To Battle We Go

Despite best efforts, and getting up at 6am, I could not get myself to go running. It was raining and uninspring.

After breakfast we got into the car and drove to Battle where we explored the Battle Abbey. The ruins were very cool, but it was pouring. We were able to keep dry on the bottom floor of the old Abbey ruins, and I took a lot of pictures of the interesting ceiling architecture. Our made up quote of the day was "History is just gossip spread by nostalgic winners."

Click on this next link to see all the pictures from Battle.

Trip to Battle England

Aug 24, 2006 - 36 Photos

The rain let up a bit and we wandered through the town, which isn't as interesting as Rye. We wound up having a poor cup of coffee at the Cafe Belge while we waited for Kate's friends Jill and Helen. Jill caught up with us at the Cafe and we found Helen sitting in her sister's car in the car park. I decidced to ride with Helen and Jill to help them find Rye. Kate and Michelle left before us but got lost, so even though we had to park across the river in Rye, we got to the hotel first.

We had lunch in the Pumpmakers Arms, which because of the font and the angle I was reading it as the "Wanker's Arms" all weekend. I had a "jacket potato" (baked potato) with beans and cheese. It was passable, but pub grub nonetheless.

We wandered around town, then Helen had to leave to pick up their friend Margaret (who was at a train station in Battle). Jill stayed and we wandered Rye again in the rain. One nice thing: Jill had forgotten her umbrella at lunch and it was still their waiting for her when she realized it and went back to retreive it.

After getting Jill on a train back to London, Kate, Michelle and I tried to find the Camber Castle - which is out in the field just to the south of Rye. I have gotten really spoiled in the states: the paths here are just not well marked and maintained. We found the start of the path, but walking in the middle of the field it didn't feel like we were going on the right path. Also we weren't really dressed for the challenge that is avoiding sheep shit in the middle of a field. That and the menacing weather forced us to turn back.

Michelle and Kate went back to the hotel and I set out to find the elusive footpath for jogging on our last morning in Rye. Eventually I found the entrance near the Landsgate and walked back to the hotel. I am usually very very good with direction, but something about the layout of Rye really confused my sense of direction. I finally understood it all after walking around the day before we left.

After a brief rest and snooze in the hotel, we had a great but pricey dinner at a place called The George in Rye. We shared a bottle of slightly sweeter but a local wine from Bodiam Castle. Our nightcap was more geeking at the internet cafe across from our B&B.