Oct 20, 2022 ·
6m 37s
Hello and welcome to this podcast brought to you by That´s English! The Spanish Ministry of Education´s official distance learning English course. To find out more about That´s English! go...
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Hello and welcome to this podcast brought to you by That´s English! The Spanish Ministry of Education´s official distance learning English course. To find out more about That´s English! go to www.thatsenglish.com or contact your local Official School of Languages.
The next time you´re visiting the South of England, why not visit Hastings? What may seem a quiet British seaside town is a place full of history and tales and some very interesting attractions! It’s less than a 2-hour train ride from London and makes a great day out for all the family.
Hastings gives its name to the Battle of Hastings in 1066, when William the Conqueror (Duke of Normandy) defeated King Harold II of England and marked the end of the Anglo-Saxon kings and the beginning of the Norman rulers. Through the Norman rulers, and their use of French in court, the modern-day English language as we know it was born. William also created the Domesday Book – the first census of England. You can visit Hastings Castle to see the remains of the Norman fortification and learn more about the castle and the famous battle through the ‘1066 Story’.
To get to Hastings Castle, you can take the West Hill Lift – a rattling funicular railway opened in 1891 which takes you up the sandstone cliffs in a Victorian carriage. The views from the top overlook the beach and old town and you have easy access to both the castle and St Clements Caves. The caves have a long and very interesting history as they were used for hundreds of years by pirates and smugglers – some say they are haunted by their ghosts! The caves were also used as an air-raid shelter during the Second World War and in the 17th century a couple are said to have lived in the caves after being discharged from the workhouse for misbehaviour. They are now a tourist attraction named Smugglers’ Adventure, which is great fun for all the family as you can learn about their rich history and even visit the haunted chapel!
Coming back down from the West Hill Lift, we find ourselves in Hastings old town, which is full of Georgian buildings, antique shops and unique boutiques. And across from the high street are the wooden fishermen´s huts from whom, if we arrive early enough, we can buy fresh fish and seafood.
Past the huts you´ll find the East Cliff Railway – the steepest funicular railway in the UK and at the top you can find Hastings Country Park which is filled with animals, such as cows and wild ponies. Plus, you have breath-taking views of the sea.
Coming back down to the seafront you must visit Maggie’s fish and chips shop – known as the best fish and chips in Hastings and with the largest portions! Nearby is the aquarium and the miniature train which takes us along the beach front, and of course you must visit the shingle beach – did you know that Hastings holds the Guinness world record for the most people dressed as pirates on its beach with 14,231 pirates in 2012?! The pirate festival takes place every year in mid-July.
Along the beach front, why not play a game of mini-golf in Pelham Place? There are three different courses – adventure golf, crazy golf and pirate golf – it´s popular with both children and adults. In the same place, there are also traditional sweet shops and ice cream stands. A relaxing stroll to the other end of the beach, towards the modern town centre, leads us to Hastings pier. It was originally a Victorian pier but it was burnt down in 2010 and was then rebuilt in 2013 - it won the Stirling architecture award in 2017. The pier has beautiful views of the beach and sea and is lined with colourful beach huts, which are used as shops selling souvenirs and locally made products. There are also amusements, food stalls, deck chairs and people fishing. It´s well worth a visit for some traditional seaside treats and a ride on the carousel.
If you´re not already exhausted, spend the evening in one of Hastings’ many pubs, such as Blackmarket VIP, found in the old town and which specialises in live music, or you could go to the White Rock Theatre to see a tribute band or a comedy act.
Whatever you fancy, Hastings has something for everyone. If you´d like to find out more you can go to visit1066country.com. We hope you have enjoyed this little tour around Hastings and we hope you´ll visit one day!
We hope you have enjoyed this podcast, brought to you by That's English! Please follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We look forward to hearing from you. Bye for now!
www.smugglersadventure.co.uk
www.visit1066country.com
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The next time you´re visiting the South of England, why not visit Hastings? What may seem a quiet British seaside town is a place full of history and tales and some very interesting attractions! It’s less than a 2-hour train ride from London and makes a great day out for all the family.
Hastings gives its name to the Battle of Hastings in 1066, when William the Conqueror (Duke of Normandy) defeated King Harold II of England and marked the end of the Anglo-Saxon kings and the beginning of the Norman rulers. Through the Norman rulers, and their use of French in court, the modern-day English language as we know it was born. William also created the Domesday Book – the first census of England. You can visit Hastings Castle to see the remains of the Norman fortification and learn more about the castle and the famous battle through the ‘1066 Story’.
To get to Hastings Castle, you can take the West Hill Lift – a rattling funicular railway opened in 1891 which takes you up the sandstone cliffs in a Victorian carriage. The views from the top overlook the beach and old town and you have easy access to both the castle and St Clements Caves. The caves have a long and very interesting history as they were used for hundreds of years by pirates and smugglers – some say they are haunted by their ghosts! The caves were also used as an air-raid shelter during the Second World War and in the 17th century a couple are said to have lived in the caves after being discharged from the workhouse for misbehaviour. They are now a tourist attraction named Smugglers’ Adventure, which is great fun for all the family as you can learn about their rich history and even visit the haunted chapel!
Coming back down from the West Hill Lift, we find ourselves in Hastings old town, which is full of Georgian buildings, antique shops and unique boutiques. And across from the high street are the wooden fishermen´s huts from whom, if we arrive early enough, we can buy fresh fish and seafood.
Past the huts you´ll find the East Cliff Railway – the steepest funicular railway in the UK and at the top you can find Hastings Country Park which is filled with animals, such as cows and wild ponies. Plus, you have breath-taking views of the sea.
Coming back down to the seafront you must visit Maggie’s fish and chips shop – known as the best fish and chips in Hastings and with the largest portions! Nearby is the aquarium and the miniature train which takes us along the beach front, and of course you must visit the shingle beach – did you know that Hastings holds the Guinness world record for the most people dressed as pirates on its beach with 14,231 pirates in 2012?! The pirate festival takes place every year in mid-July.
Along the beach front, why not play a game of mini-golf in Pelham Place? There are three different courses – adventure golf, crazy golf and pirate golf – it´s popular with both children and adults. In the same place, there are also traditional sweet shops and ice cream stands. A relaxing stroll to the other end of the beach, towards the modern town centre, leads us to Hastings pier. It was originally a Victorian pier but it was burnt down in 2010 and was then rebuilt in 2013 - it won the Stirling architecture award in 2017. The pier has beautiful views of the beach and sea and is lined with colourful beach huts, which are used as shops selling souvenirs and locally made products. There are also amusements, food stalls, deck chairs and people fishing. It´s well worth a visit for some traditional seaside treats and a ride on the carousel.
If you´re not already exhausted, spend the evening in one of Hastings’ many pubs, such as Blackmarket VIP, found in the old town and which specialises in live music, or you could go to the White Rock Theatre to see a tribute band or a comedy act.
Whatever you fancy, Hastings has something for everyone. If you´d like to find out more you can go to visit1066country.com. We hope you have enjoyed this little tour around Hastings and we hope you´ll visit one day!
We hope you have enjoyed this podcast, brought to you by That's English! Please follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We look forward to hearing from you. Bye for now!
www.smugglersadventure.co.uk
www.visit1066country.com
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