Take a walk through Borde Hill Garden, Sussex. Less well known than its almost neighbour Wakehurst Garden, Borde Hill Garden may be smaller (and cheaper) but is fully packed with flowers, trees, sculptures and fountains to make it one of the gardens near London to go visit ABSOLUTELY.
I passed by Borde Hill Garden during a circular hike in Balcombe, passing by the Ouse Valley Viaduct and the Ardingly Reservoir. I thought to myself that I must come back here and take the time to visit the garden. This is how this visit to the Borde Hill Garden came about.
In this article, I walk you through what you can expect when visiting the garden and also how to get there on foot (of course I am a hiker after all).
Logistics of the Borde Hill Garden Walk
Distance: 4.2 miles (6.6 km)
Total Ascent: 135 ft (41 m)
Highest Point: 272 ft (83 m)
Lowest Point: 141 ft (43 m)
Walking Estimate: 1 hour and 50 min
Difficulty: Easy
How to get there:
- Train: Direct train from Blackfriars to Haywards Heath. This train also stops at London Bridge. Then you would need to walk to Borde Hill Garden, and for that, I have a walking guide ready for you below
- Car: You can skip the walk and get to Borde Hill Garden by car. There is a car park available for visitors
What to Pack
- Comfortable clothing and footwear, trainers are fine
- Backpack with water, money for the entrance of the garden, snacks, packed lunch (if you wish to bring your own, you can picnic in the park) or money to buy a lunch at the garden’s cafe
Additional Information:
- There are visitor toilets at Borde Hill Garden
- Dogs are welcomed at Borde Hill Garden
- This is a stile-free walk
- There is no pub recommendation on this walk
Important Information
Address: Borde Hill Lane, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 1XP
Website: www.bordehill.co.uk
Opening times:
- February to November (check the website for more details)
- 10.00 am to 5.00 pm daily and until 6.00 pm on weekends during summer
Pricing:
- Adult– £10.50
- Child (aged 3-16) – £7.00
- Child under 3 – Free
- For more details on the pricing please check the website
- You would need to book your ticket online to guarantee your entry on the day
Things to do:
- Visit the Garden
- Walk in the Woodland & Park surrounding the Garden
- Children Orientation Trail Playground
- Dogs: Dogs are allowed in Borde Hill Garden but must be on a lead
Amenities:
- Visitors Toilets
- Cafe
- Picnic Area
- Shop and plant sales
What is Borde Hill Garden?
A Little Bit of History
The 200 acres (80 hectares) of the Borde Hill Garden have a rich history. In 1598, Sir Stephen Borde ordered the construction of a house on the estate. It was later purchased in 1893 by Col. Stephenson Robert Clarke, a British Army Officer as well as a naturalist and a horticulturist. He joined the Royal Sussex Light Infantry in 1880 and is deployed to South Africa where he discovered new bird species and start collecting them. He gifted his collection of birds to the British Museum and turned to plants. This is how Borde Hill Garden was born.
Over the centuries, the estate went through many different owners. First a private collection of exotic plants from Asia and South America, as well as shrubs, the Garden becomes a Charity in 1965 when it opened its doors to the public for the first time.
Video: Learn more about the Borde Hill Garden in this Official Video
Walking to Borde Hill Garden
Should you choose to come by train and walk to the Garden, here is a detailed walking guide for you.
Haywards Heath To Borde Hill Garden
Our walk starts in Haywards Heath, a commuter town in West Sussex.
When you come out of the train station, take the second exit at the roundabout and walk up Mill Green Road until you reach Old Wickham Lane. Then take the footpath in front of you. As the path divides into three take the one on the right and walk through Birchen Wood.
As you come out of the woods, you enter the Haywards Heath Golf Course. Stick to the footpath across the course until you reach another forested area. Walk across the woods and when you reach Copyhold Lane, turn right. Follow the road and turn left onto Borde Hill Lane at the end.
A little walk further down Borde Hill Lane, and there you are!
Borde Hill Garden to Haywards Heath
After you visit Borde Hill Garden, if you do the walk through the Garden as per below’s detailed visit, you should end at the Lakes in the Southern part of the Estate. Make your way back to the car park and exit the estate on Borde Hill Lane. Walk down this road until you reach Haywards Heath.
Warning: Please note there are parts on Borde Hill Lane where there is no sidewalk. If you do not feel confident sharing the road with cars, you can go back to Haywards Heath via the same route you came with.
