follow path from its Visitor Centre at Exceat (on the A259 road from Eastbourne to Seaford), which goes alongside the River Cuckmere to the sea at Cuckmere Haven.
Homes and Gardens
'''[http://www.greatdixter.co.uk/ Great Dixter House and Garden]''' ''(Northiam)'' The spectacular planting here includes topiary, exotics and some stunning colour.
'''[http://www.sussexpast.co.uk/property/site.php?site_id=15/ Michelham Priory]''' ''(Upper Dicker, near Hailsham)'' Features a sculpture trail, kitchen garden, medieval cloister garden and the longest medieval moat in England.
'''[http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sheffieldpark/ Sheffield Park Garden]''' ''(near Uckfield)'' Originally laid out by Capability Brown, these magnificent gardens surround four elegant lakes.
Historic Attractions
East Sussex has had a rich and varied history, from the site of an invasion to measures to protect against one - its all here:
'''[http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.10955/ Battle Abbey and battlefield]''' 1066 must be one of the most familiar dates in English history. Visit the place where it all happened.
'''[http://www.sussexpast.co.uk/property/site.php?site_id=14/ Anne of Cleves_f House]''' ''(Lewes)'' A 16th century half-timbered house that formed part of Henry VIII_fs divorce settlement to Anne of Cleves.
'''[http://www.newhavenfort.org.uk/ Newhaven Fort]''' Underground tunnels and interactive exhibits bring the events of wartime Britain to life.
'''[http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/places/bodiamcastle/ Bodiam Castle]''' ''(near Robertsbridge)'' One of Britain_fs most famous castles, built in 1385. Some of the interior survives.
'''[http://www.herstmonceux-castle.com/ Herstmonceux Castle]''' ''(nr Hailsham)'' A romantic moated castle surrounded by parkland. It boasts an Elizabethan walled garden and a reputation for ghost sightings.
'''[http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server.php?show=conProperty.206/ Pevensey Castle]''' ''(nr Eastbourne)'' Dating back to Roman times, this ancient monument played an important part in English history.
Family Attractions
East Sussex has many family attractions for all ages and interests
'''[http://www.smugglersadventure.co.uk/ Smuggler_fs Adventure]''' ''(Hastings)'' This labyrinth of caves is a scary smuggler_fs lair.
'''[http://www.drusillas.co.uk/ Drusilla_fs Park]''' ''(near Alfriston)'' A zoo, an adventure park and a fun day out for the family. in the summer months there is a mini railway
'''[http://www.paradisepark.co.uk/ Paradise Park]''' ''(Newhaven)'' Discover dinosaurs, exotic plants and some fascinating Sussex history.
'''[http://www.yesterdaysworld.co.uk/Battle/index.asp/ Yesterday's World]''' ''(Battle)'' Step back in time and enjoy a magical journey through 100 years of British history.
'''[http://www.the-observatory.org/ The Observatory]''' ''(Herstmonceux)'' Science comes alive at the former Greenwich Observatory.
For budding Palaeontologists or anyone interested in the deep past the cliffs and exposed rocks of East sussex provide perfect hunting grounds, among the best are Hastings, Eastbourne and Seaford '''[http://www.discoveringfossils.co.uk/ Discovering Fossils]''' have more information and recommendation's for sites, please be aware that as with any activity safety must come first!
Literary Attractions
Whether it was the beautiful Sussex Countryside or their travels, writers have been drawn to East Sussex; their houses are popular tourist attractions.
'''[http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-monkshouse/ Monk's House]''' ''(Rodmell)'' The former home of Leonard and Virginia Woolf, some of their personal possessions are on display. Owned by National Trust
'''[http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-batemans/ Bateman's]''' ''(Burwash)'' Rudyard Kipling_fs former home, the house and gardens remain as they were when he was alive. In the summer concerts and fireworks fill the Gardens; the home is owned by the National Trust
'''[http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-lambhouse/ Lamb House]''' ''(Rye)'' Henry James, EF Benson and Rumer Godden have all lived in this charming 18th century house. the home is owned by the National Trust
'''Hartfield''' Winnie the Pooh lovers will find both Pooh Corner and the Pooh Sticks bridge in this country parish in Ashdown Forest.
