2 day in southern England
March 27, 2023 9:21 AM Subscribe
I'm going to Lewes, UK for a thing. I've been there before. I now have 2 extra days unplanned, due to airline scheduling machinations. What should I do with my time?
Flying out of Heathrow, so I'll need to make my way back there on Sunday or Saturday night, but now I have a free Friday and Saturday. I did Brighton, Birling Gap and the cliffs last time I was there and had a car. I don't plan on getting a car this time, so I'm slightly more constrained traveling. I've spent time in London before, but I was sick for a lot of that trip -- likely it's worth revisiting, but I'm open to any suggestions within this very wide framing.
Flying out of Heathrow, so I'll need to make my way back there on Sunday or Saturday night, but now I have a free Friday and Saturday. I did Brighton, Birling Gap and the cliffs last time I was there and had a car. I don't plan on getting a car this time, so I'm slightly more constrained traveling. I've spent time in London before, but I was sick for a lot of that trip -- likely it's worth revisiting, but I'm open to any suggestions within this very wide framing.
This is, indeed, a very wide net. Without knowing anything other than you've been drawn to the coast and historic attractions in the past, and ignoring the possibility that there are 100,000 options in London, a few off the top of my head and requiring varying degrees of trains, ferries, buses, etc.:
>Isle of Wight?
>Some Battle of Hastings tourism, maybe including a walk through Rye? Possibly the beach at Camber Sands if the weather's nice?
>Charleston Farmhouse if you're a Bloomsbury fan? It's also a center that hosts fantastic, varied events that are worth looking into. This is so close to Lewes you could walk it in a couple hours.
>In fact, how about a walking day? Lots of trails and paths in the area, you could include Monk's House to up the Woolf ante.
>Plenty more to be walked at the National Trails website, and the Ramblings program is good inspiration, too.
>English Heritage, too, is a good source of ideas.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 10:05 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
>Isle of Wight?
>Some Battle of Hastings tourism, maybe including a walk through Rye? Possibly the beach at Camber Sands if the weather's nice?
>Charleston Farmhouse if you're a Bloomsbury fan? It's also a center that hosts fantastic, varied events that are worth looking into. This is so close to Lewes you could walk it in a couple hours.
>In fact, how about a walking day? Lots of trails and paths in the area, you could include Monk's House to up the Woolf ante.
>Plenty more to be walked at the National Trails website, and the Ramblings program is good inspiration, too.
>English Heritage, too, is a good source of ideas.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 10:05 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
Get thee to Winchester (and just wander), and then train a bit more and go to Butser Ancient Farm a 10 minute walk from Clanfield Rail station.
posted by unearthed at 11:04 AM on March 27, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by unearthed at 11:04 AM on March 27, 2023 [3 favorites]
We're actually going to Lewes soon for a long weekend and we will have no car either.
There are a number of trails that start from Lewes: one goes north, and the other goes south. You can get a train for your return trip. Check out 'Lewes Rail to Ramble' and 'Lewes and Southease'.
posted by moiraine at 11:24 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
There are a number of trails that start from Lewes: one goes north, and the other goes south. You can get a train for your return trip. Check out 'Lewes Rail to Ramble' and 'Lewes and Southease'.
posted by moiraine at 11:24 AM on March 27, 2023 [2 favorites]
When are you going? If it's after 19 May, and you like opera, it might be worth seeing if there's a seat at Glyndebourne.
Glyndebourne Festival gets no government funding, so tickets are suuuuuper expensive. But it's a small house, so every seat is good. And the shows are *quality*. There really is no other experience like it. Bring a picnic.
posted by Pallas Athena at 2:01 PM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
Glyndebourne Festival gets no government funding, so tickets are suuuuuper expensive. But it's a small house, so every seat is good. And the shows are *quality*. There really is no other experience like it. Bring a picnic.
posted by Pallas Athena at 2:01 PM on March 27, 2023 [1 favorite]
Yes, when are you going? The whole of May is the Brighton Festival and Fringe Festival, so even if you've 'done' the city and beach, there's loads going on then.
Also lots of lovely vineyards around Lewes/Sussex these days, if you're into that.
Seconding that London is super easy from Lewes though!
posted by atlantica at 7:26 AM on March 28, 2023 [2 favorites]
Also lots of lovely vineyards around Lewes/Sussex these days, if you're into that.
Seconding that London is super easy from Lewes though!
posted by atlantica at 7:26 AM on March 28, 2023 [2 favorites]
Dark Star and Burning Sky breweries, if that's up your alley?
posted by k3ninho at 12:00 PM on March 31, 2023
posted by k3ninho at 12:00 PM on March 31, 2023
This thread is closed to new comments.
On the other hand you are an hour by train from London, which is where I’d go if I was in Lewes without access to a car, had exhausted the town itself, and was searching for things to do for a couple of days.
posted by greycap at 9:41 AM on March 27, 2023 [4 favorites]