Welcome to 1066 country and ‘the Sunshine Coast’ Welcome to the Dyalog ’14 user meeting. This year’s venue is The Eastbourne Centre (TEC http://www.eastbournecentre.co.uk/). TEC was originally built for the Unite Trade Union to be their conference centre. It is therefore a venue which - to a large extent - was intended for the same purpose as LO-Skolen in Elsinore. In the past few years TEC has been substantially renovated and recently it opened up as a hotel and conference venue for other guests. Dyalog ’14 will be the first international conference to be held at TEC. Beachy Head Light House Winter (Picture courtesy Vibeke Ulmann) An area steeped in History We thought we’d give you a bit of background to Eastbourne and the surrounding area. Arguably Eastbourne gets more sunshine hours than anywhere else in England, hence the nickname ‘the Sunshine Coast’ – and it is a very popular tourist destination for Britons all year round. Eastbourne has a beautiful pier although a part of it was destroyed in a terrible fire earlier this summer. The pier will be restored, and funds are currently being raised for the work to commence. It is still worth the 10 min stroll down to the along the sea front, and en route you will encounter the famous Bandstand, which was built to commemorate the sinking of Titanic. This year is the centenary of that tragic event, and the Bandstand has been busy all summer with musical performances ranging from military brass band and classical music to pop/rock concerts. The Martello tower which is just opposite TEC was one of many to be built to protect the coast of England during the Napoleonic wars. Pevensey Castle and Battle You are visiting an area steeped in dramatic history. In Roman times, Pevensey Castle – just 5.3 miles down the road - was the strongest of their South Coast forts. When the Romans abandoned the castle, some of the stones were used to build the picturesque houses in Pevensey village. 2000 years ago, the English Channel – then called ‘the Narrow Sea’ bordered the Castle – but since then, land has been reclaimed, and another village – Pevensey Bay - has sprung up on the beach. In 1066 William the Conqueror and his army sailed across the Channel to make landfall at Pevensey. From here he marched his troops along the coast to Hastings some 15 miles to the east. He then positioned his army near Battle, 6 miles to the north of Hastings, where the world famous ‘Battle of Hastings’ took place between the Saxon army led by King Harold and William’s Normans on October 14th 1066. This was the last time that England was invaded and conquered, and Norman rule ensued. The village of Battle didn’t exist at the time; it grew up later around Battle Abbey, which William ordered to built, to atone for the horrendous slaughter which left more than 6,000 dead on the battle field. Today there is a museum, and you can walk the battle field tour, and the Abbey grounds accompanied by an electronic multilingual narrator with very realistic sound effects, one might add. There is a dispute with regards to where the battle actually took place, since no spoils of war, such as arrow heads and spearheads, have been found in fields around the Abbey. It is probable that the battle took place a few miles further up the road at a place called ‘Senlac Hill’. Nevertheless a visit to Pevensey Castle ruins and a Battle Walk will give you a chance to get the feel for what happened in 1066. And as to the infamous arrow in Harold’s eye – as depicted in the Bayeux tapestry - you will find out if that’s a credible story during your Battle walk. Battle Abbey - Picture courtesy Vibeke Ulmann) Beachy Head & Seven Sisters Walk From TEC you can see Beachy Head – the highest white cliff in England. With the right footwear (sturdy trainers or walking boots recommended), you can walk up to Beachy Head from TEC in 45 minutes, and maybe enjoy a pint at the cosy pub up there. For those wanting a more energetic walk, you can continue along the coastline. En route you will pass ‘Belle Tout Light House’ which was built in 1832. The lighthouse was recently moved back 17 metres from the eroding cliff edge. Belle Tout was sold to a private owner a few years ago and today operates as a Bed & Breakfast (http://www.belletout.co.uk/). On your walk to the village of Exceat (http://www.exceat.com/) you will pass ‘Birling Gap’ – which suffered significant damage during the storms in December 2013. However, you can still negotiate the steep stairs down to the pebble beach. After Birling Gap, you walk along (or rather up and down!) the ‘Seven Sisters’ – the famous white undulating cliffs, which now form part of the Seven Sisters Country Park in