When you arrive at a roundabout by a brand new built estate, continue straight and then take the first street on your right. The road is very busy, so it is safer to turn away and continue the walk back to the station via the residential area. Continue straight on Penland Road then take left onto Tuners Mill Road. When you get to the end, turn left onto Harlands Road and the train station is ahead.
Have a safe trip back to London!
Borde Hill Garden Walk
It is time to take a walk through Borde Hill Garden. Follow my lead into 11 things you can see when visiting Borde Hill Garden.
1 – Old Rhododendron Garden
The visit starts with the Old Rhododendron Garden located behind the entrance and the shop. Walk among the plants and shrubs where you discover sculptures in the middle of the flower beds.
2 – Cafe
At the end of the Old Rhododendron Garden, you arrive at the cafe. They offer a range of handmade sandwiches and cakes as well as a selection of hot and cold beverages. Take your order to the picnic tables by the cafe, no need to bring a sitting mat on this walk.
Tip: I truly recommend getting a glass of homemade iced tea
3 – Jay Robin’s Rose Garden
After lunch, make your way to Jay Robin’s rose garden. The idea of the rose garden was born in 1995 when the current owners of the Borde Hill Estate found a publication of a photograph in a 1902 edition of “Country Life Magazine” showing Stephenson Clarke’s rose garden. They decided to commission the plantation of a rose garden to reassemble the late Stephenson’s rose garden. The Garden was named after the current owner’s daughter.
4 – Victorian Greenhouses
Behind the Rose Garden, you find four greenhouses, occupied by snake plants, succulents and cactuses. Their construction was made possible thanks to a lottery fund donation.
5 – Azalea Ring
It was the first area of the estate to be planted by Sir Stephenson Robert Clarke. Even though it suffered a lot of damage during the Great Storm of 1987, some trees remained.
Tip: The best time to visit is between March and May when the Azaleas are in full bloom.
6 – Becky’s Bower & Garden of Allah
Walk alongside the perimeter of the park behind Borde Hill House and you arrive at the Garden of Allah. Easily recognisable thanks to the Becky’s Bower wooden gazebo, the Garden was named this way by Sir Stephenson Robert Clarke for its calmness and serenity.
7 – Warren Wood
We then leave the Garden to enter the surrounding Wood. Planted in 1905, the wood is the home of rare trees from Asia and North America. You can also find an orientation trail for children.
8 – Long Dell
Coming back from the wood, walk down towards the Italian Garden. On your way, you pass by the Long Dell. The out-of-this-world box contains a variety of exotic plants. When you look inside of it using the peepholes, the reflection on the mirrors inside the box gives a sensation of infinity.
9 – Italian Garden
You finally arrive at the highlight of the Garden, the Italian Garden. Originally a tennis court, it was converted into a lily pool in 1982. On the upper terrace facing the pool, you can find a statue of a woman opening her arms as if she was about to dive into the pool. You can admire the view over the South of the Garden on the lower terrace.
10 – Paradise Walk
When you leave the Italian Garden by the lower terrace, you can join the South Lawn and Borde Hill House via Paradise Walk. This long avenue is bordered by summer blooming flowers.
11 – Borde Hill House
At the end of Paradise Walk, you arrive at the South Lawn and Borde Hill House. Built in 1598, the house is still inhabited by the descendant of Col. Stephenson Robert Clarke, Andrewjohn Stephenson Clarke and his family.
12 – South Park
It is now time to leave the Garden and venture into the Southern part of the Estate. Take a stroll around the lakes; the biggest one, Robertsmere, was named after Stephenson Robert Clake and the smallest lake, Harry, after his grandson. There are three different trails you can take ranging from 15 minutes to up to 80 minutes walk. However, following the storm Eunice in February 2022, the longest route was closed when we were there.
This is where we end our visit to Borde Hill Garden. When you finish the loop around the lakes, go back to the car park, and you can follow my walking guide above to find your way back to Haywards Heath.
Borde Hill Garden Map
Do you want to walk to and from Haywards Heath to Borde Hill Garden? Download the GPS map of the walk. To learn how to upload it onto your navigation app, check my step-by-step guide here.
Check the Borde Hill Garden Below to find all the places to visit described above.
Final Thoughts on the Borde Hill Garden Walk
If you want to discover more of the countryside around Borde Hill Garden, check out my walking guide called High Weald Walk. Here are a few highlights from this walk:
- Balcombe Lake
- Ardingly College
- Ardingly Reservoir
- Balcombe Viaduct
Have ever visited Borde Hill Garden? Let me know what you think of it in the comments below.
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