Blog

Dodging expense in the South-East of England

18 Aug 2026

By Maurice Tse-Leon, Head of Marketing

On a day out with kids, there are numbers everywhere. Some are less fun for parents like seeing the price list on an ice-cream van.

Here Head of Marketing, Maurice, shares some tips for spending the bare minimum in East Sussex.

Maurice with his children at a pub table

I live in Hassocks, just north of Brighton at the foot of the South Downs. I’ve got three kids so that tends to dictate a lot of life.

Having the Downs as a backdrop never gets old. That colour palette of the pale green fields, yellow crops and white chalk always feels warm to me – perhaps that’s because I grew up by the slate-grey sea of the North-West!

It’s also blooming expensive around here, with London’s influence pushing up the price of everything. So here’s my idea for a day out for less than £50, using our feet and public transport.

Trip to Southease

9:30am – Set off

We walk to the station via the bakery and Sainsbury’s to pick up lunch and snacks, costing about £25. That’s a big chunk of the budget, but if you’re disciplined it’ll stretch most of the day.

I also make sure to pack pens and paper for the kids to use on the train and during any downtime.

10am – Get to the station

For me and the kids, an off-peak return to Southease costs £13.30. The train journey is very much part of the day out. The kids love it. Last time, the conductor even gave them blank tickets with little animal stickers on.

The train gets into Brighton at 10:13am, giving us 23 minutes to change before the 10:36am train to Southease.

Find a good seat, get comfortable and break out the pens and paper.

Maurice's children on the train, with pens and paper

11:06am – Arrive at Southease

What’s at Southease, you might ask? Absolutely nothing – and that’s what I love about it.

There’s a tiny platform in the middle of the fields, surrounded by the South Downs National Park. As soon as you get off, you can hear birdsong (an opportunity for me to geek out about such things) and the kids are free to charge about and make noise.

Follow the quiet road towards Southease, crossing the River Ouse on an old bridge. The village is beautiful and ancient, with a little football pitch and, near the church, a tree with a rope swing. There’s also a free public tap for topping up water bottles.

The cool, quiet church is usually open too, while the graveyard is full of wildflowers.

12pm – Early lunch

Lay out your picnic under the tree or on the bench by the church and dig in.

Maurice's children playing on a tree swing

12:30pm – Walk to the pub

In my opinion, a countryside walk isn’t complete without a pub. The Abergavenny Arms is within reach, with a mostly off-road path along the east side of Piddinghoe Road.

You’ll probably need a few sweets to keep the kids moving.

1:15pm – Pub stop

With £11.70 left in the budget, you should be able to get a drink for everyone – although you might have to forgo that pint and opt for a lime soda (I'll fess up that I went a bit over budget here!)

There’s no need to rush back to the station. Trains from Southease run only once an hour, at five past the hour, so take your time.
Head out of the back of Rodmell and you’ll hit the River Ouse again, where you can follow a lovely walk south towards the station.

3:05pm – Train home

After changing at Brighton, we’re back in Hassocks at 4:02pm.

By the time we get home, the kids are exhausted and have earned a bit of telly.

Mission complete.

Total cost: around £50 for a full day out, including travel, food and a pub stop.

Try the National Numeracy Challenge

However you feel about maths, you’re not alone. The National Numeracy Challenge is a free and easy-to-use website you can use to improve your confidence with numbers, in your own time and at your own pace.

It’s ideal for brushing up, checking your level, or for catching up on learning you missed, and it’s all about the maths you need in daily life and at work – no algebra or trigonometry.

Give it a go

Image showing the Challenge on a computer monitor

Dodging expense in the South-East of England