THE WEALDEN WINE TRAIL: A DAY TRIP FROM LONDON.
Good things come to those who wait. I have long hoped that England will follow the likes of France and South Africa, by creating wine trails that showcase the vineyards of a particular area. It with great excitement that the Wealden Wine Trail is here. Although this is not the first wine trail in England – it is a unique one, which brings together vineyards in Sussex.
This blog post sets out all you need to know about visiting the Wealden Wine Trail, including how to visit the vineyards from London on the train.
What is the Wealden Wine Trail?
The Wealden Wine Trail is an initiative linked to Wealden Council aimed at showcasing the artistry of vineyards in a particular area of Sussex. Twelve vineyards have joined forces to create the Wealden Wine Trail, which brings together well known names like Rathfinny, with more bijou and lesser known vineyards.
Each of the vineyard offers the chance for visitors to enjoy food and a wine tasting or tour. There are also events throughout the summer. You can find more detail about how to visit some of the Wealden Wine Trail by public transport in this blog post below.
The offical website for the Wealden Wine Trail can be found here.
The Wealden Wine Trail: A map
The map below shows the 12 vineyards that make up the Wealden Wine Trail. I have also included the train stations that have direct links to London.
Can you walk or cycle along the Wealden Wine Trail?
Although it is called a “trail” by name, there is not actually a cycling or walking trail to get you from one vineyard on the Wealden Wine Trail to another. It is possible to drive between the vineyards, or pick one, two or even three vineyards and visit them on a day trip.
You could potentially walk between a few of the vineyards on the Wealden Wine Trail, but cycling may be better. Additionally, many of the vineyards offer space to park your bicycle and lock it securely.
How to visit the Wealden Wine Trail from London
Now, if you’re anything like me, the idea of driving to a vineyard seems utterly pointless! As soon as I heard about the Wealden Wine Trail, the first thing I wanted to do was plot how I might get to the vineyards using public transport.
There are six train stations with direct connections to London that will give you access to the vineyards of the Wealden Wine Trail – these are Tunbridge Wells, Eridge, Wadhurst, Uckfield and Crowborough. From these stations, a handful of vineyards will be accessible by foot, by bike, in a cab or on a local bus. I’ve set out below a few possible itineraries for day trips from London to the Wealden Wine Trail.
1. Crowborough & Eridge – visit three vineyards in one day
Option one is probably my preferred itinerary for a day trip from London to the Wealden Wine Trail. This is for two reasons. Firstly, it gives you the chance to visit up to three vineyards in a day! Secondly, it is probably the easiest option from London on public transport.
From London Bridge, the train to Eridge takes 56 minutes. The first stop is Wildwood Vineyard, a 12 minute walk or a 3 minute cycle from Eridge Train Station. Wildwood Vineyard is a boutique vineyard, which has won numerous wine awards. Tours and tastings are £12 only and take place twice a day on Saturdays and Sundays – booking required.
Later, return to Eridge and take the six minute train to Crowborough. From Crowborough train station, Downsview Vineyard is a 30 minute walk, a 9 minute cycle ride or a 5 minute cab ride away. Wine tastings and tours cost £25 and must be booked in advance (here).
After Downsview, you have the option to continue to a third vineyard – Coes Farm. It is a little too far to walk, but if you are cycling it is an easy 20 minutes away.
From Coes Farm, enjoy the last 20 minute cycle ride back to Crowborough Train Station (or take a cab if required!)
Stay overnight
A super option would be to stay overnight in the glamping site at Downsview Vineyard. Find out more information here.
Tips for this day out
Pay for a return to Crowborough train station, as this will be your final destination. Eridge and Crowborough are on the same train line to London Bridge.
This itinerary would also work backwards, so you could start your day with the vineyards near to Crowborough and then work backwards to Eridge.
Personally, I’d recommend taking your bike with your for this adventure. Although it is possible to walk or take cabs, cycling from the train stations would speed things up.
Plan ahead with timings to make most of the hourly train services.
2. Uckfield – visit two vineyards in one day
Uckfield is a one hour 15 minute train ride from London Bridge. The train station offers the chance to visit a few different vineyards, depending on your appetite for taking cabs or cycling, and your thirst for wine.
The two that are closest to Uckfield that I would recommend are Tickerage Wine and Beacon Down Vineyard. Start with Tickerage, the closest to the station (a 10 minute cab or 20 minute bike ride). Tours and tastings are offered to only a limited number of people throughout the summer, so book ahead.
A further 20 minute bike ride away is Beacon Down, where tours and tastings are offered for a very reasonable £15. Include a picnic for an additional £15. I also love that Beacon Down open up on Saturday afternoons in summer – you can meander around the vines self-guided and have a free tasting too!
3. Wadhurst – visit Mousehall Vineyard & Distillery
Wadhurst train station is on a direct line to London Bridge, Charing Cross and Waterloo East. Trains run frequently and take one hour and five minutes. Mousehall Vineyard is a one hour walk, 20 minute cycle or 10 minute cab ride from the train station.
I think Mousehall Vineyard makes an excellent day trip from London, not least because it is both a vineyard and a distillery. They produce their own craft gin and vodka, as well as wine. At the moment, you can only visit to take a distillery tour and tasting (£25), but I expect that wine tasting won’t be far off now that Mousehall is part of the Wealden Wine Trail.
Stay overnight
Mousehall also offers luxury accommodation, so if you wanted to make a weekend of it, you could!
Prefer an organised tour?
If visiting these vineyards independently sounds too complicated for you – why not book an organised tour of the Sussex vineyards? You can find out about the best Kent & Sussex vineyard tours here.
Where to next?
A few of my favourite things
Looking for a gift for yourself or a wine lover in your life? Here are a few of my favourite English Wine things.
Please note that some links on my website are partnered with affiliates. Using an affiliate link does not make it more expensive for you to purchase. We receive a small commission whenever you buy something which in turn allows me to keep writing independent content. Your support is greatly appreciated.
I participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Leave a Reply to 10 ways to improve wine tourism in Great Britain – English Wine GuideCancel reply