Out and About:

Amberley Museum Telephone: 01798 831370
A fascinating working museum on a 14.5 hectare site dedicated to keeping traditional trades alive, a resident team of craftspeople use traditional tools and material to produce a number of fine wares. Also available are vintage bus rides, a narrow gauge railway, cycle exhibition and electrical items in the Seeboard Electricity Hall, plus lots more
Times vary, you need to check,Station Road,Amberley,West Sussex,BN18 9LT

Drusillas Park Telephone: 01323 874100
Set at the foot of the South Downs, Drusillas Park is a small zoo that has been in existence for over 70 years. Featuring a wide variety of animals in natural environments, learning related play activities, miniature railway, indoor play barn and outdoor play area, plus lots more.
Open: Summer 10.00-17.00, winter 10.00-16.00, daily except 24-26 Dec.
Drusillas Corner, Berwick, Nr Alfriston, East Sussex, BN26 5QS

Heaven Farm Telephone: 01825 790226
A 600 year old farm provides access to the Bluebell Nature Trail, parkland, ponds, wallabies and the Sussex Rural Life Museum, as well as tea rooms and gift shop.
Open: Mar-Oct 10.00-17.30, Feb Sat and Sun only
Address: Off Lewes Road, Furners Green, Nr Uckfield, East Sussex, TN22 3RG,

Ground Control Paintball - Phone 01903 722488
Ground Control Paintball is based on the coast at Climping near Littlehampton, on a privately owned 60-acre site of woodland and open farmland. They are open for games 7 days week from 9am to 4pm. Evening games are also available from the beginning of May to the end of September from 5pm to 9pm. Individuals, corporate groups, stag and hen parties are all welcome. Game Times: Morning 9 a.m. till 12 noon, Afternoon 1 p.m. till 4 p.m. Evening (May-Sept) 5 p.m. till 9pm. To provide a quick starting point there are pre-formatted games to choose from across 4 woodland settings and 2 open field settings. In addition they are always pleased to customise rules should you have a favourite format used elsewhere or perhaps a new format you have thought up yourselves.Bookings normally require a week’s notice, but be aware that popular dates are often booked well in advance so book early to avoid disappointment. Discounts are available for groups over 25 players. There are special offers for 12 to 16 year old children during school holidays. They can play without parental supervision. (Note:Under 12s cannot play) Bookings being taken now for school holidays every Tuesday and Thursday.
Prices vary depending on the number of Paintballs. Take a towel and extra money in case you want more paintballs!

Middle Farm Telephone 01323 811411
You will find the national collection of ciders and perries while browsing the farm shop, craft shop and garden sections at leisure. Visit the tea room and see the animals including spotted pigs, calves, goats, rabbits, chickens and ducks. Picnic and play area also available.
Open: Nov-Mar 09.30-17.00, Apr-Oct 09.30-17.30
N Firle, Nr Lewes, East Sussex, BN8 6LJ

Seven Sisters Sheep Centre Telephone: 01323 423302
Tractor rides, tea room, gift shop and picnic area as well as one of the largest collection of various breeds of sheep in the world can be found at the centre. Maybe some lambs!
Mar-Sep 11.00-17.00 weekends and East Sussex school holidays (closed several weeks in May)Birling Manor Farm, Gilberts Drive, East Dean, East Sussex, BN20 0AA

Washbrooks Family Farm Telephone 01273 832201
Fun for all the family including animals, adventure playground, tractor rides, pony rides, tea room and picnic areas.
Daily 09.30-17.00
Brighton Road, Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex, BN6 9EF

Mewsbrook Park
Boating lake, cafe, picnic area, and miniature railway linking to Norfolk Gardens Sports site await the visitor.
Hendon Avenue, Littlehampton, West Sussex

Woods Mill Telephone: 01273 492630
The headquarters of the Sussex Trust for Nature Conservation, Woods Mill was originally built in the eighteenth century. Now it is home to a 15-acre (6 hectare) nature reserve, with trails, exhibitions, audio-visual programs, a dipping pool, streams, a lake, woodland and more.
Open: Easter-Oct Sat, Sun and bank holidays. Also Tue-Thu during school holidays
Woodsmill House, Shoreham Road, Henfield, West Sussex, BN5 9SD

