South Downs: Sussex Gardens Tour 2022

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8 Days / 7 Nights
Availability : June 10 - Only one departure
Start: Abingworth Hall, Thakeham, West Sussex, England
End: Abingworth Hall, Thakeham, West Sussex, England
South Downs: Sussex Gardens Tour: 7 nights based at Abingworth Hall, Thakeham, West Sussex

Contact DHTour at 1-888-597-3519 or 905-639-9954 or [email protected] to book.

Sussex is home to an enviable array of top-quality historic gardens; we’ll visit some of the best on this trip full of horticultural highlights. Parham House delights with its four-acre walled garden while Highdown showcases how to design a garden within an abandoned chalk quarry. Wander the extensive grounds of Wakehurst Place – home to the Millennium Seed Bank – and be inspired by the classic rose and Italian gardens of Borde Hill. There are more gardens to be enjoyed at Arundel Castle, West Dean and Sussex Prairies.

DetailItineraryDates & PricesHotel DescriptionMapPhotos
Tour Details

Highlights:

  • Discover a unique collection of plants and trees in the stunningly beautiful chalk gardens of Howdown
  • Wakehurst Place, has beautiful ornamental gardens, woodlands, a nature reserve and is home to the largest wild seed conservation project in the world
  • Parham House Gardens – stunning Herbaceous borders, a glass house, vegetable garden, Orchard and a 1920s Wendy House
  • Explore Borde Hill gardens a series of of ‘linked garden rooms’ each with its own character and style

Pick Up Location & TIme

Abingworth Hall, Storrington Road, Thakeham, West Sussex, RH20 3EF (Google Map)
4:00pm – You’re welcome to check into the country house hotel from 4pm onwards.

Drop off Location & Time

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way onward.

Price Includes

  • High quality en-suite upgraded accommodation at Abingworth Hall
  • Excellent food in our country house, full board (B,L,D daily)
  • The services of our knowledgeable leader, ensuring you get the most from your holiday
  • Full-day excursions with all transport on touring days in a good-quality, comfortable mini-coach
  • All admission costs including those for English Heritage, National Trust, and RHS Gardens

Meals

  • 7 breakfasts
  • 6 lunches
  • 7 dinners
  • 0 teas

Price Excludes

  • Airfare
  • Transfers
  • Pre / Post hotel nights
  • Travel to/from the Country Hotel (The nearest railway station is Pulborough)
  • Admissions to some venues with stately homes/houses which incur a separate admission fee (please allow approx. £10 per day for entrances)
  • Driver / Tour Leader gratuity is at your discretion
  • Travel Insurance
What to Expect

Unpack Once!

Explore places of interest, beauty, heritage and wonder. Enjoy active guided sightseeing on relaxed-pace trips to revel in the history, landscapes, architecture and culture of your chosen destination. Our knowledgeable leaders will provide fascinating detail to bring it all to life. Travel between locations by mini-coach or public transport following a carefully planned itinerary.

  • Accommodation at a country house hotel
  • Full Board Meals – from dinner on arrival day to breakfast on departure day
  • Knowledgeable leader
  • Transport between locations

As you’ll be walking around the gardens please bring solid, comfortable footwear for rough, wet or uneven terrain in gardens, and clothes for the great British weather! Please also expect to spend most of the day on your feet exploring the gardens you visit.

Itinerary

Day 1Arrival Day

You’re welcome to check in from 4pm onwards. (D)

Accommodation: Abingworth Hall

Day 2Arundel Castle Gardens and Denmans

During the morning we will spend our time in Arundel Castle’s amazing gardens, which have surprises around each corner and are a delight for everyone. Enjoy the tranquility of the rose garden or the quirky design of the stumpery in beautiful historical surroundings.

