Vineyard tours and wine tasting (1-2 days): Bolney, Ridgeview, Artelium & Highweald Estate
Explore the heart of England’s wine country by taking your pick of these exceptional vineyards or visiting them all.
Bolney Wine Estate is one of England’s pioneering vineyards, with roots going back to the 1970s. Join a guided vineyard tour or enjoy the views with a glass of sparkling on the balcony of The Eighteen Acre restaurant.
Just a few minutes from Bolney ,you’ll find more exceptional vineyards located just a cork’s throw away from each other.
Ridgeview Wine Estate – a family vineyard committed to sustainability – is open daily for visitors, tours, and tastings. Ridgeview’s contemporary vineyard restaurant, The Rows & Vine, makes for an excellent lunch stop.
Two miles away through beautiful Sussex countryside, Artelium is an artisanal wine producer offering a contemporary and artistic twist on the vineyard experience, integrating wine with art and sculpture. Look out for Artelium’s seasonal events, including summer feasting, artist collaborations, and contemporary exhibitions.
Don’t miss the Highweald Wine Estate near Cuckfield, two-time winners of the International Wine Challenge, offering guests a chance to explore the vineyard and take a look behind-the-scenes at the winery. Enjoy a tasting session at the picturesque Garden Bar, which overlooks the Chardonnay vines and surrounding woodland.
Wine tours in Mid Sussex
Glide through the Sussex countryside in style on a Sparkling Sussex E-Bike Tour, where scenic vineyard stops pair perfectly with gentle cycling. Cycling for Softies offers a Sussex Single Centre tour featuring three luxurious nights at Ockenden Manor and daily e-bike rides to nearby award-winning vineyards.
Prefer to sit back and sip? Let someone else take the wheel with Great British Wine Tours, offering bespoke wine experiences for private groups. With a dedicated guide and driver to pick you up from your chosen location and take you to two of Sussex’s finest vineyards.
Sussex food stars (1-2 days): High Weald Dairy, The Oak Barn Restaurant and Bar, Shepherd & Dog, Fulking
Savour Sussex’s standout food stars, from artisan producers to pubs and restaurants championing local menus.
Daily cheese magic is happening in the Ashdown Forest with the High Weald Dairy’s production of award-winning artisan cheeses. Turophiles will love the cheese tours and tastings, which take in the cheese-making process, sampling favourites including the Brighton Blue and Seven Sisters Cheeses.
The Oak Barn Restaurant and Bar on the edge of Burgess Hill is a beautifully restored 250-year-old barn serving outstanding local and seasonal food beneath its historical beams. Sample the daily fresh catch of Shoreham seafood, or visit on a Sunday for one of their legendary roasts.
An award-winning South Downs pub, The Shepherd & Dog, Fulking, offers a warm welcome and a hearty menu featuring local food. Tuck into the pie of the day after a hike to the dramatic Devil’s Dyke valley and enjoy the South Downs views from the beer garden.
Best of breweries (1-2 days): Wobblegate, 360 Degrees, Missing Link
Raise a glass to the local breweries and orchards crafting thirst-quenching beers, ales, and cider.
A passionate family business in Bolney, Wobblegate Orchards produces scrumptious Sussex cider and apple juice, which can be enjoyed from its orchard-side taproom and courtyard, perfect for soaking up views of the South Downs.
The 360° Brewing Company is an independent brewery in Sheffield Park, where you can pick up your pre-ordered beers including Brighton Session IPA and Sussex Haze pale ale.
Hop into the Sussex brewery scene with a visit to Missing Link Brewery and Tap Room, a micro-brewery in the heart of the High Weald countryside. Learn about the brewery process with a tour and visit the taproom to sample the carefully created craft beers and cider made with apples from Missing Link’s own orchard.
Where to stay
Missing Link Glamping has 10 glamping pods set in ancient woodland right next to the Missing Link Brewery. A perfect base for exploring the High Weald National Landscape and other nearby attractions like Wakehurst gardens and the Bluebell Railway.
Worth Forest Glamping in Balcombe is a delightful woodland glamping site with two safari tents and a wooden lodge, ideal as a weekend base for visiting local producers then enjoying a glass of Sussex wine back by the campfire.