Warnham Nature Reserve Telephone: 01403 256890
Covering 26 hectares and based around a millpond, this local nature reserve has woods, streams, ponds, a meadow, reedbeds, bird hides and a visitor centre featuring displays, a cafe and toilets.
Open: Thu-Sun 10.00-18.00
Warnham Road, Horsham, West Sussex,

The Bluebell Railway Telephone: 01825 720800
Starting with only two steam engines and two carriages, August 1960 saw the Bluebell Railway become the first volunteer run preserved railway to operate a passenger service. A museum, restaurant and real ale bar can be found at the southern terminus, Sheffield Park Station
Open: Dates vary, you need to check
Sheffield Park Station, East Sussex, TN22 3QL

Weald & Downland Open Air Museum Telephone: 01243 811348
Located 7 miles north of Chichester, 500 years of architectural heritage from medieval to Victorian times has been preserved. Buildings, furnishings, fields, gardens and complete working environments bring back the ways of the past.
Open: Daily 10.30-18.00 Mar-Oct / Wed, Sat, Sun 10.30-16.00
Singleton, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 0EU

Sussex Toy and Model Museum Telephone: 01273 749494
With a collection of teddy bears, dolls, planes, forts and trains, the museum is located in one of the arches under Brighton Railway Station.
Open: All year except Xmas, 52-55 Trafalgar St, Brighton

Wish Tower Puppet Museum Telephone: Workshop: 01323 417776
Housed in one of the Martello Towers that were built along the south coast, the Puppet Museum has puppets from the earliest shadow puppets through to the animatronic wizardry of today. With well known puppets such as Muffin the Mule, Pelham Puppets, Penny Plain & Twopence Coloured, the Thunderbirds and of course Punch and Judy on display, plus puppets from around the world such as Wayang shadow figures from Asia, Turkish Karagoz shadow puppets and Japanese Bunraku figures, there is something for everyone. Workshops that provide an insight into puppet construction and use are also available.
Open: Sat & Sun 11.00-17.00 Mid Apr-end Oct (open daily mid Jul-early Sep)
Wish Tower, King Edwards Parade, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN21 4BY

donkeys, goats, sheep, rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, chipmunks, pet rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, tortoises, terrapins, many different exotic birds and a sanctuary with several lakes for ducks, geese and moorhens. There are various walks where you can see the work done there. There is also a Visitor Centre with films, pictures and information. Raystede also has a gift shop, picnic area, parking and toilet facilities. It is situated in East Sussex on the B2192 between Ringmer and Halland
Open to the public daily between 10.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m
The Broyle, RINGMER, East Sussex, BN8 5AJ.

Bentley House and Gardens, Wild Fowl & Motor Museum - 01825 840344/573
Massive amount to do here. There is a collection of over 1000 swans, geese and ducks from all over the world, and a superb collection of gleaming Veteran, Edwardian and Vintage Cars and Motorcycles. Resident woodcarvers, glass engraver, toy maker and others can be seen at work. Bentley House is ideal for architecture or interior design browsing. It is a Palladian-style mansion restored by Raymond Erith. There is the Philip Rickman Gallery, containing over 150 watercolours by the celebrated Sussex artist. Marvellous formal gardens: yew hedges dividing a series of 'rooms' in a reflection of the house. Relaxing walks around Glyndebourne Wood, a mixture of conifers and broad-leaved trees interspersed with sunny glades which are carpeted with bluebells in May. A new trail has interactive boards about wildlife and woodland management.  A children’s adventure playground, gift shop, and café, with home-made food. Miniature trains run on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays from Easter to October, and on East Sussex half terms, school holidays and every Sunday in winter (weather permitting). Wildfowl Reserve, Motor Museum, Bentley House, Grounds & Formal Gardens, Gift shop, Indoor Activity, Trail, Children's Adventure Area, Picnic Area, Licensed, Tea Room, Resident Craft, Demonstrations,   Woodland Walk with Ancient Building Trail, Small animal section,
Open Summer: Daily from 20 March - 31 October, 10.30am - 5.30pm
,Bentley House opens 12noon daily from 1 April to 31 October.
Open Winter: Weekends only + East Sussex school holidays & 1/2 terms10.30am - 4pm. Closed Christmas Eve/Day. NB  Bentley House closed all Winter.
Adult £6.50, £5.50 (£4.50 in winter) Children 3-15; £5.50;OAP/students. Family Ticket (2+3) £21)
Bentley Wildfowl and Motor Museum, Halland, Nr Lewes, BN8 5AF

