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Fishing Boat & Net Shops

Hastings

Self-guided walks for the Curious...

Explore Hastings town centre with two self-guided heritage walks with a treasure hunt theme. Discover Hastings's "hidden treasures" whilst having a fun day out with family and friends!
Hastings is an acclaimed coastal town with a long history of smuggling and conspiracy. There are plenty of seaside attractions and a long beach, but it also has an Old Town steeped in history, with black beamed houses overhanging the streets. It also has the largest beach-launched fishing fleet, flanked by their distinctive black huts (called Net Shops). There's also Britain's steepest funicular railway to explore, and the remains of William the Conqueror's first English castle, making it a great day out for all the family.

EXPLOREDISCOVERENJOY

Code Curious20 at checkout for 20% discount on purchases over £12

The Booklet

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Curious About... Hastings

  • An exploration of Hastings's town centre with two self-guided heritage walks with an optional treasure hunt. Completing the treasure hunt keeps everyone actively engaged, and urges you to look up, down and every which-way - so you won't miss out on any of the town's treasures.
    Explore, Discover, and Enjoy!
  • Most clues are chosen for their historical value, so you'll learn about the diverse culture, significant people and extraordinary events which have influenced Hastings in becoming what it is today.
  • This is an outdoor, unsupervised activity - so you can go at a pace which suits you, whilst keeping you healthy!
  • A Curious About walk is a fun and social activity for all the family and friends. Different people can take on different roles - follow the map, identify picture clues, read directions, etc - it's ideal for children from the age of 6, and if you can walk/wheelchair it, you're young enough!
  • The two walks have been designed so that the second one follows on from where the first one ends. Do both, or have a breather and do the second one another day! They both start and finish in the heart of the town - so buses, trains and car parks are easily available to get you there and back.

1. Old Town Circular - 1.5 miles / 2.4 kms
Starting at memorial gardens in Old Town you begin by exploring the heart of this fascinating area of Hastings, with its ‘heady bohemian atmosphere’, roughly corresponding to the extent of the town prior to the 19th century. Pass its many quaint buildings and quirky shops, before descending to the beach area, home to the biggest beach-launched fishing fleet in England, before making your way back to the gardens.
Swan Gardens, Swan Terrace Swan Gardens, High Street   1.5 hoursOK but diversion maybe needed

2. Old Town and Views - 1 mile / 1.6 kms
This walk takes you along the sea front at Hastings Old Town, before bending back through a busy and bustling street with its many interesting shops, bars and restaurants, all intermingling with its venerable heritage. Up next, to the edge of Old Town, with the option to scale a hill with its stunning views across the sea, and home to Hastings’ delightful, ancient castle.
1 hourOK but diversion maybe needed

Each booklet has a page dedicated to the history of the town and 2 pages summarising each walk with suggestions on what to visit along the way. Walk 1 has 21 clues & walk 2 has 14 - both with detailed directions to follow. There are interesting stories about important people, places & events along the way; detailed instructions on how to find a clue if you're stuck; and a comprehensive map with the routes marked on.
Buy a booklet by clicking on the Add to Basket button, then either checkout, or continue shopping. Checkout takes you through payments via a quick & secure process managed by a third-party company called SendOwl. At the end of the payment process SendOwl will email you a confirmation email (inc download link if relevant).

Downloads
You have 14 days to complete your download, and up to 3 attempts are permitted. If you buy the print-at-home version you will need to print it on normal A4 paper and the email you receive, with the download link, explains how best to fold the pages to make it into an A5 booklet. If you buy the download to mobile version you will need pdf reading software on your phone or tablet, eg using the Adobe Acrobat App (free).

Printed Copy
The booklet has a flexible cover, which has been professionally printed. The inside pages are printed to order, to ensure that they are as up-to-date as possible. We post booklets out 1st class Royal Mail, usually the same, or next working day. A small postage & packing charge is added.

"Last year we visited Hastings with your booklets “curious about” and we found it very interesting. Thank you."


Latest Revision : May 2023


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Hastings

Places you'll pass along the way - tap an image for more detail