Famous for its long hours of sunshine and its popularity with the retired, Eastbourne may not be the obvious choice for a twenty-somethings’ weekend break. Helen Smithson heads south to prove the doubters wrong.

THE South Coast seaside resort Eastbourne is famed for two things – its popularity with the retired, and endless hours of glorious sunshine. With the latter in mind, I packed my Factor 15 and sunglasses, and journeyed to the South Downs for a weekend of trackside thrills and classic cars with my partner, Sean.

Several hours of internet research showed the quickest way to reach Eastbourne from the North-East is flying from Newcastle to London Gatwick, then travelling from the airport to Eastbourne by train or hire car. The flight takes just over an hour, with a further hour’s journey from Gatwick to Eastbourne.

Flights are best booked in advance.

Sean and I booked two days before departure and were stung for over £200 each for return flights. Just to rub salt in the wounds, we overheard a fellow passenger boasting about paying £30 for the same flight three weeks previously.

We stayed at the three-star Hydro Hotel, in Eastbourne, in a lovely room with a beautiful sea view.

Friday is tribute act night at Eastbourne’s Bandstand, which is hugely popular with residents and tourists. Acts booked throughout the summer include tributes to Abba, Girls Aloud, and Pink Floyd.

On the night of our visit it was the turn of BeeGees tribute band Stayin’ Alive. Visitors packed into the arena, and dozens more watched the event from the Promenade.

On Saturday morning we visited Beachy Head, which offers picture postcard-perfect views across the coastline and the white cliffs synonymous with the South Coast.

Our next port of call was Drusillas Zoo, six miles outside Eastbourne, which is a must-see for families.

It’s best to allow several hours to explore the park, which has dozens of exotic and domestic animals of all shapes and sizes. Thomas The Tank Engine rides are on offer throughout the day, plus a paddling pool and adventure play equipment that looked incredibly exciting, even to us, as mid-twenty-somethings.

After a quick freshen-up at the hotel, it was time for speedway.

As a speedway virgin, I had no idea what to expect from an event involving motorbikes with no brakes flying round a track.

The warm smell of fuel that hangs around the stadium is intoxicating and exciting, and the bikes throw bits of shale from the track over the crash barriers as they whizz by. Hundreds of people attended the event, and there was a great buzz amongst spectators in the stadium.

There were 15 heats, two of which were abandoned due to riders coming off their bikes. I’m surprised there weren’t more.

After the high-speed excitement of the speedway, Sunday morning served up a less frenetic type of motoring.

It was the final day of the Magnificent Motors event in the town, and started off with a vintage car cavalcade along the seafront.

Sean and I were lucky enough to be front-seat passengers in a 1958 Mercury Montclair with its owners, Tim and Kathy Richardson, and their eight-year-old granddaughter, Georgina.

The car, which is the only one of its kind in the UK, is believed to be a former FBI vehicle, complete with siren, which turned many heads on the short trip. It was an unforgettable experience, and the highlight of the trip for both of us.

After looking round the hundreds of vehicles on display, and an adjoining continental market, we said farewell to Eastbourne and set off for the airport.

En route, we stopped at the Arlington Bluebell Walk and Farm Trail – 23 acres of picturesque woodland which is carpeted in a beautiful blanket of bluebells.

Circular walks range in length from under a mile to almost three miles, and raise money for local charities.

Having built up an appetite, our next call was the nearby town of Lewes in search of Sunday lunch. We stopped at the first pub we came to – The Volunteer – and it was a lucky choice.

In the days when chain pubs rule, this place is a breath of fresh air. It serves home-cooked Sunday lunch with a modern twist in a light and airy dining room, accompanied by chilled-out acoustic indie tunes.

We thought it perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon following an unexpectedly exciting weekend.

■ visiteastbourne.com ■ hydrohotel.com or 01323-720643