{"id":1309,"date":"2017-01-07T01:09:25","date_gmt":"2017-01-07T00:09:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/?p=1309"},"modified":"2017-01-05T17:37:17","modified_gmt":"2017-01-05T16:37:17","slug":"rye-harbour-and-camber-castle-east-sussex","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/?p=1309","title":{"rendered":"Rye Harbour and Camber Castle, East Sussex"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">function popwalk(walk) {var url = \"\/Walks\/amap.php?f=\"+walk; varwalkwindow=window.open(url,\"walkwin\",\"height=840,width=1230,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes\"); if (window.focus) {walkwindow.focus()}}<\/script><br \/>\nFirst published in: The Times <a href=\"javascript:popwalk('RyeHarbour.gpx');\" rel=\"nozoom\" title=\"Click here to view a map for this walk in a new window\">Click here to view a map for this walk in a new window<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5337\/30949674602_ca4cbcf77c.jpg\" title='Rye Harbour Nature Reserve 1'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5337\/30949674602_ca4cbcf77c_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5535\/31092087415_b4e5389216.jpg\" title='Castle Water 2'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5535\/31092087415_b4e5389216_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5799\/30977967541_cec83687bd.jpg\" title='Castle Water 1'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5799\/30977967541_cec83687bd_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5794\/30949680222_e1ca72b26a.jpg\" title='Camber Castle'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5794\/30949680222_e1ca72b26a_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5729\/31056347576_21839f38ff.jpg\" title='Camber Castle in the &#039;shingle fields&#039;'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5729\/31056347576_21839f38ff_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5639\/31092095565_b16315b7a3.jpg\" title='path through the scrub near Camber Castle'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5639\/31092095565_b16315b7a3_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5456\/30977985651_86bc911e23.jpg\" title='shingle &#039;fields&#039; near Camber Castle'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5456\/30977985651_86bc911e23_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5786\/31092100865_12db014720.jpg\" title='Rye Harbour Nature Reserve 2'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5786\/31092100865_12db014720_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5338\/30949689052_da472d31cf.jpg\" title='lugworm collector, Rye Harbour beach'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5338\/30949689052_da472d31cf_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5347\/30949691082_c781c2edd4.jpg\" title='abandoned lifeboat shed, Rye Harbour beach 4'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5347\/30949691082_c781c2edd4_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5491\/31056399326_6b2f16a705.jpg\" title='groynes, Rye Harbour beach 1'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5491\/31056399326_6b2f16a705_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5615\/30949693032_0b9a1f915c.jpg\" title='abandoned lifeboat shed, Rye Harbour beach 3'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5615\/30949693032_0b9a1f915c_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5453\/31056366726_de6648335b.jpg\" title='abandoned lifeboat shed, Rye Harbour beach 2'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5453\/31056366726_de6648335b_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5756\/30949697932_e073fc7af5.jpg\" title='abandoned lifeboat shed, Rye Harbour beach 1'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5756\/30949697932_e073fc7af5_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5679\/30949700802_3416f1d74f.jpg\" title='Rye Harbour beach 1'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5679\/30949700802_3416f1d74f_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5349\/31056375866_d976502817.jpg\" title='fishing boat runway, Rye Harbour'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5349\/31056375866_d976502817_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5746\/31056379726_e1463d2e61.jpg\" title='wartime bunker, Rye Harbour'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5746\/31056379726_e1463d2e61_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5738\/30949712422_f2aa4b16c1.jpg\" title='shingle hut, Rye Harbour 2'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5738\/30949712422_f2aa4b16c1_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5827\/31056386556_af3c5ce83f.jpg\" title='shingle hut, Rye Harbour'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5827\/31056386556_af3c5ce83f_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5477\/30978032521_9f89859d6b.jpg\" title='Cormorants in Rye Harbour Nature Reserve'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5477\/30978032521_9f89859d6b_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5441\/31056391636_ac0efd5283.jpg\" title='Rye Harbour Nature Reserve 3'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5441\/31056391636_ac0efd5283_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5833\/30978038731_14cc549d12.jpg\" title='marsh and moored boats, Rye Harbour'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5833\/30978038731_14cc549d12_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5611\/31056396956_e8e175e18d.jpg\" title='Rye Harbour Nature Reserve 4'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm6.static.flickr.com\/5611\/31056396956_e8e175e18d_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nFacebook