Seven Sisters Country Park. Telephone: 01323 870280
Seven Sisters Country Park (SSCP) comprises 280ha (nearly 700 acres) of land in Sussex. The Park is named after the famous Seven Sisters chalk cliffs on our British heritage coastline. The Visitor Centre is situated in an 18th century barn, and provides useful information on the Park with displays and exhibitions. There is also a shop with leaflets, maps and souvenirs on sale.
The area has a long and interesting, including some fascinating shipwrecks, which you can discover on a series of. SSCP can be explored on foot, by, particularly along the world famous Cuckmere River, see on.
The Park is a working farm and therefore you are kindly requested to keep dogs under close control at all times and on a lead when and where necessary. From late February until the end of May all dogs must be kept on a lead at all times anywhere on the Park as lambs are particularly prone to being chased and separated from their mothers.
The Park Trail is marked with purple arrowed numbered posts and is 5km (3miles) long. You can shorten the walk at any time by dropping to the valley floor and returning along the concrete track to the Park entrance.The Habitat Trail is marked by green arrowed posts and is a 7km (5 miles) circular trail around the perimeter of the Park. Both trails begin at the gate opposite the Visitor Centre. After wet weather the path can get muddy so “stout footwear” is advised.
There is a restaurant, Exceat Farmhouse,  with a walled garden that offers home cooked food.
Seven Sisters Country Park is just off the A259 between Eastbourne and Seaford…but they ask we leave our cars at home. The park is well served by public transport. Buses 13 & 12 from Brighton stop at the park entrance, check on Traveline. There are other ways: train to Lewes, then proceed as above; OR train to Berwick, then catch the Rambler Bus (Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays only) to the Country Park. Sussex Downs Conservation Board, Seven Sisters Country Park, Exceat, Seaford BN25 4AD

Seven Sisters Canoe Centre Telephone 01323 491289.
Seven Sisters Canoe Centre has qualified instructors who are capable of providing expert tuition for all ranges of practical abilities. Hire is for groups who pre book only, although occasionally there are days when people can turn up and just have a go.

Bike Hire at Seven Sisters Telephone 01323 8700310
If it's flat routes you want...try heading down to the sea or on the family trail that is signposted through the forest. If you are more adventurous there are 1700 acres of Friston Forest to explore plus of course, the South Downs. Ever wanted to try a tandem?  Two models for general hire: the Twocan (with a child sized rear frame) and the Discovery (hybrid tandem). Free map and plenty of good advice!
Romantic picnic at the Cuckmere Haven?  PICNICS: You can buy a picnic to enjoy while you are out on your ride. Each picnic comes wrapped in a tablecloth in a wicker basket on the front of your bike, all ready to set out and eat. You can choose your own menu but a typical meal is homemade quiche, freshly filled local cheese and pickle baguettes, crispy bacon and apple pasta salad, fruit and homemade lemonade costs just £20 per basket, for 2 people
And/or they do Barbecues! All BBQs are freshly cooked for you to eat when you arrive back from your activities. Menus can be arranged, choices include veggie sausages or burgers, halal chicken wings and lamb burgers and Aberdeen Angus beef burgers. They spread the outside picnic tables with salads, sauces and drinks and your choice of pudding. BBQs are individually quoted for dependent on which menu you decide but a typical healthy BBQ with Aberdeen Angus beef burgers, sausages, homemade barbeque sauce, tabouille, green salad, homemade lemonade and cheesecake for pudding costs just £10 per person. There is a minimum of 8 people required for each BBQ.
Open: Every Day from 10 AM. Last bike hired 4.30PM for 1 hour. Prices vary but for example: FAMILY TICKETS  (2 Adults + 3 under 16 ) 2 HOURs £35; 4 HOURs £50. Add on bike sections & baby seats available with hire bikes

Groombridge Place Telephone: 01892 861444
There is actually too much at Groombridge to describe. Fabulous, award-winning and amazingly creative gardens featured many times on film TV and in literature. Plus HUGE swings from tall trees, obstacle courses. Canal Boat rides (£1). An enchanted forest!  It is endless. No matter what age you are you are bound to be stunned.
It’s a bit of a trek, but then so is Everest and people seem to think that is worth it. 45 Minutes from Brighton on the A264 Tunbridge/East Grinstead Road. It is possible to take a Spa Valley steam train from Tunbridge followed by a 10 minute walk! (Need to check on train 01892 5377115)
Open every day march through to November 4th 10am ‘till dusk.
Adults £8.70, Children(3-12)/OAP £7.20. Family ticket (2+2) £29.50
Groombridge Place, Groombridge, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN3 9QG

