I awoke this morning to sunshine brightening the window but by the time I was up and about the sun had hidden itself again. The forecast is cloudy with rain this afternoon. So much for “red sky at night, shepherds’ delight”.

My first job was to check out the shower. Well, it works, at least, but there is nowhere to put the soap. I found myself passing it from hand to hand and finally tossing it into the washbasin so that I could rinse my hands.

The microfibre towel bought from Mountain Warehouse performed well. It soaked up water efficiently and I was quickly dry.

Sunshine in East Street

When we went out, the sun was shining, though how long it will last remains to be seen.

Pret A Manger

For breakfast we went to Pret as this was the nearest place open.

The Royal Pavilion

Afterwards, we visited the grounds of the Royal Pavilion.

The Pavilion gardens

The gardens were looking green and lush and I know that they are continually tended and cared for.

The Dome-

On the opposite side of the garden from the Pavilion is this building called the Dome. People are often amazed to learn that it was built by the Prince Regent to hold the royal stables. That makes sense, though: you wouldn’t want an unprepossessing utilitarian building detracting from the beauty of the nearby Pavilion. Today, the Dome holds Brighton Museum and Art Gallery.

Passing through Lewes

We next boarded a number 29 bus that took us on a long ride through Sussex towns and villages, including Lewes.

Uckfield High Street

We left the bus in Uckfield and went for a walk along the High Street.

The Picture House

We admired the Picture House but as it started to rain, looked around for somewhere to shelter and have coffee.

The Coffee Barn

Seeing the Coffee Barn, we went there.

Inside the Coffee Barn

They seated us and gave us menus to peruse. Among the items available was… Cream Tea! As it was just about lunchtime, we ordered a cream tea each.

Cream tea
Photo by Tigger

A cream tea is as good as lunch, surely? 🙂 We’ll have a “proper” meal later.

The River Uck

We went for another walk after “lunch”, on the way crossing the River Uck. What the relationship is between the names of the river and the town, I do not know. One etymology of Uckfield suggests that it derives from a field owned by an Anglo-Saxon farmer called Ucca but I have not so far found a convincing derivation of the river’s name. Could it simply have taken its name from that of the town?

Railway signal box

Small as it is, Uckfield has a railway station and a signal box.

It’s a terminus

Having reached here, though, the train returns the way it came: Uckfield is a terminus.

Wooden sculptures

We saw two wooden sculptures but there was no information on what they represented or who made them.

Crowborough United Church

We had originally intended to go to Crowborough and took a bus in that direction. As there didn’t seem to be much of interest (as seen from the bus), we stopped off at this church to catch a bus back

Fitzroy House, Lewes

We decided to break our journey at Lewes. We know this town having explored it several times but it can always bear a repeat visit.

Costa Coffee

We stopped off at the local, friendly branch of Costa Coffee.

Waterstone’s bookshop

We had a look round Waterstone’s (note the sundial on the right above the windows) but didn’t buy anything.

Aboard the 28

We then caught a bus back to Brighton, the 28 this time. From Lewes, it is a relatively short trip.

The bus dropped us off in Dyke Road. From here we walked down North Street and called in again at Sainsbury’s – no photo, you know what Sainsbury’s looks like! 🙂 Here we bought food for tonight’s supper. Then we continued down the hill to our temporary home but not before…

The Jubilee Clock Tower

…I had stopped to take a photo of one of my favourite Brighton landmarks, the Jubilee Clock Tower. Commonly called just “the Clock Tower” by locals, it was erected in 1888 in celebration of Queen Victoria’s 50 years on the throne. The clock face actually bears a date of 1887, presumably the year it was completed. It is now a Grade II listed building. Opinions on its artistic and architectural merits vary but I love it, so there!

We did venture out briefly to try to catch the sunset. I think we either missed it or the sun was wrapped in clouds, preventing a fully fledged sunset.

Looking west along the promenade

A red sky at night is proverbially a promise of fine weather on the morrow. Let’s hope the promise is fulfilled.

Pink sky over the Palace Pier

Even looking south, we could see pink clouds. Let it be fine tomorrow!

Another look to the west

Notice the dark shape in the sea roughly in the centre of the picture.

