Thursday, 4 October 2018

Hastings diaries : Hastings museum & Summerfields Wood walk


When we were visiting the grandparents in Hastings over the summer, one of the places we decided to go for a visit (mainly because it is free !) was the Hastings Museum.


We started off looking around the local history part, which gives you everything from the keys to Hastings Castle to the head of a Guy Fawkes' guy.


I can remember from when I was a child visiting, there used to be a tiger whose eyes would follow you all round the room. This room is now shut to the public, but they do have a wooden stork who does pretty much the same thing !


From here, we headed into the Seaside part and watched a video of the Old Town Carnival from back in the eighties, which we happened to pop up in on the end !


Next we visited the dinosaur exhibition and the kids had great fun dressing up in the costumes and hats !



Well, OK ... I guess I may have got slightly involved too !


From here, we followed on and ended up in the American and Native Indian history section.


Judging by the dates (1890-1990), this commemorative window must have been on display before, but it's the first time I remember ever seeing it.


Sophie soon found the kids' boxes and had great fun trying everything on !


After a quick visit to the museum shop, we decided to go for a walk round the back, in Summerfields Wood Nature Reserve.


You can wander down after visiting the museum but, even though you're still very close to the main roads, it seems like you're in the middle of nowhere.


Our first discovery was something that looked like a little temple or Roman baths. 


It was the first time we had done this walk so we didn't really have any idea where we were going.


But it's very difficult to get lost. We soon discovered the Bohemia Walled Garden, but it was shut so we had to just walk around it.


As far as I can see, it's just like an allotment.


I did manage to pick up a geocache on the way - bonus !


There was plenty to see and we didn't see anybody else at all while we were exploring, which is always a good thing !


There's so much to discover on a fairly short walk just outside of the town centre.


It was the perfect way to while away an afternoon without spending a penny !

Country Kids linky

8 comments:

  1. That stork is seriously creepy, and so are the Punch and Judy dolls, wouldn't want any of them in my house. The dino outfits are fab, and I smiled at your photo, it's good to be goofing around at any age. Sophie looks like one of the amazons from the Wonder Woman film, that helmet suits her.

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    1. LOL I kept telling the kids to pose for the photo with the dinosaur but none of them would do it ... so I did !!

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  2. We've never been to either of these, so I need to check them out as I love a free day out and of course it is so local for us. Mich x #CountryKids

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    1. It's great for a free day out - and you can wander down to finish off at the pier too :)

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  3. What a result, all that family fun and not a penny spent! Well done you and the Hastings Museum for making such an interesting and interactive place to visit. Your walled garden walk looks like you are a million miles from a town centre. #CountryKids

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  4. The greatest things in life can be free. I'm all for finding geocaches and exploring museums. #CountryKids

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  5. That sounds like a very quirky museum with lots of fun for the kids. The random tiger-replacement stork is intriguing!! Your walk afterwards looked beautiful too, lots of nature immersion. Fab. Thanks for sharing with us at #CountryKids

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