Scenic towns and villages
The Beautiful countryside of East Sussex is mathced by some charming towns.
'''Alfriston''' With its narrow streets and quaint cottages, this is everything an English village should be. St Andrew_fs Church and the Clergy House are popular attractions, as are the numerous cafes serving traditional cream teas.
'''Rye''' A delightful hillside town. Visitor attractions include antique shops, many historic buildings, and an audio _eghost tour_f.
'''Lewes''' Cobbled lanes, antique emporiums and a castle are just a few of the attractions of this pretty Sussex town.
'''Winchelsea''' Perched on a hilltop near Rye is the smallest town in England
Sporting Attractions
'''[http://www.bewlwater.org/ Bewl Water]''' ''(near Lamberhurst)'' From exciting watersports to leisurely ferry rides, there_fs something for everyone at this scenic reservoir.
'''[http://www.knockhatch.com/ Knockhatch Adventure Park]''' ''(near Hailsham)'' Home to a state of the art dry ski slope and an adventure park that the whole family will enjoy.
'''[http://www.spedeworth.co.uk/raceways/arlington.htm/ Arlington Stadium]''' ''(near Eastbourne)'' Get close to the action and experience the excitement of Hotrod or Stockcar racing.
'''Various Footpaths''' East Sussex is Criss-Crossed by footpaths such as the South Downs Way and cyclepaths; including The Cuckoo Trail and The forest way. for more information see East Sussex Footpaths
Farms and Other Animal Attractions
'''[http://www.discoverhastings.co.uk/underwater/uw.shtml/ Underwater World]''' ''(Hastings)'' A voyage of discovery to the depths of the ocean.
'''[http://www.llamapark.co.uk/ Ashdown Forest Llama Park]''' ''(near Nutley and Forest Row)'' See llamas and alpacas and find out more about these friendly South American animals. There is also a small tourism centre
'''[http://www.heavenfarm.co.uk/ Heaven Farm]''' ''(near Dane Hill and Chailey)'' Discover 170 years of farming history in the beautiful Sussex Weald. It also has a campsite.
'''[http://www.sheepcentre.co.uk/ Seven Sisters Sheep Centre]''' ''(East Dean)'' Rare breeds and traditional crafts and are just a couple of the attractions on offer.
'''[http://www.farmworld-rye.co.uk/ Farm World]''' ''(Rye)'' Visit a real working farm and get some hands-on experience.
'''[http://www.middlefarm.com/ Middle Farm]''' ''(near Lewes)'' A working family farm with shops, restaurant and special events.
'''[http://www.springbarnfarmpark.co.uk/ Spring Barn Farm Park]''' ''(near Lewes)'' A fun day out for children with a maize maze and haystack playground.
Seaside Resorts
'Sussex by the Sea' the whole coast of Sussex is suitable for bathing with good water quality; however these three resorts have more facilities etc:
'''Brighton''' one of the major seaside resorts of Britian - should be on every traveller to Sussex's list
'''Hastings and St Leonard_fs''' There_fs more to these seaside towns than the famous battle. Popular attractions include Hastings old town, the shipwreck heritage centre and flamingo adventure park.
'''Eastbourne''' Stroll along the prom, amuse yourself on the pier or enjoy an ice-cream on the beach. Eastbourne is one of England_fs most genteel seaside resorts.
'''Bexhill-on-Sea''' Timelessly elegant, Bexhill is a delightful traditional English seaside town. Very popular with the older generations
Artistic Attractions
Brighton is the artistic center, but its ripples have spread into the countryside
'''[http://www.firleplace.co.uk/ Firle Place]''' Home to a collection of Old Masters, including work by Gainsborough and Reynolds.
