Fall in love with the bronze, honey and auburn hues of the Sussex countryside this autumn.
Leaf-peeping, a phrase inherited from North America, is the concept of seeking out breathtaking shades of Fall foliage. Autumn is a wonderful time of year to enjoy a woodland walk and witness Sussex’s parks and estates aglow with bronze, honey, and auburn hues.
Head out now to watch the leaves become burnished, but the high season for leaf peeping in Sussex is typically October through mid-November, a period when the great outdoors is ablaze with rich colours and walkers, and their dogs are beckoned into the sweeping Sussex countryside.
Read on to discover where to go and what to look for around the county.
1. Sheffield Park and Garden
Sheffield Park and Garden puts on a head-turning display in autumn with shades of gold and crimson reflected in the park’s beautiful lakes.
Chris Skinner, Sheffield Park’s assistant head gardener, explains what draws the crowds: 'Arthur Soames, owner during the early 20th century, introduced many of the species which create this natural spectacle — acer, quercus, liquidambar, amelanchier and our own nyssa "Sheffield Park".'
Chris says the peak time to visit Sheffield Park and Garden is mid to late October, though the shimmering embers of autumn roar on into November.
Enjoy a scenic yomp, weaving through ancient trees around the lakes, where you might spot some of the estate’s doe-eyed deer. There’s a play trail for little ones and the River Ouse winds through the meadows, cutting through the parkland. Look out for beech, oak and, arguably, the star of the show, that crimson red acer.
Pre-book to guarantee entry during autumn, particularly if you plan to visit during peak season (12 September - 20 November). Sheffield Park and Garden, Uckfield, TN22 3QX, nationaltrust.org.uk/standen-house-and-garden
2. Nymans
The High Weald’s Nymans is home to glorious gardens and the remains of the hauntingly beautiful estate house, a Gothic-style building partially destroyed by fire in 1947.
Autumn is the ideal time to stroll from Nymans’ leafy woodland to the luscious Arboretum. Follow the designated path to see trees tinged with burgundy, crimson and gold.
You could also join a guided tour with the head gardener (£10pp including tea or coffee) to learn about the plants and trees from around the world that define one of Britain’s best-loved gardens.
Nymans Garden, Handcross, Haywards Heath, RH17 6BT, nationaltrust.org.uk/nymans
3. Bodiam Castle
The 14th-century Bodiam Castle near the Sussex-Kent border is a textbook fairytale setting. The square-shaped medieval fortress is topped with battlements and features four towers at each corner, surrounded by a silky moat filled with fish and ducks.
Bodiam is also home to the largest Daubenton bat colony in the UK, with hundreds residing at the castle.
From October, visitors get to witness garlands of toffee-coloured leaves on the grounds’ majestic oak trees. Once you’ve felt the crunch of crispy leaves underfoot, cross the moat for castle tours, craft workshops, storytelling sessions and medieval armoury displays.
Bodiam Castle, near Robertsbridge, East Sussex, TN32 5UA, nationaltrust.org.uk/bodiam-castle
4. Rathfinny Estate
Nestled in the chalky South Downs, halfway between Cuckmere Haven and Alfriston, Rathfinny’s ravishing grapes are harvested in early October. At the same time, the estate’s rolling vineyard is ablaze with handsome early shades of Fall, making it one of the most exciting times of year to visit.
During October, Rathfinny offers an overnight ‘Harvest Escape’ stay at its chic Flint Barns accommodation (including dinner at the Harvest Restaurant, breakfast, a tour and tasting), which means you could wake up overlooking the green and gold vines of the Cradle Valley.
Rathfinny Estate, Alfriston, Polegate, BN26 5TU, rathfinnyestate.com
5. Ashdown Forest
Grazing sheep, deer, cattle and ponies, and darting stoats, weasels and shrews make Ashdown Forest as magical as AA Milne’s fictional Hundred Acre Wood. The sprawling Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty — the inspiration for the author’s Winnie-the-Pooh books — offers tranquil autumn walks with far-reaching views from the highest point on the High Weald.
Pick up a map and slip off on one of Ashdown Forest’s leafy treks. There are 10 to choose from, each around 2-3 miles long. If you’re more ambitious, opt for the 14-mile circular route to take in the misty heathlands and fragrant Scots pines dotted around the forest.
