A short hop east of Eastbourne lies Hastings — a wonderfully atmospheric old fishing town steeped in 1066 history. With its labyrinthine medieval Old Town, a working fishing beach, dramatic clifftop castle ruins and a thriving arty streak, it’s one of the most characterful days out on the Sussex coast, and it’s around 35 minutes away by direct train. Here’s our guide to a day trip to Hastings from Eastbourne.
Getting to Hastings from Eastbourne
Direct trains run frequently between Eastbourne and Hastings, taking around 35 to 40 minutes along the coast. By car it’s roughly 18 to 20 miles east on the A259 coast road, about 40 minutes. From Hastings station, the historic Old Town and fishing beach — the best of the town — are a pleasant 15-minute walk east along the seafront, or a short hop by bus or car. If you drive, the Rock-a-Nore car park at the far end of the Old Town is your best bet for space.
Local tip: head straight for the Old Town and the Stade first — they’re the heart of Hastings — and save the new-town seafront and amusements for afterwards. Don’t leave without fresh seafood or a portion of chips by the fishing huts.
The Old Town
The soul of Hastings is its Old Town, tucked in a valley between the East and West Hills. It’s a glorious muddle of narrow streets and twittens (the Sussex word for alleyways), crammed with Tudor and medieval buildings, timber-framed pubs, antique shops, quirky boutiques and cosy cafés. It has a slightly bohemian, lived-in charm all its own — worn in places, but full of character. Don’t miss the tiny, volunteer-run Electric Palace, a 48-seat independent cinema on the High Street that’s a local institution.
The Stade and the fishing beach
Down on the shingle at Rock-a-Nore sits the Stade, Hastings’s remarkable working fishing beach — home to Europe’s largest beach-launched fishing fleet, where colourful wooden boats are still hauled up onto the shore as they have been for over a thousand years. Grab freshly caught fish and seafood from the stalls, then admire the town’s most distinctive sight: the net shops, the tall, thin black timber huts built to store fishing gear since the early 1800s. Unique to Hastings and now largely Grade II*-listed, they’re one of the most photographed things on the Sussex coast.
The cliff railways and Hastings Castle
Hastings has not one but two Victorian funicular railways climbing its cliffs. The East Hill Lift, Britain’s steepest funicular, carries you up from the fishing beach to Hastings Country Park, while the West Hill Lift runs up through a tunnel to the ruins of Hastings Castle — William the Conqueror’s very first English castle, built around the time of the Norman Conquest. Centuries of warfare and cliff erosion have left it a dramatic, half-ruined shell, but the views over the town and the Channel are magnificent. One thing to clear up, though: despite the name, the Battle of Hastings itself was fought at Battle, a few miles inland, where William landed nearby at Pevensey — just along the coast from Eastbourne.
Art, museums and the pier
Once a faded resort, Hastings has reinvented itself as a genuine creative hub. Right among the net huts stands Hastings Contemporary, a striking black-tiled gallery with ever-changing exhibitions of modern British art. Elsewhere you’ll find the Fishermen’s, Shipwreck and True Crime museums, and the Smugglers Adventure in the caves beneath West Hill. And then there’s Hastings Pier: first built in 1872, battered by storms and nearly lost to fire, it reopened in 2016 as a sleek, spacious, award-winning landmark — its bold modern design earned it the prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize in 2017.
Hastings Country Park and beyond
For a breath of fresh air, Hastings Country Park stretches east of the Old Town — a wild nature reserve of soft-rock cliffs, gill woodland and clifftop grassland, with glorious views along the coast (on a clear day you can see for miles). And if you fancy going further, Hastings sits at the heart of “1066 Country”: the historic town of Battle, with its abbey marking the battlefield, is just a few miles away, while the beautifully preserved medieval town of Rye and the vast sands of Camber are an easy trip in the other direction.
Good to know: the cliff railways occasionally close for maintenance and some seaside attractions are seasonal, so it’s worth checking before you travel. Opening times and prices change too, so a quick look at the latest details never hurts.
Hastings from Eastbourne: FAQs
How do I get to Hastings from Eastbourne?
Direct trains run frequently between Eastbourne and Hastings and take around 35 to 40 minutes. By car it’s about 18 to 20 miles east along the A259 coast road, roughly 40 minutes.
How far is Hastings from Eastbourne?
Hastings is around 18 to 20 miles east of Eastbourne along the coast — an easy day trip by direct train or a short drive on the coast road.
What are the best things to do in Hastings?
Explore the Old Town and its twittens, wander the Stade fishing beach and net shops, ride the cliff railways up to Hastings Castle and the Country Park, and visit Hastings Contemporary and the pier.
Was the Battle of Hastings fought in Hastings?
No — despite the name, the 1066 battle was fought at Battle, a few miles inland, where an abbey now marks the site. William the Conqueror landed nearby at Pevensey, close to Eastbourne, and built his first castle at Hastings.
What are the tall black huts on Hastings beach?
They’re the net shops — distinctive tall, narrow timber huts built from the early 1800s to store fishing gear. Unique to Hastings and mostly Grade II*-listed, they’re one of the town’s most iconic sights.
Rounding out your days out? See our guides to Brighton and Lewes from Eastbourne, or delve into the town’s own past in our history of Eastbourne.