The Local Area

Great Activities near to Tovey Lodge

Food & Drink

Food and drink can be found in a choice of venues within our little village & nearby. Chestertons not only sells fine grocery, local produce, cakes & savouries to take away to make a picnic or snack on the move but also serves light bites & tea or coffee in the shop, their garden & the new upstairs rooms. Ditching Tea Rooms has tea, coffee cakes & snacks while both The White Horse & The Bull Pubs offer coffee & food as well as good beer and wines. Even our fine museum has a cafe for snacks or drinks. Further afield the Greyhound pub in Keymer serves good & reasonably priced food & the Corner Cafe in Hassocks is easy for families & offers Glutton free bites.

Stoneywish Nature Reserve

On the edge of Ditchling was a former dairy farm just below the South Downs & is now a 50 acres haven for birds and wildlife with an abundance of wildflowers. Their Emett hut features work by the Ditchling based inventor and cartoonist Rowland Emett & their unique picture archive makes an interesting winter activity. The whole family will also enjoy the Shaker-style herb garden, the animals & the large children’s play area.

Washbrooks Family Farm

In a beautiful location overlooking the South Downs near the historic village of Hurstpierpoint. It makes a great day out whatever the weather as young children can meet all their favourite farm animals under one roof or play in their large indoor & outdoor play areas & their tea room serves good home cooked food.

Bentley Wildfowl & Motor Museum

This museum in Halland offers a good outing for the whole family. About 125 different species can be seen from varied pathways through the 23 acres wildfowl reserve. The cars of every era and many marques displayed in the museum vary from time to time making return visits more exciting. A former stable block has been converted into an attractive licensed tearoom serving lunches, home-made cakes and cream teas.

Drusilla’s Zoo Park

Drusilla’s is more than a zoo, where one day is often not enough, is on the A27 at Alfriston, about 6 miles from Eastbourne and 12 miles from Brighton. It was voted the number one attraction in Sussex for days out with the kids by Southern FM listeners & Argus readers, & now is listed 12th in the Sunday Times 50 Best Days out in Britain.

Glyndebourne Opera House

Glyndebourne world famous and World Class Opera house is less than 10 miles away. Single-handedly in an endeavour spanning over 70 years Glyndebourne restarted and reinvigorated Opera in England by innovation and with great courage. Today it offers unique presentations in the Sussex countryside. It attracts world leading performers because of its unsurpassed standards, wonderful opera house and its devotion to bring the best in opera to as many as possible.

English Vine Tours

English Vine Tours is a unique company based in Sussex providing wine tour experiences across the UK. An English vineyard tour offers you the opportunity to visit many of the UK vineyards, walk through the vines, learn about the inner workings of a winery and taste the English wines in production. With over 20 years of experience in the general wine trade English Vine Tours offer a unique blend of wine knowledge and experience, making your wine tour not only an enjoyable activity but also an informative one.

Other Local Attractions

• Brighton and Lewes 7 miles
• Plumpton Race Course 3 miles
• Brighton Race course 7 miles
• South downs way 1/2 mile
• Walking and horse riding on the doorstep
• Golf courses 1 mile and 2 miles away
• Ditchling Beacon Scenic Area on South Downs 1/2 mile
• Ditchling Common Country Park Scenic Area 1 mile
• Ditchling Museum Church Lane, Ditchling 1/2 mile
• Lewes Castle and Barbican House 169 High Street, Lewes 7 miles

Local Amenities

• Shop/Post Office
• Country Parks
• Golf nearby
• Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
• New National Park
• Hill Walking
• Riding nearby