'''[http://www.charleston.org.uk/ Charleston]''' (near Firle) This quirkily decorated farmhouse was home to _eBloomsbury_f couple Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell. Charleston is famous for its extravagant murals and unique cottage-style garden.
'''[http://www.eastbourne.gov.uk/leisure/museums-galleries/towner/ Towner Art Gallery]''' (Eastbourne) A fine collection of 19th and 20th century British art featuring works by celebrated war artist, Eric Ravilious.
'''[http://www.rotherfield-countryside.org.uk/what-to-do/st-denys-church.html/St. Denys Church]''' (Rotherfield) Features stained glass windows designed by Sir Edward Burne Jones and made by William Morris.
'''[http://www.tate.org.uk/archivejourneys/bloomsburyhtml/art_together_berwick.htm/ Berwick Church]''' The brightly decorated wall panels were painted by Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell of the Bloomsbury set
Steam Railways
Reminders of the 'Age of Steam', all these lines have steam locomotives, often running special trains, such as Thomas the Tank Engine or Diesel Trains
[http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/ Bluebell Railway]''(Sheffield Park, near Fletching)'' Runs between Sheffield Park and Kingscote. It has the largest collection of steam locomotives after the National Railway Museum in York, and a collection of carriages and wagons unrivalled in the south of England.
'''[http://www.kesr.org.uk/ Kent & East Sussex Railway]''' ''(Bodiam)'' Operates between Bodiam and Tenterden in Kent, passing through some very attractive countryside in the process
'''[http://www.lavender-line.co.uk/ Lavender Line]''' ''(Isfield nr Uckfield)'' Mile long line between Isfield and Little Horsted. It can be reached by bus (route 29/129 '''not 29A or 129A''') from Brighton, Lewes, Uckfield or Tunbridge Wells, ask for a ticket to 'Isfield'.
Eat
Sussex is pretty well serviced for food, every town has at least one supermarket with almost every village have a pub (or public house), food is to the standard of the rest of the UK, with a greater variety in towns. Brighton and Hove pride themselves on having a vast cultural array of foods, from Mexican to McDonald's and from Chinese to Celtic. Specialist diets (vegan, vegetarian kosher etc) are well supported, although in the countryside and surrounding towns there will only be one or two (albeit very nice) vegetarian dishes on the menu
It is highly recommended to visit a farmers shop or market, since produce here is generally much better quality and often a lower price than supermarkets. Most towns will have a farmers market at least once a month. Farm shops are dotted around the country:
'''[http://www.boathouseorganicfarmshop.co.uk/ Boathouse farm shop]''' on the A26 north of Lewes
'''[http://www.middlefarm.com/ Middle farm shop]''' on the A27 east of Lewes
Organic food shops are also popular:
'''Birdbrook Organic Farm''' Station Road, Stonegate, Wadhurst ''01435 883517''
'''Fletching Post Office Stores''' Fletching, Nr Uckfield ''01825 722032''
'''Food for thought''' Wickham Manor Farm, Panel Lane, Winchelsea ''01797 225575''
'''Hen on the Gate Farm Shop''' Claytons Farm, Newick lane, Mayfield ''01435 874852''
'''Hollypark Organics''' hollypark, North La, Hastings ''01424 812229''
'''Simply Wild''' Brightling Road, Robertsbridge ''01424 838454''
'''Trinity Wholefoods''' 3, Trinity Street, Hastings ''01424 430473''
Supermarkets also stock organic produce.
For more details on food produced in East Sussex [http://www.sussexenterprise.co.uk/foodfinder/index.htm Sussex Food Finder] will be able to assist.
More eclectic towns such as Lewes, Brighton, and to an extent Eastbourne, have specialist dealers with organic, locally produced, fairtrade (which is increasing in popularity, with Uckfield and Lewes being named 'fairtrade towns') foodstuffs on offer.
