Wondering and Wandering with Artifact and Site: The Amazing Race Part I: Bath to Hastings

The next three days of our journey played out like episodes of "The Amazing Race." For the uninitiated, "The Amazing Race" is a TV series which features pairs of travellers racing around the world against one another, while following clues given to them in envelopes marked

"Route Info," (general clue that may include a task to be completed before moving on)

"Road Block," (a task that must be completed by one team member before the team can move on)

or "Detour." (a choice of two tasks)

Along the way there are also "Fast Forwards," "Yields," U-turns," and "Speed Bumps," all of which are self-explanatory. At the end of each leg of the race, teams rest and recover at a Pit Stop.

Here is how our journey became "The Amazing Race."

Route Info: Travel from Bath, on the West coast, to Hastings, on the Southeast coast, in time so Christie can make it to 1066 Battle of Hastings Battlefield Abbey and Battlefield before it shuts for the day.

Speed Bump: No direct train service. Travellers must take train from Bath to London Paddington and then switch to the London underground, riding the Bakerloo Line to Oxford Circus and then switch to the Victoria Line to London Victoria.

Road Block: Travellers must do this while pulling large, heavy suitcases and carrying backpacks filled with various technological equipment.

Fast forward: Short wait for train at Victoria!

Fast forward: Christie spots Battle train station several stops before Hastings station. Sees it's a quick ride back to goal destination from Pitt Stop location (Hastings).

Route info: It's 2:00 pm and the Battlefield closes at 6:00 pm. Travellers must get from the Hastings train station to their hotel, check in, leave luggage, and get back to train station in time to catch train back to Battle.

Detour: Travellers arrive at lovely hotel overlooking the ocean. The beach is calling loudly! Travelers must choose whether to relax by ocean or push on towards goal. Christie decides to push on. Jennie gives in to call from the ocean.

Speed Bump: Travelers haven't had lunch and it's nearly 3:00 pm. Christie stops to buy sandwich and drink at supermarket using £20 note (all ATM would dispense). Cashier insists it was a £10 and tells Manager. Manager reviews CCTV footage (unbeknownst to Christie) and deems it inconclusive. Expensive sandwich and 20 minutes wasted.

Road Block: Trains to Battle delayed 20 minutes due to track issues.

Route Info: Christie must walk 20 minutes uphill to battlefield from station. It's nearly 4:00 pm and site closes at 6:00 pm.

Pitt Stop: Christie arrives at the Abbey's gatehouse and Battlefield visitor center and staff assure her she has plenty of time. Phew!

Several years after the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror founded Battle Abbey out of gratitude for his victory and as a monument to those who died here in 1066. The former Abbot's great hall and library are now a private school.

The remains of the Abbey's latrine block, novice dormitory, and cloister can still be seen from the path.

A lovely woodland path surrounds the 100 acre battlefield's perimeter and allows for observing from several vantage points.

William, Duke of Normandy's view up the hill to where King Harold's army awaited them.

King Harold's view of the Norman advance from the ridge top. It's hard to believe, but no relics from the battle have ever been found on the battlefield.

What remains of the the Abbey church.

The Abbey thrived for 400 years until 1538. It was a victim of Henry VIII's suppression of monasteries.

A stone marks the spot believed to be where King Harold eventually died. The Bayeux Tapestry depicts him being struck in the eye by an arrow on the battlefield.

The precinct wall surrounding the Abbey.

Route Info: It's 6:00 pm and Christie must now walk back to the Battle train station, catch a train back to Hastings in time to meet Jennie between for dinner between 6:30 and 7:00 pm.

Speed Bump: It's 6:20 pm and a train to Hastings has just arrived. Despite her best efforts, Christie misses the train because it was loaded with commuters arriving home from work in London and they don't seem to notice/care as she pushes through them saying, "Can I please get through? I need to make this train!"

Road Block: The train she just missed was actually 30 minutes late arriving and she'll wait another 30 minutes until the next one arrives.

Pitt Stop: It's 7:20pm and Jennie is sound asleep. Never knew Christie was late.

I was exhausted (as you can see), but gorgeous, fresh Dover Sole at the most popular seafood restaurant in Hastings, White's, was my reward at the end of the day.