Hastings Battleaxe Granny takes a Zip….

Battleaxe on the zip wire

Still in holiday mood… not surprising, weather in Hastings is as hot as Madeira.  At least it was until about half an hour ago – just looked out of the window and mist is rolling down the valley past the house – unusual – it usually rolls in the other direction. This is me having a go on the Bembrook Road playground zip wire yesterday.  Had walked past it lots of times but it had been always occupied by moody, brooding adolescents.  This time they had lurched off to brood elsewhere, and it was empty.  Zip wire was very good, but not long and scary enough.  Note to Hastings Council – lets have some more – or how about a special Battleaxes playground?  I like the outdoor gym up there as well.

We ate fish and chips for lunch at the Mermaid Cafe at Rockanore. (I wonder if it will go all gastro when the Jerwood opens?)  I guess we have been spoilt by days lounging in the sophisticated cafe bars of Funchal, but really it was like a madhouse.  The service was so slow we nearly died – they continually serve the take-aways before the diners, and we kept on getting gassed by motorcycle exhaust fumes, deafened by barking dogs and shrieking kids…. It is a shame because the fish and chips are really excellent.

Today we went for posh coffee at the Winchelsea Farm Shop (home made Battenburg cake), followed by a fabulous walk at Rye Harbour.  Lots of birds to be seen.  We pestered some poor guy who was presumably hoping to have a peaceful twitch in one of the hides, and he very kindly helped us identify terns, a redshank, avocets, plovers.  Walking along we saw male lapwings doing their weird bat-like display flight.  Who needs Madeira?