Wreck of the West Pier

Brighton was known as a resort with two piers, the Palace Pier and the West Pier. Compared with the raucous entertainments of the Palace Pier, the West Pier was the genteel cousin, a pier for strolling on rather than guzzling ice-cream and candy floss and playing the slot machines. Brighton could happily accommodate both but the West Pier was allowed to deteriorate. It closed in 1975 and succumbed to a fire (probably deliberate, though no one has ever been held responsible) in 2003. I have been on the West Pier many times and feel very sad at the sight of its charred ruin.

At around 4:30 pm, we felt that we were ready for lunch and set out to see what was on offer. It turned out to be that awkward time when cafes were closing and restaurants were not yet open.

The Druid’s Head-

We eventually found ourselves in Brighton Place and in front of a pub called the Druid’s Head. The menu posted beside the door included beer battered halloumi with chips and mushy peas.

Inside the Druid’s Head

That was enough to tempt us in and we easily found a table (number 17, if you wish to know!). We ordered our food and a pot of tea for two.

Beer battered halloumi and chips
Photo by Tigger

It is served with a little bowl of tartare sauce and you can have garden peas instead of mushy peas, if you prefer.

Chapel Royal

Afterwards, we went for a stroll, passing, among other landmarks, the 18th-century Chapel Royal, once a prominent church because of its connections with the Prince Regent and his set.

TK-Maxx

Finding ourselves in North Street, we went into the branch of TK-Maxx there to make a necessary purchase. I mentioned that the hotel does not provide towels. It also does not provide a bath mat for when you step out of the shower. We therefore sought to provide our own. Rather than buy an expensive bath map, we bought a £3 towel that we can use at home as a hand-towel.

Sainsbury’s for supper

We may have escaped Sainsbury’s yesterday but it caught up with us today: we went to a Sainsbury’s Local to buy some items for tonight’s supper.

Holy Trinity

Continuing on, we passed the imposing Holy Trinity Church. Built in the early 19th century (consecrated in 1816), it finally closed as a church in 1984, taking on other roles, latterly that of art gallery.

Ship Street

We followed the evocatively named Ship Street down to the sea front

The sun shining between clouds
Photo by Tigger

The rain clouds had disappeared and the sun shone on and off between white clouds. I hope this is an omen of better weather to come.

Sunshine on the beach

This view along the beach to the Palace Pier looked a lot more cheerful than the similar view I had photographed earlier in the day. There was, though, quite a strong breeze blowing, enough to put one’s hat in danger of flying away.

We now turned for home (if a temporary lodging can be called “home”), where we shall probably stay till tomorrow. Tigger has said something about photographing the sunset and if ever we do go out again I shall duly note it here.

It is Monday and we are off on a trip to the destination in the title. We are spending four nights in this famous Regency-flavoured city.

Back at EL & N

We have returned to St Pancras Station and to EL & N where we had breakfast while again watching the Eurostar queue file past.

Coffee and croissants

I don’t need to tell you what we had for breakfast but the photo tells you if you are new to our little foibles!

The Thameslink Southbound platform

After our pleasant repast, we made our way down to the Thameslink platforms. Our train for Brighton was due at 9:50.

Aboard the Brighton train

The train arrived on time and we went on board. Despite it being a weekday, the train was not at all crowded, as you can see.

Bridge gazebo
Photo by Tigger

We always look out for this bridge with gazebos at either end.

Arriving at Brighton

I spent the first two decades of my life in Brighton so every return to this lovely city is a sort of homecoming. I am waylaid by memories at every turn.

The Bystander Cafe

We always used to visit a certain cafe near the station but today found it had closed down. Instead, we went to the Bystander Cafe. Perhaps we will adopt it!

Tea and buttered toast
Photo by Tigger

We had tea and buttered toast. Does that surprise you? 🙂

Gardner Street

We walked down the hill from the station and passed along the famous Gardner Street, which forms the heart of Brighton’s “alternative” culture. As you can see, the weather is wet though it’s not (yet) raining heavily.

An old law court

We went by this old law court which is now converted into offices, I think.

