Best base for exploring East Sussex?

[RockingMyFiftiesNot]

As title says, if it were at all possible this year, we'd like to travel around East Sussex for a week - 10 days.

Ideally with just one or two bases. Yes, we can look at a map and work out where seems best but would appreciate suggestions from people who know the area well - e.g. 'don't stay in x as the traffic is awful getting in & out' or ' y is a little known place but perfectly positioned for travelling around' or 'z has the most amazing restaurants' etc

Appreciate it may be next year, but humour me, holiday research is the new holiday!

Anyone?

I'm a bit further away but I'd say somewhere near Eastbourne if you're driving. Cheaper than Brighton but still within reasonable driving distance of the rest of the county and has nicer beaches close by

Also means you can pop over into Kent if choose

We stayed near Rye for a few nights in Oct. That was a good location for getting around, and the beaches did look lovely.

Thank you both. I was thinking of having a few nights near Eastbourne then a few near Rye so that we weren't covering the same ground all the time. Wondered if there were any hidden gems of towns to stay in rather than the bigger better known places?

Best Place for you travel

Cuckmere Haven

Seaford Head

Birling Gap
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If you want to be within easy(ish) reach of most of the major spots then Battle is nice, in a low key sort of way.

Thank you. It looks like such a lovely area, sadly I think it will be a long while until we can visit - but fun planning!

Rye is lovely. I used to take DD crabbing there (and put them back). I second the meandering Cuckmere, Seaford and the Seven Sisters (a very popular geography field trip for all is the area, including Kent - oxbow lakes too I think).
Lovely walks in Ashdown Forest, where Pooh sticks bridge used to be although I heard that it was undergoing repair.
East Grinstead is a nice small town in the area too, should you need a supermarket, although I have been confused with its one way system in the past.

Camber Sands in summer.

@Lobsterquadrille2

Camber Sands in summer.

beach here is beautiful. ,but don't stay in either of the holiday parks...absolute shit holes.

Depends what you are after!
I third Battle, but you will need to be quick off the mark to find accommodation. However, as a tiny town it has a lovely high street and the Abbey. Fabulous walks.
20 min drive to Eastbourne for Beachy Head. 15 to Bexhill and similar to Hastings. All can be done by train easily as well.

Ha ha thank you. We're planning on staying in some nice hotels thanks to all the money we'll have saved not going away over the last year.

you will need to be quick off the mark to find accommodation

Yes I'm sure. We're debating if/when we might be able to go this year and book somewhere with free cancellation.

Pett Level (between Hastings and Winchelsea/Rye) is lovely. Beautiful pebbly beach which is sandy at low tide. Quieter than the resorts either side but a good base for visiting Camber, Rye, Dungeness, Hastings, and Battle.

Thank you @WishIWasAsGoodAsBlueysMum - love finding out about places you don't read about in the guide books, will take a look

If you drive Claverton Hotel might suit you. We have had friends that havr stayed there. Pretty grounds, low key but really nice. Do a fabulous breakfast and also(don't know if it's relevant) have a ground floor family suite.

Camber sands can be lovely but the second the sun comes out, you can't get near it! If you are bored read the reviews of Pontins camber sands

If you want to split between two bases, I'd do a beachy one on the Rye side and then an in-land one the other side say e.g. Ditchling (vair naice village with 2 pubs, a museum, cafes, etc, good access to lovely Downs walks) or Lewes (lovely town, parking can be a bit of a pain but not impossible, The Swan does an amazing Sunday lunch but you need to book)). Lewes has a train station with easy access to places like Eastbourne and Brighton).

The two sides of the county have quite different feels, I think. Lots of lovely National Trust places, castles and walks of every variety (Downs, beaches, woods, Ashdown Forest, etc). No sandy beaches unless at v. low tide apart from Camber.

Cuckmere Haven is beautiful but is absolutely rammed year round now, but still worth it if you've never been before

Lots of great info, just what I was after, thank you all. Just two of us, no children (or if any do tag along they are adults)

Definitely go to the De La Warr in Bexhill

Also, decent galleries in Eastbourne (Towner) and Hastings (was the Jerwood, now Hastings Contemporary)

I would recommend Lewes...it is a lovely town with quirky shops and cafes . It is close to the A27 for scooting in either direction to Brightonor the other way towards Eastbourne,Hastings,Rye etc and fairly close to Ashdown Forest and a lovely place called Barcombe Mills which is on the river Ouse .
East Sussex really is a beautiful area also with the South Downs national park.

Thank you, really appreciate all the suggestions. Eager to go now but expect it will be a while!