The best walks and hikes around Hastings

Historic splendour in the town centre

The town is most famous for the Battle of Hastings, which was fought on 14th October 1066 and marked the beginning of the Norman Conquest of England. The battle actually took place 7 miles (11 km) northwest of the town, though after his victory William the Conqueror chose Hastings as the site for his first castle.

Walks around Hastings’ quaint town centre usually involve a short hike up towards the ruins of the castle, which is open to the public during the warmer months, however you’ll need to buy a ticket to get up close. From here, it’s just a short walk to Alexandra Park, a long, linear Victorian park adorned by formal gardens, ponds, lakes and a nationally significant arboretum.

Where the High Weald meets the sea

Some of the best hiking routes around Hastings are found to the east, where the sandstone of the High Weald meets the sea, creating impressive cliffs. These cliffs have proved to be a treasure trove of fossils, with many dinosaur, pterosaur and plesiosaur remains discovered here.

The Hastings Country Park Local Nature Reserve is Hastings’ largest greenspace and gives access to the panoramic clifftop paths. Within its 853 acres (345 ha) is a lovely blend of ancient gill woodland, lowland meadow, sustainable farmland and clifftop grassland. There’s a wealth of flora and fauna to discover here, with rare liverworts, mosses and lichens in the gills and cliff-dwelling peregrines and fulmars to look out for in the skies above the sea.

Natural beauty in the surrounding countryside

More nature-rich hikes around Hastings can be found to the west of the town. There are two more seaside towns to get acquainted with in St Leonards and Bexhill-on-Sea, while there are plenty of natural sights to discover in the intervening Combe Valley. Home to two Sites of Special Scientific Interest and a remarkable array of wildlife, Combe Valley Country Park’s network of paths allow you to explore wetlands, coast and tree-lined former railways.

To the north of St Leonards is Church Wood & Robsack Wood Local Nature Reserve. This region of ancient woodland is spellbinding in spring, when purple orchids, wood spurge and goldilocks buttercup create a colourful cornucopia.