 The Wey and Arun Canal Trust  - Boat Trips. Telephone: 01403 752403
The aim of the Trust is to achieve the restoration, as a public amenity, of the navigable link between the Rivers Wey and Arun, and so recreate the direct water link between London and the South Coast. The Trust has reached agreement with landowners that restoration work could take place on over half the 23-mile total length. Already, twelve bridges have been reconstructed, one aqueduct recontructed, six locks restored, culverts rebuilt and several miles of canal bed cleared and dredged. Work has been carried out in the Bramley, Run Common, Loxwood. Billingshurst and Pulborough areas.
The Trust has an agreed Conservation Policy by which the Trust hopes to re-create a Victorian landscape along the canal corridor, with deliberate creation and maintenance of a diverse and interesting range of wildlife habitats
The restored and navigable stretch of the canal, can be visited every weekend and bank holiday, from April to October. the boats run from The Onslow Arms pub, just south of Loxwood, to Drungwick Lane aqueduct and bridge. 
Boat trips on the boats Zachariah Keppel and the new John Smallpice, can be booked through the main office.
You can cruise along a restored section of this beautiful canal on a  30 seat narrowboat.
You can walk The Wey South path which is the trail that follows the old canal from Guildford to Amberly, where it meets the South Downs way. The path starts on the Downs Link, the old railway that was the biggest rival to commercial trade on the waterway.
Part of the path leads through Bramley, the only area where the canal has been built over. The path then follows the canal on the towpath (mostly) to the Loxwood Link, where it follows the navigable stretch of the canal. One of the most interesting places on the canal is Sydney Wood, where there are a flight of locks, a old glassworks and a lock house.
On the Loxwood Link, there are 2 locks, Brewhurst, and Baldwin's Knob, 3 bridges, an aqueduct, and sevaral winding holes. The path then continues to Amberley, where it joins the South Downs Way.
Public cruises (approx. 45 minutes) every weekend / bank holiday afternoon from Easter. Refreshments available at Onslow Arms.  Santa cruises in December. Extended 2 hour cruises weekly. Group charters also available
£4.00-£10.00 depending on trip: Short Trip:Adult-£4 Child-£2 Long Trip: Adult-£4 Child-£4 Charter prices from £100. 12 seater boat also available, phone main office. The Wey & Arun Canal Trust Ltd The Granary, Flitchfold Farm, Vicarage Hill, Loxwood, Billingshurst, West Sussex, RH14 0RH

Chichester Ship Canal Canal Basin, Canal Wharf  Telephone:  01243 771363
The Chichester Ship Canal was opened in 1822. It formed part of the barge route from Portsmouth to London, via the Portsmouth and Arundal Canal, River Arun Navigation, Wey & Arun Canal, River Wey Navigation and the River Thames. Runs 4½ miles, from Chichester Basin to Chichester Harbour. Lovely narrowboats and beautiful scenery.Well worth a visit! Boat Trips, Angling, Canoeing, Walking, Rowboating, Wildlife Events, Refreshments. New 50-seater boat is now in service. All this 2 minutes from Chichester Bus and Railway stations.
Egremont Immerse yourself in the world of nature, by taking a trip on Egremont, A popular 12-seater boat, the trip provides a clear view of the canal banks and the variety of wildlife.
Richmond: fleet flagship. 51ft long with a 12ft 6in beam, can seat up to fifty and boasts a bar and toilet. Both boats cater for disabled guests and can be chartered for lunch or dinner parties.
Rowing: Hire a skiff for an hour or two. Take some exercise or practice your row boating skills by hiring one of the stable and highly manageable row boats. This popular pastime is available from the canal basin between March and October. A leisurely row from Chichester to Donnington Bridge and back will take about 2 hours. Everybody can have a row. The canal looks very different from a rowing boat. 
Paddle your own canoe. Suitable for individuals, clubs and families. The trust offer day and annual licenses, giving access to about 4km of canal right through the year. The canal is ideal for novices, for basic training and also for some types of races.

