Heathfield

Heathfield makes a relaxed base for exploring the High Weald without needing to venture into Sussex's busier coastal towns. Hotels are limited in the town itself, so many visitors choose country inns and bed and breakfasts in Heathfield and the surrounding villages of Cross in Hand, Broad Oak and Horam, several of which occupy converted farmhouses or old coaching inns with gardens looking out over Wealden farmland. These smaller, independent places tend to suit the area better than large hotel chains, offering a genuine taste of rural Sussex hospitality alongside home-cooked breakfasts and easy access to local walks.

For a wider choice of hotel-style accommodation, Eastbourne, Tunbridge Wells and Uckfield are all within a 20 to 30 minute drive and offer everything from budget stays to seafront hotels, making them sensible options for anyone who wants Heathfield as a day-trip base rather than an overnight one. Wherever you stay, the Cuckoo Trail and the wider network of Wealden footpaths are never far away, and the town's position on the A265 and A267 makes it a straightforward stop whether you are touring the Weald, heading to the coast, or breaking a journey between Kent and the South Downs.

Heathfield rewards anyone happy to get outdoors, with a famous rail trail at its heart and plenty of Wealden countryside on the doorstep.

• The Cuckoo Trail — a flagship walking and cycling route laid along the former Cuckoo Line railway, running around 11 miles from Heathfield down through Horam and Hailsham to Polegate, largely traffic-free and popular with families.
• Heathfield Park — the historic parkland around Heathfield Park House, associated with Lord Heathfield (George Augustus Eliott), the defender of Gibraltar, whose memorial tower stands within the grounds.
• Old Heathfield — the original hilltop village with All Saints Church and the Star Inn, offering some of the finest panoramic views over the Weald towards the South Downs.
• High Weald landscape — one of England's best-preserved medieval landscapes, with ancient woods, ghyll streams and hedged fields to explore on foot from town.
• Cuckoo Fair — Heathfield's traditional spring fair, held to mark the legendary "release of the cuckoo" that was said to herald the start of the English spring, complete with a parade and community festivities.
• Horam Manor Craft Centre — a working farm and rural life centre just outside Heathfield with craft workshops and animals, a good stop for families.
• Merriments Gardens — an award-winning four-acre garden near Hurst Green, a scenic drive from Heathfield, with colour-themed borders and a woodland walk.

The town centre has a decent spread of everyday cafes, bakeries and takeaways along the High Street, while the real character is found in the pubs of the surrounding villages. The Star Inn at Old Heathfield is a well-known 14th-century pub with a large garden and views over the Weald, and other village pubs in Cross in Hand, Broad Oak and Punnetts Town serve solid, unfussy pub food. Local farm shops around Heathfield sell Sussex produce, from orchard fruit to farmhouse cheese, reflecting the area's long farming heritage.

Heathfield and the surrounding High Weald offer some genuinely scenic camping country, with wooded valleys, ghyll streams and small family-run sites tucked among the farmland around Horam, Broad Oak and Punnetts Town. As in the rest of England, wild camping without the landowner's permission is not legal here, so it's best to stick to licensed campsites, certified sites, or farm-based pitches, several of which are found within a short drive of the Cuckoo Trail. The undulating Wealden terrain means many sites are set on gentle slopes or in sheltered clearings, offering a mix of open pitches for tents and caravans alongside quieter, more secluded spots for those wanting a bit more privacy.

The best camping season here runs from late spring through to early autumn, when the woodland is in full leaf, the trail is at its driest underfoot, and long evenings suit a walk or cycle ride before dinner. Spring brings bluebells to the ancient woods around Heathfield and coincides with the town's traditional Cuckoo Fair, while high summer is ideal for exploring the Cuckoo Trail by bike and cooling off with a pub garden meal afterwards. Autumn adds a rich colour to the Weald's hedgerows and copses and tends to be quieter, appealing to walkers and wildlife-spotters rather than families.

For those who prefer a more comfortable base, glamping options in the area range from safari tents and shepherd's huts to yurts, often set on working farms that let guests experience the rhythms of rural Sussex life at close hand. These sites typically combine proper beds and covered cooking areas with the same access to the High Weald's footpaths and the Cuckoo Trail, making them a good middle ground between a full camping trip and a hotel stay. Whichever option you choose, Heathfield's location means the coast at Eastbourne and the towns of Tunbridge Wells and Uckfield are all within easy striking distance for day trips.