Only one hour from London!

After all the drama of my last trip to Scandinavia, I decided to take a short break away in September to basically have a bit of a rest and try and get the last bit of potentially sunny weather in before the autumn – well, you know me, it would never be entirely a rest! So, I decided to take a little trip to Brighton to get some sea air, and it is only an hour from London on the train. The weather was a bit mixed the day I left and on a couple of days whilst I was in Brighton, but otherwise the weather was glorious and enabled me to get out and about and take some long walks along the seafront.

Brighton is a great seafront destination with over five miles of wonderful, pebbled beach. The area has managed to retain much of its old Victorian glamour and offers everything from a traditional pier to summer water sports, and everything in between. Brighton also has a vibrant arts and music scene and a large LGBT community.

One thing I must mention in this blog that I often forget to mention when I take a U.K. trip is that if you are travelling by train in the U.K. and have one of the National Railcards then it is always worth checking to see if there are any discounts on activities in the area you are visiting: London and Brighton offer a few great opportunities for you to make the most of your Railcard. I managed to get half-price tickets with mine for the Brighton Pavilion and the i360 – you could also get discount off the Sea Life centre, and these discounts were good savings. Sometimes, I don’t think it is worth taking the car to certain places, especially London, as by the time you have paid to get there, parking charges whilst you are there, etc., it can make travelling quite expensive.

I did manage to spend some time chilling while I was away and made the most of sitting in seafront cafes and eateries enjoying the sea views, doing a bit of people watching, and enjoying the sunshine. I’ve listed below some of the main attractions in Brighton that I went along to experience that are open all year round and may even make for a little winter break if you fancy getting away from it all and taking in some sea air for a few days when the crowds have left…

Brighton seafront Promenade

The seafront promenade goes quite a long way in each direction - from left to right. If you go one way, you can walk all the way to the marina at the far end and use the boardwalk by the beach. There is also a little train that you can take to cut down the walking time in either one or both directions. The marina is lovely and has a few restaurants, a couple of cafes, and a bar. On a good day it is a lovely long walk if you enjoy walking. The other direction takes you along past cafes, restaurants, bars, and shops, along with a little boat museum which is free – and you won’t want to miss the upside-down house! You can also easily access the beach in this direction, too, if you fancy a paddle or just some time wandering on the beach

Brighton Pier

One of Brighton’s most iconic buildings has to be Brighton Pier. Measuring 1,722 feet long, it is said to be the finest pier ever built and is now a Grade II listed building. The pier is still as popular as ever and houses all the usual things that piers tend to offer, including arcades, side shows, soft play areas, rides, and a variety of places to eat and drink. It costs £1 entry per person, and if you go late in the afternoon it is actually free!

Further up the sea front, you can also see another, less glamorous, icon that is the remains of the old West Pier which first opened in 1866. The pier closed in 1975 after being hit by storms and fire which ultimately caused the pier to fall into disrepair. The remains of the pier have been left to mark a piece of Brighton’s history.

i360

The i360 is an observation tower and another of Brighton’s must-see attractions. It is described as a doughnut on a stick, and it does look a bit like one! It is a great piece of engineering and takes you slowly up the pole in its glass pod to offer you panoramic views of Brighton’s seafront. On a clear day you can see the Isle of White in the distance. There are seats in the pod and a café, plus you can also book special packages, such as afternoon tea.

Brighton Pavilion

The Pavillion has to be my favourite place in Brighton, as it is such a beautiful building and inside it has some wonderful architecture – it almost feels as if you have stepped off the plane in India or North Africa. This building and gardens are Grade I listed, and it was once the royal residence. Work on the Pavilion began in 1787 as a retreat for George, the Prince of Wales, and was performed in three stages. However, it was eventually sold to the city of Brighton in 1850.

It costs £19 per person to enter the Pavilion, unless you have a railcard that will give you half price deals. It takes about an hour to go round, but this obviously depends on how much time you spend in each room. When you come to the end of your tour, there is a lovely gift shop and quaint little café for some refreshments. This is a great way to spend some time, especially if you get a cold and wet day and are looking for something to do indoors.

The Lanes

The Lanes are a fascinating area to wander around, and they aren’t easy to find at first because they are tucked away between the North Laine and seafront. Parts of the area date back to the 16th century when Brighton used to be just a small fishing village. The whole area is an amazing mix of different alleyways that house many shops, especially jewellers, cafes and restaurants. You can spend quite some time meandering through the streets, as each one has something slightly different to offer.

The Witchez

I sampled a few eateries while I was in Brighton, but there was one that particularly stood out for a number of reasons, and not just for the food! So, I decided to mention the Witchez separately. The restaurant is on the famous ‘Lanes ‘and it does a delicious selection of European food. It is a quirky place that is said to be haunted by a nun from St Bartholomew Priory. The spirit is said to be a friendly spirit and so it’s quite safe to dine here. I did have a spiritual experience here that I still can’t quite believe, one was that the telephone lamp on my table rang three times, which I obviously thought I had imagined at first, but I definitely didn’t, and the second was that my left shoe was undone when I came to leave. I loved my experience here, as the food, staff, and ambiance was amazing!