Angling: Cast and strike lucky. The canal has been a popular angling spot for many years. It is well stocked with Carp, Roach, Rudd, Perch, Tench, Bream, Pike and other species of all sizes. It also harbours some specimen Carp and Pike up to 30lbs in weight. It is always fishable and there is no closed season. Both pleasure and competition anglers can be accommodated and there is   very good access to those with limited mobility. You need your EA licence! 
There is limited space for parking at the canal basin and that is reserved for people visiting the canal. There is a convenient lay-by on the north side of the A27 east of the Stockbridge roundabout and an excellent visitors car park just off the B2145 at Hunston. Parking is scarce at Donnington and Birdham bridges, but there is large free car park about 500m down the access road to Chichester Marina
Walkers and cyclists may also enjoy the 4 mile canal towpath. Much of the route is very peaceful, feeling far from habitation and with unexpected sightings of unusual wildlife. Possible to see a kingfisher or an egret, a fox or a deer, different species of dragonflies as well as fish and plants. There are benches along the towpath to take a few moments, and perhaps enjoy a picnic.
Located at the canal basin, you can sit outside and enjoy the canal and watch the world go by. Open all the year round. The shop offers hot and cold drinks, biscuits and snacks, sandwiches, ice creams, postcards and information.
The Canal runs from Chichester Canal Basin, located to the south of Chichester town, to Chichester Harbour. From the City Centre walk down South Street and cross the level crossing. The canal basin is only 1 minute south of the bus and rail stations.
Open: Angling all year round. Canal Tripboat: March-Dec. Shop all year. Various activity charges
Additional Information: Disabled access to shop, disabled hoists for trip boats, disabled angling platforms.

Canal Walk

This 12 mile (20km) walk follows the line of the canal closely for much of its length from Birdham to Ford, the whole length providing interesting walking, where a rich variety of wildlife can be seen. Can be tackled in sections suitable for shorter walks.
The canal was opened in 1823 and ceased trading in 1855. It linked the River Arun to Portsmouth. In its brief history, it only once made a profit, due to high tolls and fluctuations of water levels. Today owned by West Sussex County Council, much of the route from Birdham to Chichester has been restored in conjunction with the Chichester Ship Canal Trust.

Arundel Boat Yard Arun River Cruises  Telephone: 01903 882609
Cruises on Amberley Castle Boat (3 hour) and Arundel Castle Boat (1hour). Riverside Tea Garden. Commentary on boat for visually impaired. Help on and off boats. Wheelchairs in tea gardens, not on boats
Open: Mar-Oct 1000-1700. Last trip at 1600 Length of Visit: 1 and 3 hour. Car parking
Price: 1 hour trips: £5.00/£3.50. 3 hour trips £9.00/£5.00/£7.50. (Motor boat hire £25.00 for 1 hr. £30.00 large boat 8 people for 1 hr.)
Mill Road, Arundel, BN18 9PA

Chichester Harbour -Solar Heritage Boat Tours Telephone: 01243 513275
Learn about Chichester Harbour, an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on board a quiet, pollution-free, solar powered catamaran. Experienced guides onboard will inform you about the harbour, the countryside, local history, fishy tales and anything else you’d like to know.
Open: daily from Emsworth, July-Sept. Other trips from Itchenor call for all departure times
Length of Visit: 1.5 hours   Price: £6.50/£3.00 Additional Information: Wheelchair lift used for boarding
Chichester Harbour, Itchenor PO20 7AW

Chichester Harbour Boat Tours Telephone 01243 670504
This Harbour Tour offers a pleasant and leisurely way to view Chichester Harbour, an area acknowledged to be of outstanding natural beauty. It’s your chance to see a variety of wildlife and soak up the atmosphere of past and present traditional harbour life. All trips depart from Itchenor
Exact sailing times on 24hr talking timetable. Birdwatching trips during winter months
Opening: Mar – Dec  Length of Visit: 1.5 hours  Price: £6.50/£3.00. Private Charter available. 12 The Parade, East Wittering

Something Fishy Charters Telephone 01243 671153
Everyone catered for from Serious Anglers to Families. Rods & bait supplied.
Fully licensed and insured. Half day, full day, evening trips for mackerel.
Open; Times by arrangement. Season March to December
12 The Parade, East Wittering.