the South Downs. Strategically placed in Exceat, if you cross the bridge over the Cuckmere River, you will find the Golden Galleon Pub – which offers a rewarding lunch after the walk. Coming back to Eastbourne is easy. Hop on the bus which stops right outside the Golden Galleon and takes you back to Eastbourne Pier. The entire walk from TEC to the Golden Galleon is about 4 hours at a sedate tempo. Bus to/from Exceat: Bus Route 12A and 13 runs between Eastbourne, Beachy Head, Birling Gap, East Dean, Exceat, Seaford, Newhaven, Peacehaven, Brighton. The 12A (Mondays to Saturdays) and 13 (Sundays & Public Holidays) The South Downs offer many other walks, such a walk to the Long Man (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Man_of_Wilmington) at Wilmington, or the White Horse near Alfriston. In order to do these walks we recommend you to drive to Alfriston Village, where you can park for free behind the Town Square for 3 hours, or use the pay-and-display parking facility. There are clearly signposted Public Footpaths to guide you. The White Horse in Wilmington, South Downs (Picture courtesy Vibeke Ulmann) Brighton, Charleston House, Middle Farm and Lewis Brighton (http://www.visitbrighton.com/) – to the West of Eastbourne - is a MUST if you have never visited the south coast before. You can either take the bus, or hop on the train. It’s a 30 minute train ride from Eastbourne. However, before we get to Brighton, there are three places of interest en route. Charleston House (http://www.charleston.org.uk/) was the home and country meeting place for the writers, painters and intellectuals known as the Bloomsbury group (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloomsbury_Group). The interior was painted by the artists Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell, and together with their collection today forms a unique example of their decorative style. The house and gardens are open to the public from April to October. The easiest way to get to Charleston House is by car. It’s just off the A27 to the west of Eastbourne and clearly signposted. For those wanting to experience proper countryside organic farming, we recommend a visit to Middle Farm just off the A27. In the farm shop, visitors can taste, compare and buy from a range of over 100 different draught ciders and perries including their own Pookhill Cider. Cider is a very popular alcoholic drink in England, usually based on apples. They also stock a huge range of meads, country wines and fruit liqueurs. Look out for the ‘Red Rooster’ with the #¤%&%%¤ label - it’s potent!! You could hop off the train in Lewis (http://www.lewes.co.uk/) – the old Capital of Sussex, before it was split into East and West Sussex. Lewis is well worth a visit, and offers both a ruined castle (and a modern day prison) as well as a very steep high street with many fascinating and wondrous antiques shops. Once in Brighton, take a stroll through The Lanes, an area of small shops, and experience the unique ‘hippy’ shops where you can find anything from a new hat (visit Mad Hatters shop) to second hand deluxe jewellery, dungarees and sunglasses as well as more quirky gifts for friends and family. And do take a stroll on Brighton Pier. You can encounter many interesting views in the Lanes in Brighton (picture courtesy Vibeke Ulmann Steam Railways If you fancy stepping back in time, there are two steam railways which you might like to ride on; the Bluebell Railway (http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/) or the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway (http://www.rhdr.org.uk/). Royal Tunbridge Wells Tunbridge Wells is an attractive spa town about 30 miles from Eastbourne; the route there (and back!) takes you across Ashdown Forest, a very attractive area of woodland. In the heart of Ashdown Forest is Pooh Bridge, where Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin played Pooh Sticks. Castles Other than Pevensey Castle mentioned above, there are a number of other castle not too far way that are worth a visit: Herstmonceux, Arundel and Leeds Castle. A little further away is Dover with its castles and undercliff tunnels that have defended England throughout the centuries. Back in Eastbourne Back in Eastbourne you will find one of the most beautiful sea fronts in the UK. The promenade is more than 4 miles long and paved. Ideal for roller blading, and walks or runs. But cycling is not allowed ! The entire front is owned by the current Duke of Devonshire. His predecessor William Cavendish, the 7th Duke, decreed that the front should be kept neat and tidy, which is why you will find many Victorian buildings in excellent condition.