7 Days Out for Grown-ups this Easter

April 13, 2017

Looking for some inspiration for the Easter weekend? Here are some top tips on how to make the most out of your visit to the South Downs National Park this Bank Holiday…

Visit a South Downs Brewery

We have several award-winning independent breweries in the South Downs. Most of these offer brewery tours, giving beer lovers a chance to find out exactly how their favourite pints go from grain to glass.

Book your place on a tour by following the links to the breweries below:

Ballards Brewery Ltd, Nyewood, Hampshire

Langham Brewery, Lodsworth, West Sussex

Beachy Head Brewery, East Dean, East Sussex

Tour a world class vineyard

Vineyards are an increasingly common sight on the south-facing slopes of the South Downs. Our chalky hills are part of the same rock that runs through the French Champagne region, which lies just 88 miles to the south. Our warmer, later summers are ideal for ripening the grapes used in making sparkling wine, while cool breezes coming in from the sea add needed acidity to the flavour.

We have many vineyards producing award-winning drinks in the South Downs, with the region increasingly being praised for the quality of its wines. A day out at a vineyard is certainly something that should be on your South Downs bucket list!

Visit the websites below for more details on booking yourself on a tour:

Blackdown Ridge Estate, Blackdown Park, West Sussex

Stopham Vineyard, Stopham, Pulborough, West Sussex

Rathfinny Estate, Alfriston, East Sussex

Ridgeview Estate Vineyard, Ditchling, East Sussex

Upperton Vineyard, Tillington, West Sussex

Plan a Delicious Day Out

If you’re looking for a way to combine your love of food and drink with getting active and exploring the National Park, our Delicious Days Out leaflets have you covered.

The South Downs is overflowing with delicious local food and drink and our Delicious Days Out leaflets will help you experience a selection of what it has to offer and give you a chance to burn off some of the extra calories…

Download one of our leaflets below or visit South Downs Food to plan your own foodie adventure.

Delicious Days Out – Lewes and Ditchling

Delicious Days Out – Midhurst and Lavant Valley

Visit a Beautiful Private Garden

If you’re looking for inspiration for your own garden, or just want to admire some of the most beautiful gardens in the South East, why not visit a private garden this Easter?

The National Garden Scheme helps garden owners open their beautiful gardens to the public, sharing their passion and raising money for charity. Raising £2.7 million in 2016 alone, their beneficiary charities are: The Queen’s Nursing Institute, Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Carers Trust, Hospice UK, Perennial, Parkinson’s UK and other guest charities

Check the National Garden Scheme website to find a private garden near you.

Visit a National Trust property

The National Trust has several interesting and historically important properties in the South Downs. Visiting one is a great way to spend a day in the National Park, learn about its history and support the work of the National Trust.

Finding properties close to where you’d like to visit is easy on the National Trust website, we’ve also listed some of our favourites below.

Winchester City Mill, Winchester – a restored water mill situated on the River Itchen in the centre of Winchester, Hampshire

Hinton Ampner, Alresford – an elegant country house with highly distinctive gardens

Uppark House and Garden, South Harting – a tranquil and intimate 18th-century house

Petworth House, Petworth – a stately mansion nestled in the South Downs housing the finest art collection in the care of the National Trust

Monk’s House, near Lewes – Leonard and Virginia Woolf’s 17th-century country retreat

Alfriston Clergy House, Alfriston – Medieval thatched Wealden hall-house and picturesque garden

Get Active

With over 3,300km of footpaths, bridleways and byways in total across the National Park, there certainly isn’t a shortage of places to walk or cycle off your Easter calories (or perhaps work up an appetite for even more!)

Below is a selection of our walking and cycling leaflets to give you some inspiration, you can find our complete collection on the Walking and Cycling pages.

As always, if you are enjoying the South Downs with your four-legged companion, make sure to Take the Lead!

Learn about one of Britain’s most famous Philosophers

Arundel Museum is showcasing the life and work of C.E.M. Joad this Easter, to mark the anniversary of his death on April 9 1953. The Museum will be displaying Joad artefacts and manuscripts and offer visitors a chance to learn more about his life and work.

As one of the most prominent intellectuals of his time, Joad helped to popularise Philosophy and was a peer of George Bernard Shaw and Bertrand Russel.

For more information, visit the Arundel Museum website.