Link: <script src=\"http:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/all.js#xfbml=1\"><\/script><fb:like href=\"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/wordpress\/?p=1309\" layout=\"button_count\" show_faces=\"true\" width=\"200\" colorscheme=\"dark\"><\/fb:like><br \/>\n<a href=\"javascript:pwindow=window.open('\/Walks\/prn.php?f=1309','pwin','height=700,width=1000,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes');\" title=\"Click for printable version\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/Walks\/print.gif\" align=\"right\"><\/a><br \/>\nRye Harbour is a strange old place. The ivy-strangled Martello tower and the grim Second World War bunkers tells you that this is a coast that has lain under constant threat of invasion. And the enormous expanse of flint pebbles, spreading inland for more than a mile, betokens the incursions of thousands of tons of shingle, dumped here by the restless sea.<\/p>\n<p>This is moody country on a cold morning. A whistling east wind drove us along the beach. Lesser black-backed gulls sulked on the sandbanks, and redshank foraged fastidiously with jerky steps in the pools of Rye Harbour nature reserve on the inland side of the sea bank.<\/p>\n<p>A pair of human figures patrolled the tideline, probing the beach with long rods as they sucked out lugworms for fishing bait. I set off to find out what they were doing, and sank without warning up to my knees in glutinous mud that I had mistaken for sand. I struggled out, mud-splattered all over. &#8216;See you found a mud hole!&#8217; grinned a passing man in a van. &#8216;Lucky you didn&#8217;t go in over your head, eh!&#8217;<\/p>\n<p>King Henry VIII built Camber Castle as a coastal stronghold to keep the French at bay. Now, five centuries later, the stark grey fortress stands more than a mile inland among wide fields where a thin skin of grass overlies a wilderness of pebbles. We walked a circuit of the eroded bastion walls, then made for a hide on the shores of Castle Water where green-headed shoveller drakes swept the water with heavy spatulate bills. Elegant terns hung over the water on crooked wings, and the big black outline of a marsh harrier ghosted quietly across the reed beds.<\/p>\n<p>Back on the shore we found the gaunt blocky shed from which a crew of Rye Harbour men launched the lifeboat Mary Stanford on a bitter November morning in 1928. She was lost with all hands; 17 men from one tiny village. The lifeboat house has remained locked and unused ever since &#8211; a downbeat memorial to bravery and death on an unforgiving shore.<\/p>\n<p>Start: Rye Harbour car park, Rye, East Sussex TN31 7TU (OS ref TQ 942190)<\/p>\n<p>Getting there: Bus 313 (Northiam-Rye Harbour)<br \/>\nRoad &#8211; Rye Harbour is signed off A259 between Rye and Winchelsea.<\/p>\n<p>Walk (8\u00bc miles, easy, OS Explorer 125): From car park follow sea wall past Lime Kiln Cottage info centre (946186) to river mouth (949181). Right along beach or coast road. In 1 mile pass old lifeboat shed (932172); in another 650m, right inland on path past info board (928168) over 2 crossings (925171 and 921173) for \u00be of a mile to road (917175). Right; just past Castle Farm, fork left (920176) to Camber Castle (922185). Clockwise round castle; on east side, path along fence to wooden gate (924185) leading to bird hide. Return to gate; left through metal gate; field edge south. Left across end of Castle Water to junction (925179); right; in 400m, left through gate no. 9 (923177). On past Camber Cottage (921174); through gate, then left for \u00bd a mile to shore road (928168). Left to lifeboat house; in 300m, left on gravel track (934174). In 300m, through left-hand of two gates (934176); ahead to junction (931178); right on gravel track for 1 mile to road (939191); right to car park.<\/p>\n<p>Lunch: Inkerman Arms (01797-222464) or William the Conqueror PH (01797-223315), Rye Harbour<\/p>\n<p>Accommodation: Ship Inn, Rye TN31 7DB (01797-222233, <a href=\"http:\/\/theshipinnrye.co.uk\">theshipinnrye.co.uk<\/a>) &#8211; friendly, fun atmosphere.<\/p>\n<p>Lime Kiln Cottage info centre; open 10-4 (<a href=\"http:\/\/wildrye.info\">wildrye.info<\/a>); <a href=\"http:\/\/visitengland.com\">visitengland.com<\/a>; <a href=\"http:\/\/satmap.com\">satmap.com<\/a>; <a href=\"http:\/\/ramblers.org.uk\">ramblers.org.uk<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Britain\u2019s Best Walks: 200 Classic Walks from The Times by Christopher Somerville (HarperCollins, \u00a330). To receive 30 per cent off plus free p&#038;p visit <a href=\"http:\/\/harpercollins.co.uk\">harpercollins.co.uk<\/a> and enter code TIMES30, or call 0844 5768122<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rye Harbour is a strange old place. The ivy-strangled Martello tower and the grim Second World War bunkers tells you that this is a coast that has lain under constant threat of invasion.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1310,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1309","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-walks","category-3-id","post-seq-1","post-parity-odd","meta-position-corners","fix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1309","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1309"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1309\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1310"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1309"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1309"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1309"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}