Southdown Gliding Club Telephone 01903 742137
Experience the thrill and beauty of a soaring flight over the South Downs?
Open: Weds and weekends throughout the year plus Fridays in the Summer
Price: Trial lesson £70. One day intro course £185 on lead
Parham Airfield, Pulborough Rd, Storrington, RH20 4HP

Sea Fishing Charters from Brighton Marina Telephone: 07766 661066
Fishing seriously, but the main aim is for everybody on board to have a safe enjoyable day and go home with some fish for the table, regardless of age, sex and experience. A memorable day out.
The type of fishing will be agreed when you book the trip. Within 30 miles of the marina there are more than 150 wrecks over which you may fish, ranging from small aeroplanes to 5000 ton ships. Apparently most of the wrecks were provided by the First and Second World Wars. Generally drift the wrecks for Bass, Cod and Pollack, or anchor up for Conger Eels and Ling. Wreck fishing requires more skill (and more tackle!) than ground fishing and is better suited to crews with some previous sea-angling experience. In May and June there is excellent bream fishing on the rocks at Kingmere. It seems the seas around Brighton provide excellent ground fishing on the banks and chalk outcrops in the Eastern English Channel. Most ground trips will be within 10 miles of the marina and are suitable for amateurs and experts alike. The day will usually start catching mackerel for use as bait. Trips will also usually be 8 hours. If you have booked a wrecking trip and the weather is unsuitable we will offer you ground fishing if the wind is blowing offshore.
Aquavitesse the boat will easily accommodate 10 anglers with its large deck area and wide stern. If you can avoid overcrowding you reduce the possibility of tangled lines and lost fishing time. The boat is licensed for up to twelve passengers.
For an 8 hour trip the charge is £50 per person, with a minimum charge for the boat of £450. Tackle can be hired. Bait not provided.

Boating - Anchor Inn Barcombe Telephone: 01273 400414
The Anchor Inn is set in one of the loveliest and most unspoiled parts of rural Sussex and lies on the west bank of the River Ouse, four miles upstream from the county town of Lewes. Built in 1790, the Inn has a long history, and today offers two cozy bars serving real ales, bottled lagers, fine wines and freshly prepared bar food and an 'a la carte' menu.The Anchor Inn has from time immemorial enjoyed boating rights over the most beautiful stretch of the River Ouse from the Anchor Inn to the attractive fish ladder 'falls' extending below Sutton Hall. The river scenery is quite unspoiled with many uncommon wild birds, water voles and squirrels, the only building visible being the spire of St. Margaret's Church, Isfield.
The round trip to the falls and back, made in comfortable two, four or six seater boats, hand propelled by paddles takes a leisurely two hours, although the boats may be hired by the hour or day as desired.
Prices: Adult £5.00 per hour, Under 14 £3.00 per hour. Life jackets are available for minors. Phone to enquire about general discounts for parties of 10 + and people wishing to go out for the whole day. Picnic hampers available.

Splash Bike Hire Prices Telephone: 01903 872300
Siituated in the heart of the South Downs, right on the doorstep of the South Downs Way, Splash Bike Hire can provide you with everything you need to ride the vast amount of cycle tracks and bridleways, to explore the picturesque countryside and historic towns and villages that the South Downs and Sussex area has to offer.
Guided tours are available. If you are new to the area and would like to make the most out of your stay or if you are planning a group bike ride, they can provide a guide who will have local knowledge of the routes and the area, and will be able to assist with any bike maintenance while on the ride should the need arise.
Bike Hire: £8 half a day; £14 a day; £25 a weekend. Id and deposit required. Price includes use of a helmet, basic toolkit, spare inner tube & a drinks bottle. Car racks available to hire if you want to cycle further afield.