The Royal Pavilion

I gained my first glimpse of the remarkable Royal Pavilion (“Indian outside, Chinese inside”). Originally a royal possession, it now belongs to Brighton who is engaging in a long, careful process of restoration, making useful historical discoveries along the way.

The Old Town Hall

Not as beautiful but still interesting in its way is the old Georgian period Town Hall, built in 1830-32 and now a Grade II listed building.

The Lanes

The network of narrow passages called The Lanes is famous for its shops, especially those for jewellery and antiques.

Pier, beach, sea

Then down to the seafront for our first look at the sea, the well-known shingle beach (sand is for sissies!) and the pier. These days this is misnamed “Brighton Pier” but all true Brightonians call it by its real name, Palace Pier.

Pool Valley

This street is called Pool Valley. This is appropriate as it lies in a hollow. (Perhaps the name Pool is deserved too – see here.) This used to be a bus station for the green and cream Southdown Buses which ran from 1915 until the company was bought out in 1969. Much of Pool Valley’s surface has been covered with paving stones though some buses still call here.

Here comes the rain
Photo by Tigger

We went back to the hotel and sat in the lounge/cafe. Our room is being made ready. We will have to go out for lunch at some point but it is now raining determinedly.

Our room
Photo by Tigger

At 3 pm on the dot, we received the electronic key to our room. The room’s amenities are, shall we say, basic, but we have everything we need. In particular, there are enough electric power points and they are sensibly located, e.g. there is one each side of the bed, handy for our phones.

I can now explain that visit to the Mountain Warehouse (see Hampstead Heath): this hotel does not supply towels free though you can hire them. So we bought our own microfibre towels (designed for camping) to bring with us.

We are having a little rest now and later we will venture forth for a late lunch.

We are not performing our usual shopping run to Sainsbury’s this week for reasons that I will explain later. Instead…

Aboard the 476

…we caught a number 476 bus.

St Pancras Station

The bus brought us to St Pancras Station which looked its splendid best in the sunshine.

The concourse, St Pancras

We entered the station in search of somewhere to have breakfast. Many places were crowded and so we headed to EL & N.

Coffee and croissants
Photo by Tigger

We were happy to find that EL & N was not busy. We ordered our usual coffee and croissants and sat in one of the small booths along the wall.

Inside EL & N

EL & N is quite small though it has tables both inside and outside.

The Eurostar queue

There was a long, slow-moving queue for the Eurostar, all along the concourse. As we consumed our breakfast, we watched the queue file slowly past the windows.

A work of art?

In a corner of the cafe is this display, presumably a work of art on the theme of travel to France, though what the French might think of being symbolised by a perky French Poodle, I don’t know.

Passing through King’s Cross Station

Afterwards we walked through King’s Cross Station (which is just across the street from St Pancras) with its striking tree-shaped roof support.

Celebrating 170 years
Photo by Tigger

This display celebrates the station’s 170 years of existence.

Aboard the 73

We walked up the road to the baggage shop, where Tigger hoped to purchase an item, but we found it closed. The notice indicated that it would open at 12, so we planned to return later. In the meantime, we caught a 73 bus and returned home.

After resting for a while, we returned to the luggage shop. Unfortunately, they did not have what Tigger wanted.

The Cutting Bar

We caught a bus back and came here, to the Cutting Bar in White Lion Street. We are once more synchronised as far as haircuts are concerned and so we both went under the shears today.

Inside the Cutting Bar
Photo by Tigger

We had a little while to wait but not too long, happily. It is a no-frills service but the standard of work is as good as you would find at a conventional (more expensive) barber’s. (Neither of us is in the picture, in case you are wondering!)

Cash – still required

The Cutting Bar is one of a small number of businesses which accept only cash. After paying for our haircuts, I had very little cash left and, as I like to keep a small amount in case of need, I replenished my meagre stock at an ATM. I can’t remember when I last drew out any cash. I think the Cutting Bar is the only place where I ever need it.

Starbuck’s

On the way home, we passed the local branch of Starbuck’s. Tigger fancied a coffee so we went in. We bought a coffee for Tigger and sandwiches for lunch. No coffee for me as I don’t like Starbuck’s brew and preferred to make tea at home.

Tomorrow is Monday but will not be like our usual Mondays but I will tell you about it in due course… 🙂