We spend the afternoon at Denmans. The garden here is only four acres in size but offers a lot of inspiration for visitors. Providing ideas which they can try in their own garden. (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Abingworth Hall

Day 3West Dean Gardens & Parham House

There have been gardens on the site at West Dean since 1622. JC Loudon mentioned a number of the rare trees on the site and this is reflected in today’s woodland plantings. There is also a magnificent walled garden laid out with herbaceous borders backed by climbers and a walled kitchen garden growing all manner of produce and flowers for cutting. A long pergola covered in wisteria and other climbers dates back to Edwardian times while the historic greenhouses protect a large array of plants. The gardens are also renowned for their large collection of fruit trees. In the afternoon we head to Parham House, a beautiful mansion with some lovely gardens surrounded by a deer park. A 4–acre walled kitchen garden is now the main focus of ornamental plants with fabulous borders. (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Abingworth Hall

Day 4Free day

A free day for you to explore the local area or to relax in the Country House. Our Discovery Points help you make the most out of your free day. There’s plenty of maps and a selection of the best local walking routes, as well as weather forecasts and public transport options – plus details about other places to visit. (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Abingworth Hall

Day 5Sheffield Park & High Beeches

Sheffield Park is a parkland garden set around a large artificial lake. High Beeches is a mix of woodland and meadow and has a fine collection of trees and shrubs, including many rare and unusual subjects. (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Abingworth Hall

Day 6Wakehurst Place & Sussex Prairie Gardens

Not to be missed, Wakehurst Place, managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is a delight for the horticulturist. It has beautiful ornamental gardens, woodlands and a nature reserve. Wakehurst is also home to the Millennium Seed Bank, the largest wild seed conservation project in the world.

Sussex Prairies, owned by Pauline and Paul Mc Bride, is an exciting garden of around six acres, planted in the naturalistic style with large drifts of herbaceous plants and grasses. (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Abingworth Hall

Day 7Borde Hill & Nymans

Our morning starts with a visit to Borde Hill gardens near Haywards Heath. The whole estate covers 200 acres of Sussex parkland, with a Tudor mansion house, and a splendid collection of woodland plants. The classic rose garden and Italian gardens were designed by William Robinson. The afternoon will be spent at Nymans (National Trust) which contains a marvellous collection of trees and shrubs. During our visit we can visit the sunken garden, laurel walk, rose garden and a well-planted and designed herbaceous border. (B, L, D)

Accommodation: Abingworth Hall

Day 8Departure Day

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way home. (B)

Dates and Prices
Departure Dates Per person (single or twin) Single in a double room
2022: June 10 $2,650 $2,930

Pricing

Pricing is per person (pp) based on single/twin/double occupancy.

Supplement applied for single in a double room.

Rates are in $ CAD. Rates include room upgrade (better) and membership fees. 


Contact DHTour at 1-888-597-3519 or 905-639-9954 or [email protected] to book.

Ask us for the best available pricing for your dates & choice of airline. We can assist in your travel to/from the Country House.

During your Discovery Tour you’ll have the opportunity to visit many fascinating places. The following is our provisional programme, and your leader may adjust it at their discretion, taking into account factors such as weather, local opening times, or other events. This holiday includes active sightseeing and you should expect to spend lots of time on your feet.

Most admissions to places of interest are not included. Please allow up to £10 per day for admissions to all the places of interest we will be visiting. The full adult price is given but there are usually good reductions for parties and seniors. If you are a member of the National Trust, English Heritage or similar, remember to bring your card for free admission to their properties. Please bring cash as card machines are not always available at all venues.

Sometimes things happen beyond our control – the weather, traffic jams or changes at the places we visit. If we need to adjust your holiday programme, for whatever reason, your leader will help smooth the way.

Travel Details:
Address is: Abingworth Hall, Storrington Road, Thakeham, West Sussex, RH20 3EF

By Rail:
The nearest railway station to Abingworth Hall is Pulborough. Please note that Pulborough station has a short platform, check the departure boards for which carriage to sit in.

