Beautiful Crowborough & vicinity

I am going to London for a week in late June, along with a friend. The primary purpose of our visit is to see friends & family. This will be my 6th (I think) trip to London. Most of the trips have been one or two day layovers on the way to somewhere else, so I've never made it out of the city.

I have a friend I have not seen in many years who lives in Crowborough. We are putting together a deal where I go to Crowborough on Saturday and some internet friends join us there. I would head out early by car and meet with everybody. My companion will spend the day with her relatives, then take a late train to join me. We will spend the night in the area, spend the next day pottering around, and return late to London. At least, that's what we are thinking right now. I know, it's not visitor central for the UK, but I want to see these people, so there it is.

My best friend Google tells me all sorts of swell things about Ashdown Forest, the delights of the High Weald Area of Outstanding National Beauty, and a lot of tourist propaganda--I mean other places to see. My Crowborough friend is looking out, but I'd like a second opinion or two. So, to my questions--

We'd like to stay in a nice B&B, you know, one that fits the stereotype of a family owned place where visitors get a warm welcome, a cozy room, and an enormous home cooked breakfast. We are not on a strict budget, so I'm willing to entertain any price for now. The only mandatory requirement is two beds or two rooms, and being no more than about a half hour from Crowborough. Oh, yeah, and near a good place for dinner. Ye Olde Pub is fine, but we aren't into partying, so food is more important than booze and music.

Second, I'd love some opinions about how to occupy a Sunday cruising around the area. Winnie the Pooh. Historical sites. Museums. Short walks. Scenic drives. Lunch. I even like outrageous tourist tat, at least for long enough to have a good laugh. Remember, we've never been there, so anything will be a novelty.

And, third, once things are more settled, I'll post on Chat about the possibility of an opportunity for anyone in London to buy Nutrax a drink.

I'm a big fan of The Spotted Dog for a relaxed lunch in the countryside, particularly if you're visiting nearby Penshurst Place.

Crowborough, as you have discovered, is not all that. There is a good Conan Doyle connection , and if you have time the action in The Poison Belt takes place in Crowborough. Actually if you have even more time why not read Belloc's Four Men as well, which expains why Sussex is the finest county in the world, and will continue long after fiery jusgement has destroyed Kent and Hampshire. Both are in the public domain, and are short.

Ashdown Forest is nice but, be advised, not really a forest. Lots of nice walking to be had.

The train line from London to Uckfield (on which Crowborough sits) is very pretty.

Nearby Tunbridge Wells has enough of interest to fill an afternoon.

The Lamb at Piltdown will do you a nice lunch, as will the Griffin in Fletching.

But why not furhter south and get up on the downs. Shame to come all the way to Sussex and miss out on the downs.

Crowborough is close to Rotherfield, the scene of Rotherfield Hall, which is a wonderfully interesting historic building. No idea whether it is open to visitors: at the time I worked there (nearly 40 years ago!) it was a rather unusual school... Anyway, the countryside around there is absolutely lovely, so any opportunities to walk and enjoy the outdoors will be extremely rewarding.

Hope that in due course I will have an opportunity to buy Nutrax a drink...

But why not furhter south and get up on the downs. Shame to come all the way to Sussex and miss out on the downs.

What would that take? I cannot add more time. It's basically 8 or so hours in the area before driving back to London.

Looks like Rotherfield Hall is not open to the public, but I see that Rotherfield is of major interest because Elvis Presley's daughter has a home there, or rather did. She put it up for sale last year. If it hasn't sold (only £4.5 million) maybe we'll have a look round as potential buyers. The Hall is now privately owned

I know the area to the south better than the other directions , but would agree that if you want lots of stuff in a small area Tunbride Wells would have shops including the historic Pantiles and restaurants. If you are out and about then many of the smaller villages may have closed shops and not much going on.

Lewes (30mins ?) is a traditional market town and will have srtisan shops and places open its only a hort drive from there to pretty places to walk and pubs to visit on the South Downs. It also has a castle and historic buildings such as Southover Grange and Anne of Cleves house which are also likely to be open on a Sunday (worth checking though).

Slightly further afield is the quaint town if Alfriston and access to the Seven Sisters country park where you can go for. A bracing walk.

For what it's worth If heading back on a Sunday evening I'd try and avoid hitting the motorways between 4-7 as the are likely to be very busy especially if its a sunny day !

Good advice from Sussex66.

Lewes is about 40mins from Crowborough, as is Alfriston, and also Ditchling. Any of those would make a good excursion from Crowborough, and any of them would provide some nice walking up on the downs.

As Sussex66 says, Lewes has a castle, you can walk up to Mount Caburn or Black Cap in about an hour and a half, there are nice gardens and the jewel in its crown is Harveys' brewery. The Lewes Arms is a nice pub.

Ditchilng has a good museum, with lots of stuff about notorious dog and sister botherer (and trouser avoider) Eric Gill. Its a large village rather than a town, but you can drive up to Ditchling Beacon for some good high altitude (for Sussex!) walking. The Bull in Ditchling is a good pub.

Alfriston is the one to go for for chocolate-box good looks. From there you can go and look at the long Man of Wilmington, Or drive up to High-and-Over for good views over the Cuckmere valley.

Between Alfriston and Lewes there's Charleston, if you like some Virginia Woolfe action, or the Sussex Cider Centre at Middle Farm if you're a cider fan.

But, having said all that, your Crowborough contact probably knows some awesome Ashdown Forest walks that are outside my area of expertise.

Update. FYI, will be staying with relatives in Shepherd's Bush.

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