Excursions

 So, here we are - back in Eastbourne (we've been back a couple of weeks now).

The weather has been quite challenging but having a garden to sit in and a 90-year old house makes the heat more manageable than Bristol Glass Box.

We arranged a lunch with BBB's sisters and, it has to be said, Food+Beer is quite a challenge here.  So we plumped for The Ship up in Meads.  The last time we went the beer was uninteresting but perfectly good, the food likewise.

It's a bit of a trek from home and nothing resembling a bus route direct from home to Meads so a hot day could make it a bit gruelling.  Instead, I suggested getting a bus up onto the Downs (the South Downs, not the Durdham ones) and then it would be a couple of miles of downhill strolling, with the benefit of a sea breeze to make the walk a pleasant one.

Alas, I was wrong.  The first mile and a bit were fine.  Cool breeze, great view and a really nice stroll.  However as we neared the outskirts of Meads the wind dropped and the terrain got more precipitous.  I did know the slope would happen but by the time we got to the pub I was knackered and as red as a red thing.  Still, we were early so we could sit quietly on our own to cool down with a nice pint, no?  No.

Family were in attendance already so we bought some beer and joined them.  Still, at least I'd have a nice enough pint, eh?  No.

The beer was tired and stale, if not exactly "off", and Harveys doesn't do too well when stale.  The food?  Well at least they can't ruin scampi and chips (which is more than can be said for my peas and his ploughmans).  We then had a couple of miles to walk home whereupon we sat in our garden and drank fridge beer musing that we'd just walked home from Beachy Head, via a lunch break,  which is quite enough walking for one day, thank you.

On a related subject, mad-walking-type-friends were walking the last bit of the Southdowns Way in order to tick their list of routes walked (we do films and games ticking...they do that).  They're also very keen beer drinkers so finding a place to go isn't always easy - especially on a Monday.  As it was they were staying close to what we all refer to as "The Buccaneer" (the pub's name of the men's youth) - we were pretty pleased when we last went so we thought it would be a safe place to drink.  Buring Sky Plateau was in brilliant condition and some Gun beer that was a little stronger was in good condition but a little bit odd.  On the whole though, a perfectly good beer venue for the purposes.

And then, yesterday I had to go to Newhaven for a long work meeting so I suggested to the boy that we convene in Steamworks in Seaford station.  It's a little bit hit and miss and, it has to be said, when the I saw the casks beers were Dark Star/Fullers (Asahi) I was a bit disappointed but I thought I'd try the APA (previously my favourite beer EVAR).  I didn't expect much but it was really nice - almost as good I remember it.  They also had a DS Special (Polar something...) at 5% which pretty good, too.  We also tried 360-deg Hazy Pale (keg) which we agreed was probably the best of them all but, hey, to have that much good beer (and a Lakedown Keg and a cask of ESB we didn't try) in such a tiny place is damned good.  Eastbourne - take note!