By Taxi:
The 6-mile journey from Pulborough railway station takes approximately 15 minutes. Please try to avoid arriving at Pulborough station between 2.45pm and 3.20pm, as there may not be taxis available for your onward journey to Abingworth Hall due to school pick-ups. You can pre-book a taxi from our recommended taxi company, MJ Cars. The price for a 4-seat taxi is around £16. 8-seat taxis are also available at a higher rate. Please pre-book your taxi at least 7 days in advance by contacting:

MJ Cars*
Tel: +44 (0)1903 745414
Email: [email protected]
The return journey can be arranged on your behalf by the Abingworth Hall Manager.
*MJ Cars is not owned or managed by us.

By Car:
From the M25 take either the A24 or the M23 and then the A264 towards Horsham. At the Great Daux roundabout go south on the A24 towards Worthing. Go straight over 2 roundabouts and then at the traffic light cross roads turn right onto the A272 signposted to Billingshurst and Petersfield. After 3 miles turn left onto the B2139 (The Selsey Arms on left). After 3.5 miles pass the turning for Thakeham on the left. After half a mile, Abingworth Hall is on the left, directly after the national speed limit signs.

From the M27 continue onto the A27 and around Chichester. At Fontwell Park roundabout take the first exit to continue on the A27 and at the next roundabout take the first exit on to the A29. After approx. 4 miles, at a roundabout, take the 2nd exit on to the B2139 to Storrington. At the mini roundabout in Storrington, take the 2nd exit onto the A283. Continue through Storrington and take the first exit at the mini roundabout by the Anchor Inn on to the B2139 towards Thakeham. Take the 2nd exit at the next mini roundabout and then take the 1st exit at next mini roundabout (by Steyning Grammar School). Continue down this road until you see 30mph signs. Abingworth Hall is just before these signs, on the right.

Hotel Descriptions
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Abingworth Hall

Tucked away in the village of Thakeham at the foot of the South Downs, Abingworth Hall has stood in one form another since the 13th century. Gutted by fire, it was rebuilt in 1910 in its current distinctive style. As well as 27 ensuite rooms the house has all the ingredients you need for the perfect country house stay: three comfortable lounges with squishy sofas to kick back in, the largest of which opens onto an attractive conservatory and bar in which to dally, great food and super-comfy rooms to retire to. You’re spoilt for choice when it comes to walking here; go for a lazy amble around the wildlife rich chalk Downlands to discover a colourful tapestry of historic villages, thatched cottages, pastoral landscapes and vibrant market towns. Highlights of your stay might include the Seven Sisters, the Glorious Goodwood estate, the Devil’s Dyke and Chantonbury Ring, as well as Arundel and the National Trust property at Petworth. Take your pick.

Address: Abingworth Hall, Storrington Road, Thakeham, West Sussex, RH20 3EF

Room Amenities: Tea & coffee-making facilities, TV, Hairdryer, Toiletries, Wi-Fi

Stay in one of the Hall’s smartly presented rooms, which make use of every nook-and-cranny in the interesting architecture of this characterful house. With 27 bedrooms, Abingworth Hall has plenty of space and there’s a range of Good and Better Rooms to choose from. Clean and bright, with accent colours to offset the simple palette, the rooms are airy and light. Better Rooms might have a feature wall or strong print wallpaper as well as pretty tiles in the ensuite bathroom.

All ‘Good’ rooms are ensuite and furnished to a high standard. There are also several ‘Better’ Rooms that are either larger or have a desirable view, a more luxurious mattress, larger television, enhanced toiletries and a fluffy bathrobe & slippers.

Hotel Amenities: Free Wi-Fi, boot room and drying room, extensive garden, outdoor swimming pool, multi-purpose activity room, three lounges, library and board games to borrow

After a day strolling on the South Downs, come back to the house and its specially tailored walkers’ facilities. Relax in the large gardens and sit by the pretty pond, turn your hand to croquet or practice on the putting green. Ease through a couple of lengths of the heated outdoor pool if you’ve still got energy to burn. Hole up in the light-filled conservatory with pretty views of the gardens or retire to the Drawing Room with its wood-panelled walls, log burner, library of books to browse and comfy seats to sink in to; there’s a telescope for you to scour the night sky too. In the evening, take your seat in the bar or join fellow guests in the large ballroom for the evening activity.

Map

Photos

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