Pulborough Brooks RSPB Nature Reserve Telephone: 01798 875 851
Set in the sheltered Arun valley, in the heart of West Sussex, Pulborough Brooks is a fantastic place for a day out for people of all ages. There is a superb nature reserve and trail with birdwatching hides and viewpoints, a visitor area with gift shop and a tearoom with terrace - not to mention the play area!
Spring: In the scrub and hedgerows there are spring migrant birds (including nightingales, blackcaps, garden warblers, whitethroats and lesser whitethroats). On the brooks there are displaying lapwings and redshanks, passage waders and the last of the wintering ducks. Great display of bluebells and other flowers in the woodland.
Summer: Many species of wildflower, butterfly and dragonfly around the nature trail. On the brooks there are broods of ducklings in the ditches, swallows feeding low over cattle grazed fields and passage waders on the pools. Barn owls hunt over the brooks in the evening.
Autumn: Migrating spotted flycatchers, redstarts, whinchats and yellow wagtails around the reserve in hedgerows and on the brooks during September. On the brooks, passage waders continue to appear into October. Winter ducks such as wigeons, teals and shovelers start to build up in numbers from early September. Fieldfares, redwings and other thrushes feeding in the hedgerows arrive in October.
Winter: Thousands of wintering ducks, geese, swans and waders use the flooded brooks. Main species are wigeons, teals, pintails, shovelers, mallards, lapwings, ruffs, snipe and Bewick's swans. Short-eared owls, barn owls, hen harriers, peregrines, merlins and sparrowhawks are also regularly seen hunting over the reserve.
Open Visitor Centre 10 am-5 pm daily; nature trail sunrise to sunset
£3.50 adult, £2.50 concessionary, £1 child, £7 family (two adults and up to four children).
Uppertons Barn Visitor Centre, Wiggonholt, Pulborough, West Sussex RH20 2EL

Hurstmonceux Castle Telephone 01323 833816
Herstmonceux is renowned for its magnificent moated-castle, set in beautiful parkland and superb Elizabethan gardens. Built originally as a country home in the mid- 15th - century, it embodies the history of Medieval England and the romance of Renaissance Europe.
The first view of the castle is lovely, set among carefully maintained Elizabethan gardens and parkland. Visitors are invited to walk around the Elizabethan walled gardens and the many woodland trails, leading to Rhododendron Gardens, Rose Garden, Herb Garden, lily covered lakes and to a 1930's folly. Great vantage points to appreciate the sheer magnificence of the castle.
Also, visitors are encouraged to take part in a guided tour of the interior of the castle to gain an insight into what life was like in times gone by and to become familiar with the stories and rumours which have circulated over the years, including those of smugglers and our resident ghosts.
NB: The castle is not open to the public, however guided tours are conducted at a small extra charge and subject to availability, but as it is part of a university it is strongly advised you phone for confirmation of times before your visit. Usually there are tours once/twice daily, Sunday - Friday between 11am-2pm.Facilities available; Gift shop, Tearoom, Visitors centre, Nature Trail, children's play area, disabled toilets and science centre (separate entry fees for science centre).
Open: 10.00am – 6.00pm.  Last admission: 5.00pm. 15th April – 29th October Closed July 25th and 30th (Closes at 5pm during October)
Adults: £4.95 Children free, Students 3.00 Castle Tours Adults £2.20, Students £1. House AND Science Centre Adults 10.30, Students 7.00
Herstmonceux, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 1RN

The Observatory Science Centre Herstmonceux, Telephone 01323 832731
For more than 300 years, Britain's Royal Observatory was one of the most famous scientific institutions in the world. t supported trade and the navy by helping seafarers with navigation and it supplied the nation’s time. At Greenwich and Herstmonceux, and finally in Cambridge, its researchers helped advance the science of astronomy. opened in April 1995. The domes and buildings and telescopes are being renovated and the Centre is a major venue for exhibitions, lectures and educational programmes. Research and training facilities are being developed in conjunction with local universities, colleges and technology-based businesses. The renovated telescopes are providing a unique facility for schools, colleges and astronomical societies. This amazing facility is right on our doorstep. Exhibits include: and Discovery Park (weather permitting.)
The Observatory Science Centre is  two miles east of Herstmonceux village, on the Boreham Street to Pevensey Road. Look for the sign to 'Herstmonceux Castle and Science Centre' from the A271. The most direct route is now to travel south along the A22 to the new large roundabout just north of Eastbourne. Then follow the A22 / A27, eastbound to Pevensey. then follow the sign for Herstmonceux Castle along the Wartling Road for 3 miles. Ample free parking
Open: Seven days a week from 30th January to 1st December 2006 and at weekends only in January and December, starting 7th December finishing 10th January.
Summer:10-6, Winter (April-Sept)10-5.Last admission  2 hours before closing.
Adults £6.50; 4-15 yrs £4.75, Senior £5.Family Ticket £19.50/22.30
The Observatory Science Centre,Herstmonceux, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 1RN   
Shoreham Airport Telephone: 01273 296900
Learn to fly? Paraglide? Take pleasure flights. Go to Alderney in France and back for under £70 Shoreham is the oldest licensed airfield in the UK and has a Grade II listed art deco style Terminal Building, There are outside viewing areas and an Airport Visitor Centre. The Centre can organise Guided tours for anyone wishing to see and hear the history of the airfield. Two licensed restaurants