Ashdown Forest Centre, Colemans Hatch Road, Wych Cross, East Sussex, RH18 5JP, Ashdownforest.org
6. Bateman's
The one-time home of Rudyard Kipling, author of The Jungle Book, Bateman’s is a Sussex sanctuary featuring a Jacobean mansion cradled in 300 acres of beguiling gardens and High Weald countryside.
Len Bernamont, Bateman’s garden and outdoors manager, reveals: “Autumn in the garden at Bateman's is punctuated by individual splashes of fiery reds and bold copper tones from trees such as cornus kousa, liquidambar, parrotia persica and the katsura tree, with leaves smelling of toffee apples.”
Wander through Bateman’s delicious orchard, full of rosy apples and plump pears. Collect conkers as you follow the track past the formal gardens with their neat hedgerows.
Visitors can experience leaf peeping at Bateman’s with a National Trust ranger on a pre-booked guided walk on 2 and 14 October (11am - 1pm, £5pp).
Bateman’s, Bateman's Lane, Burwash, Etchingham TN19 7DS, nationaltrust.org.uk/batemans
7. Arundel Castle
The grounds of West Sussex’s Grade I-listed Arundel Castle, overlooking the River Arun, are bathed in a warm autumn glow in October and November.
Martin Duncan, the head gardener at Arundel Castle, reveals: “Here at Arundel Castle, trees like the liquidambar styraciflua and the October glory, sapindaceae or red maple stand out the most. Rhus typhina sumach or stag's horn has stunning yellow, red and auburn leaves in autumn and one of my favourites is euonymus alatus — it has cork-like bark with superb reddish to purple autumn colour.”
Look out for thrilling family-friendly medieval festivals and jousting tournaments taking place in the grounds of Arundel Castle, too.
Plan your visit before 31 October, when the castle and gardens close for winter. Arundel Castle, Arundel, BN18 9AB, Arundelcastle.org
8. Petworth House and Park
The sublime 17th-century Petworth House, used as a filming location in season two of Netflix’s Bridgerton, sits in a serene 700-acre deer park. Central to the historical park is a glistening lake, flanked by towering trees.
Martyn Burkinshaw, Petworth’s garden and outdoors manager, says: 'We have beautiful displays of autumn colour here at Petworth, thanks to the magnificent collection of North American and native British tree species.
'In the Pleasure Garden, red oaks, sweet gum trees and red maples produce a rich orange-red canopy, which creates a wonderful contrast to the orangey-yellow foliage of the tupelo and tulip trees. Out in the historic deer park, beech trees add a russet glow to the landscape, and the scarlet oaks turn a vivid crimson.'
Dedicate time to exploring the house’s exemplary art collection, too, with remarkable pieces by Van Dyck, Turner, Reynolds and Gainsborough displayed in the grandiose Carved Room.
Petworth House and Park, London Road, West Sussex, GU28 9LR, nationaltrust.org.uk/petworth-house-and-park
9. Leonardslee Gardens
Following lengthy restoration works, the Grade I-listed Leonardslee Gardens near Horsham reopened to the public in 2019. The 240-acre estate features rare trees and shrubs, seven lakes, various species of deer and even a group of wallabies, first introduced in 1889.
Leonardslee’s enormous Algerian oak measures 110 feet and is the tallest known tree of its kind in the world, with its glossy leaves turning a velvety coffee colour in autumn.
Admire the fascinating Walk of Life exhibition by Anton Smit at Leonardslee Gardens’ outdoor Sculpture Park & Art Gallery as you leaf peep around the grounds.
Leonardslee Gardens, Brighton Road, Lower Beeding, Horsham, RH13 6PP, leonardsleegardens.co.uk
10. Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve
Clinging to the Sussex coastline, Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve is one of the best places in the region for leaf peeping. Visitors to the 853-acre nature reserve get to hike or bike by wild gorse and tree-covered glens that offer regular glimpses of the glistening south coast.
A highlight is Fairlight Glen, leading down to Covehurst Bay through a densely wooded area. During autumn, look out for chirping Sardinian warblers and red-rumped swallows.
Stop by The Bale House, the nature reserve’s new visitor centre, to find out about the park’s biodiversity and pick up a warming hot chocolate to carry on your autumn walk.
Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve, Hastings, East Sussex, TN35 5DY, visit1066country.com
