Things to do

"We liked the proximity to Lewes, a lovely town with nice cafes, restaurants, easy access to supermarkets and nice pubs.
The location is great for exploring the area and visiting the Seven Sisters Country Park and castles. Thanks so much for a lovely weekend." R & D, London
Here are some of our highlights, we have also compiled a map of our favourite places to eat, walk, visit and shop which can be seen here

Lewes & Downland Villages
Our county town of Lewes is ten minutes away, with its historic high street, independent shops, Norman castle and Bonfire celebrations. Excellent for antique hunting, flea markets and auction houses. There are many surrounding Downland villages worth exploring, notably;

• Alfriston
• Ditchling
• Firle                                                                          
  

Art & Literature
Sussex has always been a haven for artists and writers, with many homes and festivals to visit;

• Charleston's Literary and Garden Festivals and their Makers events
• Farley Farmhouse the home of Surrealist Roland Penrose & photographer Lee Miller
• Walk in the footsteps of artist Eric Ravilious
• Rudyard Kipling's home at Batemans
• Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft the award winning local museum and gallery
  

Food & Drink
As you may know, the many vineyards around us are producing internationally regarded award winning wines, notably at Breaky Bottom, Ridgeview and the new Rathfinny Estate, but we can point you towards some small boutique producers too.

Alternatively you can sample your way through the Cider and Perry Collection at Middle Farm Shop, the beer at Harveys Brewery, or at one of the many wonderful pubs. We champion our exceptional food producers too, pick up award winning cheeses from High Weald Dairy and Golden Cross, or stock up from the food markets and farm shops.

We have also compiled a map of our favourite places to eat, walk, visit and shop which can be seen on Google Maps here
Click on the different categories to view

Music Festivals
The world famous Glyndebourne Opera House is three miles from Upper Lodge, with its summer Festival and touring performances in October. Members get priority for tickets, but the public booking for 2020 will open online on Sunday 8 March at 6pm.
If jazz is your bag the newly popular Love Supreme Jazz Festival is also only a ten minute drive from here and is held every July in the grounds of Glynde Place

National Trust & History
There are many beautiful houses and places to visit, but our top picks would be;

• Batemans - Rudyard Kipling's house
• Bluebell Railway - Historic steam railway
• Bodiam Castle - Moated c14th castle
• Michelham Priory - Medieval moated priory
• Nymans - Romantic ruin & garden
• Penshurst Place - Medieval house & garden
• Sheffield Park - Repton / Brown landscape
• Standen - Arts and Crafts house and garden
  

Walks
We are at the foot of the South Downs National Park and the South Downs Way stretches from Winchester to Eastbourne. Near us at its eastern end are the iconic Seven Sisters, Beachy Head and Cuckmere Haven. Alternatively you could opt to hire bicycles from the Cycle Shack in Lewes and in spring the Arlington Bluebell Walk should not be missed.

We are members of the Cyclist's and Walker's Welcome Scheme and offer a warm welcome to both. We can help with maps, advice and even a bicycle pump. If you are new to hiking there's a beginners guide here.

Bloomsbury in Sussex
The country homes and haunts of the Bloomsbury Group are all on our doorstep;

• Leonard & Virginia Woolf's country home   at Monk's House in Rodmell
  
• The home of Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell at Charleston Farmhouse (above)
• Their paintings at Berwick Church
• Vita Sackville-West's Sissinghurst Castle is less than an hour away

Gardens & Plants
We love gardening and if you do too you won't be disappointed with what the area offers;

• Kew Garden's country base and Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst Place
• Graham Gough's wonderful nursery, Marchants Hardy Plants
• Sarah Raven's beautiful garden at Perch Hill 
• The landscape gardens at Sheffield Park
  
• Plus the world famous gardens at Sissinghurst Castle and Great Dixter are less than an hour away

Sport and Leisure
We can highly recommend a local day spa called
The Reading Rooms if you'd like to be pampered. The oldest freshwater public swimming pool in the country is in Lewes with other wild swimming options nearby. You can hire a canoe or paddleboard at Cuckmere Haven, or from The Anchor Inn at Barcombe.