We saved our visit to the town of Hastings for the day rain was forecast with little chance of relief. Most of what we had planned was indoors, so we headed off on what turned out to be another wonderful drive, through Rye and then Winchelsea, to Hastings and its historic seafront.

Thursday was – as predicted – cold and wet, but we had a good day together. Hastings is not so picturesque as Folkestone on the waterfront, but there is a lot that’s noteworthy and worth taking the time to see.

So we visited mostly “Mr. T. appropriate” venues like the aquarium, we spent a long time in the fascinating “Shipwreck Museum,” enjoyed lunch at a most excellent fish and chip café, walked along “The Front” when the rain let up, took a tour of the fascinating lifeboat station, stopped by a marvelous bakery for some wonderful coffee and chocolate pastry, then made our way back – damp but refreshed – to the car for another pleasant drive back to our cottage.

Hastings, if you want a little history thrown in with your photos, is where William “The Conquerer” landed after crossing from Normandy in 1066, forcing the famous battle that defeated King Harold and led to the unification of England. William famously stumbled on making landfall, but redirected his soldiers’ superstitious “bad omen” dismay by coming up with two hand-fulls of sand, saying, “Thus I seize this land, from this moment it is mine!”

Later, back at Camber Sands, I walked across the dunes again and found some more spectacular images. But I will save those for another day.

Enjoy these pictures. And while you’re scrolling through say a prayer for the amazing volunteers who “man” the lifeboat station; they do some incredible work.

If you want to see a few of the interesting and bizarre fish, I stashed them at the end of this gallery. Peace, and more peace – DEREK