Camber Sands

Camber is a great day out by the seaside just three miles from Rye by road (two miles by foot or cycle).  With seven miles of Blue Flag award winning beach it is the only sand dune system in East Sussex providing a valuable habitat for a variety of animals and plants.  The beach can get very busy in summer, however during the rest of the year you will be able to enjoy wide-open spaces all to yourself.  The village of Camber is very close to the beach with many amenities including toilets, deckchair and windcheater hire, bars, restaurants, cafés, fish and chips, amusement arcades and beach shops.

Between Rye and Camber, Rye Watersports offer windsurfing, kite surfing or canoeing. Contact them on 01797 225238 or www.ryewatersports.co.uk.

Over at Lydd, just a few miles from Camber, Action Watersports offer jetskiing or waterskiing. Contact them on 01797 321885 or www.actionwatersports.co.uk.

There is a bus service from Rye to the beach and a Sustrans cycle route between Rye and Camber.

Rye Harbour Nature Reserve and Camber Castle

Enjoy the splendid nature reserve of Rye Harbour, with a little history thrown in for good measure!  Rye Harbour Nature Reserve houses a mix of natural environments by the sea, including shingle, saltmarsh, sand dunes, rivers, pits, grazing marsh, reedbeds and farmland, all teeming with wildlife. The diversity encourages a wide range of species at all times of the year and is a protected home for fauna and flora and a good spot to do some birdwatching (Redshank, Ringed Plover, Lapwing and Oystercatcher).

Entry to the reserve is free and there are is good network of footpaths, which begin at Rye Town, Winchelsea Beach and Rye Harbour – for example the Camber Castle Walk (see Walking section).  The paths have a good surface and are level making the reserve ideal for those with limited mobility.  There is a private road that runs through the Nature Reserve that is good for wheelchairs and all four birdwatching hides are accessible to wheelchairs.

For more information on wildlife and routes, pick up a leaflet from the Rye Tourist Information Centre or visit the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve website at http://www.wildrye.info/.

Camber Castle was developed by Henry VIII as part of his extensive fortifications against the French. The castle now lies within Rye Harbour, providing a peaceful home for some specialised flowers.  The castle is opened on Saturday and Sunday afternoon in July, August and September, or by guided walks on various dates – see http://www.wildrye.info/dates; there is a small charge for entry.  Further details can be found at http://www.wildrye.info/reserve.cambercastle or through English Heritage at http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/conProperty.176 or Tel: 01797 223862.

Winchelsea

Just three miles from Rye, Winchelsea was re-built on Iham Hill in 1287 after a storm ravaged the old town. The town became one of the South East Channel Cinque Ports after a harbour was built at the foot of the hill on the River Brede. The fortunes of the town declined as the sea retreated and the merchants moved away. Today the charming medieval town resonates its turbulent history with its stone town gates and ancient buildings.

Highlights include the Court Hall Museum and St Thomas Church and facilities include the Tea Tree Tea Rooms, the New Inn and the Bridge Inn.

The 1066 Country Walk links Rye and Winchelsea, providing a convenient walking route.  Alternatively Stagecoach Coastliner Service 711 (http://www.stagecoachbus.com/timetables/711040905%5B1%5D.pdf#search=%22bus%20from%20rye%20to%20winch) runs between Rye and Winchelsea on an hourly basis on weekdays and Saturdays, and every two hours on Sundays and public holidays.

For more information see the publication Exploring Winchelsea, Countryside and Coast – a guide to walking and cycling in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty available from the Tourist Information Centre in Rye or visit www.winchelsea.net or www.winchelseatown.co.uk.

Down the hill from the town is Winchelsea Beach, a shingle beach with lots of watersports options. For more details visit ENCAMS Seaside Awards website at http://www.seasideawards.org.uk/beach.asp?RegionId=10&BeachID=242.