East Hill Cliff Railway

The view from Hastings Country Park (naturally) inspired the invention of the Television. It was at the top of this awe inspiring hill that the grand idea first struck John Logie Baird — but as the young inventor rushed home to start his experiments, he had to wait. The steepest ride in England was his only way down.

East Hill Cliff Railway is the pride of Hastings, a small town on the southern coast of England. It was in the early 1900s that the local borough council first recognized the need for an easier way up the hill that led to the city’s most beautiful viewpoint. Their solution? The steepest funicular railway in the country, carrying passengers on a dizzying journey from the base of the hill to the entrance of the country park.

Adventurers have long used the lift to reach this mystical spot, wandering in the same way that Baird did when inspiration struck. In the decades since, television has changed the world. But the park and its trusty railway? Well, they remain the same. For the newest explorers of these famed grounds, inspiration awaits.

Written By: Drew Tweedy