School's Out for Summer...

The summer holidays are upon us… and whether that makes you sigh or cheer, you may well be looking for ways to entertain the kids. We have some suggestions for days out in lovely East Sussex - and if you want some more ideas, Hastings Information Centre in the Town Hall is full of them.

Heaven Farm
If you fancy a day out in rural England, you’ll find a fascinating piece of living history at Heaven Farm. Not far from the Bluebell Railway in lovely East Sussex, this is a working cattle farm with a history dating back as far as 1387! The current farm buildings are in a remarkable state of preservation for their 175 years, capturing a true impression of a Victorian farm.

Since 1988 farmer John Butler has welcomed visitors to the parkland, ponds, nature trail and campsite that now make up the farm. The award-winning nature trail has featured many timeson BBC TV, and includes a 300-year old dam, badger sets and foxes’ earths, as well some less-native residents and their families - wallabies! John’s daughter, Ruth Sargent, runs the restaurant and stable tearooms with her husband Colin, complete with lovely views to enjoy a traditional cream tea on a sunny day. There’s a rural life museum, craft shop, and you can bring your dog too, if you keep it on a lead. There is even a campsite with space for caravans as well as tents, just in case you fancy more than a day out. Heaven Farm is on the A275, a mile north of the Bluebell Railway. See their website for opening times. www.heavenfarm.co.uk

Smugglers Adventure and St Clement’s Caves
The story of the Hastings Smugglers is told by Hairy Jack, a grizzled old-timer who has practised the smuggler’s art for many years. After a very shady period in history, the Caves were closed-up and rediscovered in the 1920s by Joseph Golding. The subsequent use of the Caves as an early tourist attraction is recounted in a fascinating sound and light show.

An interactive zone gives children and adults alike a hands-on opportunity to learn more about the secrets of the smugglers - where they hid their goods and what it felt like to sit in stocks. Families can race the Excise Men across the English Channel and try to thump the smugglers on the head with the Custom’s man ‘bat’. Working your way around the spooky caverns and passages that make up the Smugglers Adventure, Hairy Jack pops up in the strangest places to tell you more about his smuggling friends and their dreadful deeds.  Find out what happened when the smugglers got caught and, worse, how they were punished!

The Gift Shop is bursting at the seams with smuggling souvenirs and gifts for all the family.  We’re all looking forward to greeting you this summer! www.smugglersadventure.co.uk

Wilderness Wood
“Beautiful, relaxing, fabulous” was one visitor’s response to Wilderness Wood, a unique family-run woodland park in Hadlow Down near Uckfield.  It’s a place where you can have lots of fun or find peace and quiet, learn about growing trees and using wood, buy garden furniture made from Sussex oak and chestnut, or simply have tea in lovely surroundings.

On hot summer days the woodland trails offer inviting shade, and children love the play area and can explore and build dens in safety. It’s the ideal place for a picnic and you can hire BBQ stands; for the full woodland experience you can even camp overnight in a hut deep in the woods.  Or you may prefer to sample delicious locally-made cakes, ices and light lunches in the tea room or garden.

If you want something more organised for the children there is a whole range of holiday activities during July and August, from shelter-building and campfires to bug hunts, fairy gardens and “crafty stuff”.  You will find full details of these, and the whole range of Wilderness Wood products and activities online: www.wildernesswood.co.uk

Michaelham Priory Country Fair
Sample countryside pursuits at Michelham Priory during this fantastic summer weekend for all the family on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th July, 10:30am to 5pm. Exciting events take place all day in the seven acres of grounds surrounding the restored country house, originally part of an Augustinian Priory founded in1229. Try archery and clay pigeon shooting. Watch or compete in the terrier racing and working dog shows. Get close to impressive birds of prey. Admire vintage engines.

You could take the time to visit the house filled with artefacts from its long history or stroll around the grounds. There is a working forge, rope museum and fully restored medieval watermill, which still makes stone-ground flour. There’s also a restaurant and a gift shop. www.sussexpast.co.uk

The Giants of Brede
Brede Waterworks is home to two magnificent early 20th century steam water pumping engines, lovingly restored. The Giants of Brede can be viewed on the first Saturday of every month, plus extra weekends over the summer. They currently run by compressed air but plans are afoot to reintroduce steam power. In its heyday, the waterworks employed 33 local men to operate the machinery and supply water to homes in Hastings. There is also a nuclear fallout shelter, built for the purpose of housing water operators to keep the vital waterworks running if the worst happened! Today it’s used by amateur radio enthusiasts who’ll have their own event over August bank holiday. Opening times: 10am to 4pm on Sat 7th July; 28-29th July, with a vintage car event and visiting steam exhibits; Sat 4th August; Bank Holiday Mon 27th August; Sat 1st September.
t:  01424 882 356 or 01323 897 310