Newhaven Fort Telephone : 01273 517622
Britain was last successfully invaded in 1066 and since then, our coasts have been guarded by a succession of forts and castles placed at strategic locations. Seaford Bay and the port of Newhaven were always tempting landing places for an invader and the defensive history of the area dates back to the Bronze age when a large enclose fort was built on the cliff. When the Romans arrived, they too built a fort on the site and, since that time, fortifications have remained on Castle Hill, culminating in the building of Newhaven Fort.
The current Newhaven Fort structure was built around the 1860's and is the largest work of defence ever constructed in Sussex. It has stood firm as a vital element in Britain’s coastal defense through two World Wars. Following its abandonment as a military fortification, Newhaven Fort suffered years of incredible neglect and dereliction but has now been restored to provide an award-winning visitor attraction.
Newhaven Fort offers an exciting and varied day out at this award winning attraction. The massive walls, ramparts, tunnels and gun emplacements all fire the imagination and help visitors experience what life was like living in a Victorian Fortress, as well as understanding and learning about the First and Second World Wars.
The sights, sounds - even the smells - of the period are found in a range of life-size exhibitions, displays and audio-visual presentations set inside Casemates (which once served as living quarters for those soldiers stationed there). There are echoing tunnels built in the cliffs. You get some idea of soldiers' living conditions, sit through an air-raid, climb up to the huge gun emplacements. For the under 12's.there is a newly built adventure playground
The ramparts have a panoramic coastal, South Downs and Newhaven port, views. Dogs are also welcome if on a lead. There is sit-in recreation of a Blitz street helps to imagine being caught in a real air-raid.  The story of how the Fort was built into the cliff under the instruction of a 22 year old lieutenant is interesting as are the military design concepts used. There is a wide range in the gift shop – from pocket-money-priced souvenirs to army surplus clothing and wartime recipe books. Good fresh air available on the 10-acre site. You can ask for a take away and enjoy a mini picnic on the grassy cliff top or have a snack in the café.
Adults £5.50, Seniors /Students /UB40 £4.60, Children £3.60 Family Tickets: (2+ 2/3) £16.50. Newhaven, East Sussex, BN9 9DS,

Tangmere Military Aviation MuseumTelephone: 01243 775223.
“The Museum funding comes entirely from ticket sales, 'Friends of the Museum' memberships, merchandise sold in the Museum shop and bequests and donations made to the museum by those who believe in what we are trying to do.”
The museum was established in 1982 on the old RAF Tangmere airfield. From its beginnings in 1916, through its illustrious service as one of Britain's front line fighter bases during WW2 and on to its key role as home to the world speed record breaking aircraft of the High Speed Flight in the post war years it has occupied a unique place in aviation history.
The museum contains countless fascinating exhibits. Here you can see priceless historic aircraft such as Neville Duke's world record breaking Hawker Hunter, actual equipment used by the brave SOE agents who were carried into occupied France on 'black Lysander' flights from Tangmere, flight simulators where you can try your hand at flying, a full sized replica of the very first Spitfire prototype and more. Much more. There is something for all the family to see and do.
View the artifacts that tell the story of Tangmere's crucial role during the Battle of Britain in 1940
In the Battle of Britain Hall the focus is mainly on the crucial air battles fought in the skies over Southern Britain in 1940.
See the excavated and poignant remains of Sergeant Dennis Noble's Hurricane, enjoy the many fine poems written by airmen during the conflict, examine retrieved remains of Merlin, Junkers Jumo and Griffon engines.
Here you will also find the signatures of many of the Battle of Britain pilots, an original searchlight and a display of a number of Luftwaffe artefacts as well as a feature on photo interpretation, an exhibition of photo reconnaissance cameras and the actual uniform worn by Flt Lt James Nicolson during the action for which he won RAF Fighter Command's only VC in WW2.
Free Parking, Cafeteria, Visitor’s Picnic Area, Museum Shop, Memorial Garden Disabled Facilities
Adults £5.00 Over 60s £4.00 Under 16s £1.50 Family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) £11.50 Party
Tangmere Military Aviation Museum lies approximately three miles East of Chichester in West Sussex and is clearly signposted from the A27