The UK staycation that proves the best places are the ones you probably ignore

Dominated by famous names like Rye and Hastings, East Sussex still has plenty of quiet stretches to explore (Picture: Karen Edwards)

The rain pitter-patters on the windows as I add another log to the wood-fired oven heater.

Outside, dusk is settling in and the bird-song that had been soundtracking our afternoon is starting to dim.

Pouring two glasses of Winchelsea-produced sparkling wine, my husband and I clamber onto the L-shaped sofa and under a knitted blanket to watch the wood crackle under the heat, as the Gallagher brothers croon through the speakers.

We’d arrived in the East Sussex village of Fairlight earlier that day to hole up in our home for the weekend, Looking Glass Lodge in the Mallyadams Wood Nature Reserve.

Flanked by a giant Redwood and perched on stilts above a bed of ferns, the cabin-style accommodation was designed to blend into its natural habitat.

A glass-fronted treehouse in the heart of East Sussex (Picture: Karen Edwards)

With floor-to-ceiling windows giving the sense of being outdoors in the forest at any time of the day, the lodge is instantly calming.

Little touches, such as the freestanding bath overlooking the trees and windowpanes that darken at night, create a carefully-curated nature haven.

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With the last embers of the fire fizzing out, we fall asleep listening to the coo of a barn owl.

This, I already know, is the perfect staycation.

The star of the show at Looking Glass Lodge (Picture: Karen Edwards)

Exploring Rye and Winchelsea

Just over an hour by train from London, East Sussex’s bigger towns, Rye, Hastings and St. Leonards-on-Sea, are go-tos for weekend escapes.

But few venture between the hubs to absorb the coastline in a slower, more considered way.

With the nearest train station in Rye, we’d stocked up on fresh produce such as scallops and lobster from the Fish Market, crunchy carrots and leafy greens from the Sweet Williams fruit and veg’ store, cheese and olives from the Deli, and juicy strawberries and raspberries sourced from Tibbs Farm.

With shopping bags stuffed with locally grown and sourced products, it feels good to know that we’re supporting small businesses – and that money being injected back into the East Sussex economy.

A walk through Rye is like stepping back in time (Picture: Karen Edwards)

While wine production in the UK hasn’t reached mass scale, several family-run wineries now dot the Sussex countryside – a result of warmer climate and drier summers.

For those arriving by car, Tillingham hilltop winery runs year-round guided wine experiences for £40 per person, with Friday night candlelit tours, and winter warmers are served in the downstairs bar – popular in the colder months.

In nearby Winchelsea, Charles Palmer winery tours delve into how the vineyard’s varying soils impact grape flavours. Prices start from £23 and the tours involve plenty of tastings (and, if you upgrade, cheese).

Tracing dinosaurs

The next morning begins with a 10-minute stroll to the Coastguard café, a local tea room overlooking the English Channel at Hastings Country Park. With a coffee in-hand, we go in search of Pett-Level Beach – a fascinating area nearby that was once a coastal woodland.

Here, water-logged tree-stumps reveal how rising sea levels have eroded Britain’s southern coastline into its current shape over millennia.

Remnants of the life that once thrived here can be found along the craggy rock faces lining the beach, fossilised dinosaur footprints pressed into sandstone.

Mostly invisible to the naked eye, you can  get lucky if you have the patience. According to scientists from the University of Cambridge, more than 85 imprints of seven different species have been discovered here – with the latest findings unearthed just eight years ago.

Karen Edwards and her husband, Brad, hiking in East Sussex (Picture: Karen Edwards)

Further east, towards Rye Harbour, we come across a matrix of waterways forming a precious wetland habitat.

A Google search tells me that over 4,000 species of flora and fauna call this area home, a figure that is hard to fathom.

So, we head straight for the Nature Reserve’s Discovery Centre, on the banks of the River Rother, for a proper introduction.

Naturally, I go into full ‘twitcher’ mode after putting pictures to the names of the most common birds.

With its distinctive short bill and gentle way of wading in the shallows, my first sighting is of a curlew sandpiper. It glances up briefly before returning to the important job of plucking worms and crabs out of the sand.

Not a bad home for the night (Picture: Karen Edwards)

The occasional swift darts above our head – the last of a congregation that are migrating south towards the Mediterranean.

As the path snakes further inland, we stop to watch a flittering kestrel, while a marsh harrier circles overhead.

I’m impressed by the wildlife – especially as we’re not that far out of London.

The round-trip takes us into the mid-afternoon, and we return to Looking Glass Lodge via the Two Sawyers pub, full of cod loin, chips, and a local Harvey’s ale.

Hiking the coastal path to Hastings

On our final day, we opt for a three-mile hike (about 2.5 hours with breaks) west to Hastings Old Town. It’s a hilly walk, with the gravel path meandering through dense – sometimes waist-high – vegetation.

Along the way, wildflower meadows, poppy fields and dramatic views over the Channel help make the more strenuous inclines and steeper descents worth the sweat.

Waist-high and beautiful (Picture: Karen Edwards)

Descending into Hastings Old Town via the East Hill, we leave the tranquility of lesser-known East Sussex and emerge into the buzzy tourist town

But there was one last stop to make, at family-owned seafood restaurant Rock-a-Nore Kitchen, before we depart.

The shellfish platter, laden with crab, oysters and whelks (£19.95), proves to be the perfect hunger-pacifier after a sturdy hike.

It’s also a popular eatery that proudly supports the small-boat fishing communities of Hastings Stade and Rye.

As we begin the train ride home, we flash past a quiet Winchelsea station, before turning north towards the capital.

Sometimes, I think, the best adventures happen in places that don’t stand out on the map.

Getting to East Sussex and where to stay

Southeastern Railway run services from London St. Pancras to Rye that take just over an hour, while Hastings via Winchelsea is an extra 24 minutes on the same line.

Trains also run from Charing Cross and London Victoria to Hastings, but the journey takes a little longer.

Taxis operate from outside the main stations of Rye and Hastings.

Once at the East Sussex coastline, much can be explored on foot. Clearly marked and maintained walking routes are easy to follow.

A stay at Looking Glass Lodge begins from £295 per night. Visit out of peak season for lower rates.

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