to add an item to your Itinerary basket.
After a sneak peek at the luxurious new hotel, The White Horses, we decided to enjoy some Village Vibes and explore Rottingdean.
In my previous post I spent so long telling you about our walk along the Undercliff Walk and our visit to The White Horses that I ran out of time to tell you anything about the village itself. Although before I tell you what we did I need to share a fantastic fact I've just discovered - the board game Cluedo began life in Rottingdean! A couple of travelling entertainers hosted a murder mystery evening at Tudor Close Hotel, they then took this idea to Waddingtons and Cluedo was born. The village continued to inspire travelling entertainers as it was visiting a shop in Rottingdean that inspired The League of Gentleman's legendary Local Shop. Don't worry though that shop is no longer there and today everyone is very welcoming whether you're local or a visitor.
We can't guarantee that a trip to Rottingdean will inspire you to launch a best-selling board game or write a hilarous sketch but we're confident you'll end up falling for its quaint charms. In fact when Katie & I were there we spent most of the day exclaiming how cute & pretty everything was. When writing my post about The White Horses I said I could picture the great Hercule Poirot resting his little grey cells there. Well walking around the village I was half-expecting Miss Marple to appear at any moment, tending to the rose bushes in front of one of the picture-postcard cottages.
Apart from wondering around saying how cute everything is I would absolutely recommend a visit to Kipling Gardens. The winding paths take you past roses, woodlands and even a croquet lawn - it's a tranquil spot, perfect if you are in need of laid-back vibes. If you are staying in the village and enjoy a walk then you will want to visit the Beacon Hill Nature Reserve. Sadly we were only here for the afternoon so we didn't have time but it looks like a lovely walk as the chalk grassland is home to a diverse range of insects, birds, mammals and reptiles.
Back in the village itself if you find yourself in need of refreshment you have plenty of options, we were tempted by the The Plough Inn with its views of the pond but in the end we were so inspired by the village vibes that we felt a traditional cream tea was called for. Thankfully The Grange is not just a museum and library but it is also home to a pretty garden café, just what we needed on sunny summer afternoon. The tasy scones and English tea helped fortify us ready for the walk back to the city.
Growing up I was a regular visitor to Rottingdean but as I strolled around this time I realised I had left it far too long. I love the vibrancy and 'anything goes' attitude of Brighton but if you are looking for a calmer, laid-back escape then you will love the village vibes of Rottingdean. I know I won't be leaving it as long before my next trip back in time to the quaint charms of this village-by-the-sea.
Charlotte
Related
With direct seafront access and spectacular views out over the sea, The White Horses Hotel is located on the edge of the South Downs, just 5 km from Brighton.
Gardens once formed part curtilage of The Elms where Rudyard Kipling lived from 1897-1902. There is a "wild garden" for picnics & croquet can be seen during the summer. Apart from this, no ball games or radios are allowed.
Just ten minutes east of Brighton is The Plough Inn Rottingdean, the postcard picture village dates back to Saxon times and is steeped in the history of Sussex smugglers and pirates.
This charming early Georgian building houses an Art Gallery, Museum & Tea Garden as well as the Rottingdean Library which is an official Visitor Information Point.
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