Brighton (England’s version of San Francisco!)
Brighton is one of England’s most vibrant cities, and often compared to the Californian city of San Francisco. It’s very creative (art, music, writing) and popular with vegans (it many grocery stores and zero waste shops), environmentalists (the local MP is Green) and gay people. Brighton is also home to The Big Lemon, a private solar bus service.
If at the coast, read about how to keep dogs safe by the seaside.
The Royal Pavilion was lavishly decorated by King George IV (labelled by English Heritage as ‘Britain’s most useless monarch’) whose lavish spending caused riots in Ely, when people were living on water and gruel. He also amassed massive debts at the public’s expense, remodelling Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle (although he did repent his ways on his deathbed).
Brighton is also home to one iconic seaside pier (the only one left out of three, the others both destroyed in storms).
George IV also used to own a mansion in Moulsecoomb (now one of the city’s largest housing estates, with a forest garden project that offers plots for people to grow their own organic food. Green peer Jenny Jones (unlike Michelle Mone who took the title Baroness of Mayfair) stood true to her roots, and is known as Baroness Jenny of Moulsecoomb, after the council estate where she grew up!
Roedean School (very humble beginnings)
Roedean is ‘the poshest girls’ school in England’, with past students including Tessa Dahl and actresses Sarah Miles and Honeysuckle Weeks.
But it had humble beginnings, founded by three sisters in 1885, who had fallen on hard times while caring for their father (injured in a climbing accident) and believed that girls should have good education. Today, there is even a Brighton bus called ‘the Lawrence sisters!’
Lewes: A Historic Sussex Castle Town
Lewes is one of England’s oldest towns, with the ancient buildings and castle still standing. It even has its own local currency. The beautiful notes are used like gift vouchers. Only for independent shops and services, you pay and then receive your change in sterling.
The River Ouse makes for lovely walks, or pop to the monthly farmers’ market, for Sussex produce and fresh bread. Not so good are 5th November celebrations, due to firework hazards.
If you are going to light a bonfire, gently lift the base with broom handles, and shine a torch in, to check for hedgehogs. If it’s clear, light from one side only, so anything in the heap has a chance to escape.