Drink
Sussex has numerous local beers and drinks, with cider being mainly produced in the east (connections with Kentish cider), Lewes houses [http://www.harveys.org.uk/ Harvey_fs Brewery] which supplies almost all of East Sussex and much of West Sussex with award winning real ale, wine is produced and with global warming kicking in Sussex and Kentish wine is being compared to Champagne (increasingly favourably), home pressed apples juice is for sale at farms and farm shops. The usual array of drinks are available at all bars and clubs, varying in price quite considerably.
Sleep
Loads of hotels in Brighton, Hastings and Eastbourne due to their seaside resort heritage. In outlying areas its best finding a hotel and booking it in advance, since there are relatively few, however those that do exist tend to be of good quality.
The usual chains of hotels are beginning to spring up.
The towns below have accommodation throughout the year:
'''Eastbourne''' This is one of England_fs most famous seaside resorts. The elegant seafront is flanked by flowerbeds. Visitor attractions include parks and gardens, a thriving marina and the cliffs at nearby Beachy Head.
'''Hastings and St Leonard_fs''' Popular seaside resorts, surrounded by stunning countryside. Hastings also has a picturesque old town.
'''Lewes''' is one of the county_fs oldest towns. Attractions include the castle and Anne of Cleves_f house. Around Lewes there are many picturesque villages to visit.
'''Rye and surrounding areas''' With its steep cobbled streets and picture-postcard cottages, Rye is a charming town. Surrounding attractions include Camber Sands and Winchelsea.
'''Seaford''' is a quiet beach resort. A great base for exploring the South Downs and Seven Sisters Country Park.
''Individual town pages will have more information on accommodation.''
Learn
East Sussex has various Private schools (boarding and day) along with colleges and two universities, [http://www.sussex.ac.uk/ The University of Sussex] (Falmer, just outside Brighton) and [http://www.brighton.ac.uk/ The University of Brighton] (4 sites, 2 in central Brighton, 1 at Falmer and 1 in Eastbourne) because of the two universities Brighton has a rich, varied and exciting night life.
Sussex for Free
There's plenty in Sussex for those who don't wish to spend plenty of cash on attractions:
Walking - 3500 kilometres of walking paths, bridleways, scenic roads - all for free [http://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/leisureandtourism/countryside/rightsofway/]
Go for a swim: Sussex has some of the cleanest beaches in the UK, with Brighton Beach renowned for its packed seafront, less well used areas, such as Eatbourne, Bexhill and Hastings still have facilities and cleanliness.
Brighton itself can be one big performance, the [http://www.brightonfestival.org/ Brighton Festival] and the [http://www.brightonfestivalfringe.org.uk/ Brighton Festival Fringe] between the dates of the 3rd and 25th of May (2008) features street performers, theatre groups, musicians, guided walks and a whole host of other great activities.
Town museums: Often they will charge, but some such as [http://www.brighton.virtualmuseum.info/ Brighton Museum and Art Gallery] and Newhaven Museum are free (donations are gratefully welcomed though)
Get out
Attractions outside of East Sussex include:
'''Tunbridge Wells''' (on the A26, signposted from most of the country) - Victorian spa town with bars, pubs and drinking fountains for the local water, is popular in summer with locals and Londoners. Has a large shopping district/center and theaters, worth a day visit.
Running from Eastbourne in the east all the way to Petersefield in the West, spanning three counties the South Downs Way is a '''popular walking path''' with numerous books and guides out there. Walking the full length is completely feasible. Depending on your skill, activity, perserverance, and need for sleep, the path can be completed as quickly as 48 hours (most people take up to a week to complete it). There are outstanding views throughout almost all of the path. Various guide books have been published on the path and its route (which is well singposted) including accommodation, food, and the local history of the areas that the path passes through.
London is only a train ride away. Most stations have a service, indirect or direct (also frequent and infrequent) to the capital. Alternatively one could drive; but it's not advised; please be aware that trains timetabled to arrive in the capital (and Brighton) before 10.00 are liable to peak travel prices
'''France''' For a daytrip or a short break sailings from Newhaven to Dieppe in Normandy
See the entries for Kent, Surrey, and West Sussex for further activities.