Day 147 - May 27th

Today we spent the day on the south coast and were blessed with glorious sunshine.

We visited Sovereign Harbour at Eastbourne, somewhere we'd not been before. Opened in 1993, Sovereign Harbour is northern Europe’s largest composite marina complex and boasts four linked harbours and a popular Waterfront retail and restaurant development as well as many luxury apartments and houses.

We walked round the harbour and then sat soaking up the sunshine watching people and boats come and go.

The area had a really nice vibe and I'd like to visit again.

We also spent time at Michelham Priory the site of a former Augustinian Priory. We last visited in 2021. Michelham Priory is a 13 acre Scheduled Ancient Monument and Site of Nature Conservation Interest. The buildings are grade 1 and 2 listed and the moat, which surrounds the 7 acre island of Gardens, is the longest continual medieval moat in the UK.

When we visited in 2021 (during the period of Covid restrictions) entrance to the house was on timed basis and there was a specific route through the building. Today we were free to enter the property when we wanted and could wander from room to room at our leisure.

I loved these window latches in one of the upstairs rooms - I'd not noticed these last time we visited.

After looking round the house we wandered round the Physic Garden and the Kitchen Garden.

The flowers in the gardens were beautiful and whilst I didn't realise it at the time, the majority were shades of blue, purple or pink.

In the centre of the Kitchen Garden was a statue of a girl beneath a wooden pergola and draped over the pergola was a spectacular lilac coloured wisteria. These photos really don't do it justice.

Beyond the more formal garden was a more 'wild' area beside the water.