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🗺️ Farm Day Trips guide
Things to Do Near the Lavender Farms of the Darent Valley & North Downs, Kent and Surrey
Castle Farm's Darent Valley lavender blooms late June to late July, close to Eynsford Castle, Darwin's Down House and Churchill's Chartwell.
10 places · updated October 17, 2026
🌱 What’s happening now
Updated October 17
🪻 In season now
Mayfield Lavender · Hewitts Farm
✏️ Report outdated info
Just past London's southern edge, the North Downs rise over Surrey and Kent, and the River Darent runs north through the villages of Shoreham and Eynsford. Lavender has a long history here: Castle Farm grows it among hops and orchards in the Darent Valley, Mayfield farms organic lavender above Banstead, and Carshalton's volunteers revive the town's old lavender trade on one field.
Midsummer is the time to come. Castle Farm's fields bloom from late June to late July, and Carshalton holds one pick-your-own weekend in late July. Around the farms you can pair lavender with Darwin's garden at Downe, Churchill's home at Westerham, the deer park at Knole or the view from Box Hill. In autumn the farms switch to pumpkins and the hillside gardens turn color.
The lavender farms
- Mayfield LavenderLavender farm · Banstead
June and July; harvest usually begins in early August
Walk-in visits to the Banstead field daily during the summer season (entry fee charged, no booking needed); the separate Secret Lavender Garden in Epsom is open year-round.
- Castle FarmLavender farm · Shoreham
Late June to late July
Ticketed lavender field walks, guided distillery tours and picnics in late June and July (pre-booking strongly advised); farm shop open year-round Tuesday to Sunday.
- Beck Evans FarmLavender farm · Sidcup
Lavender field open to the public daily 9am–6pm during the flowering season; photography by advance booking; farm, restaurant and shop open seven days a week.
- Carshalton LavenderLavender farm · Carshalton
July, with harvest at the end of the month
Open to the public for one pick-your-own harvest weekend each July (tickets recommended); volunteers welcome on Saturday mornings.
- Naturallythinking Lavender FarmLavender farm · Wallington
Mid-June to late August
Closed for the 2026 season while the farm shop and café are refurbished; their website says it will reopen in summer 2027. When open: daily, free entry, no booking.
Best time to visit
Castle Farm says its lavender blooms from late June to late July, with ticketed walks and picnics in that window. In 2025 Mayfield Lavender opened from June 14 to August 17, and its 2026 season ended on August 23. Carshalton Lavender's pick-your-own harvest is one weekend, July 25 and 26 in 2026. Naturallythinking's farm at Little Woodcote is closed for 2026 and plans to reopen in summer 2027. Hewitts Farm's pick-your-own runs from mid-July to October. In fall, Castle Farm sells pumpkins outside its shop until early November, Mayfield's pumpkin patch opened October 3, 2026, Emmetts Garden holds an Autumn Festival from October 9 to November 1, 2026, and Down House has a Worm Weekend on October 24 and 25, 2026.
Places to see nearby parks, trails, beaches and landmarks
- Lullingstone Roman Villa🏛️ Historic site · Eynsford · about 2 mi, 5 min drive
The remains of a Roman villa in the Darent Valley, currently under conservation: you look down on the excavated ruins from a viewing window and talk with volunteers. People with mold-related allergies are advised to wait until the work is done.
Thursday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm (as listed October 2026)
free; suggested £3 donation
- Eynsford Castle🏛️ Historic site · Eynsford · about 3 mi, 5 min drive
A rare early Norman castle with no keep, just a tall curtain wall and the remains of its hall, reached by a lane off Eynsford's High Street.
Daily 10am to 4pm
free
- Home of Charles Darwin, Down House🏛️ Museum · Downe · about 7 mi, 15 min drive
Darwin's family home, where the gardens were his outdoor laboratory; walk his Sandwalk thinking path, see the greenhouse and take a handheld tour narrated by David Attenborough.
Daily 10am to 5pm, last entry 4pm (as listed October 2026)
- Chartwell🏛️ Historic site · Westerham · about 10 mi, 20 min drive
Winston Churchill's family home, with his studio of more than 100 paintings, the walled garden whose walls he helped build, and a woodland walk around the lakes.
Garden 10am to 5pm and house 11am to 3:40pm with timed tickets (as listed October 2026)
Parking £6 per car for non-members
- Emmetts Garden🌷 Garden · Ide Hill · about 10 mi, 20 min drive
A hilltop garden on one of the highest points of the Kentish Weald, with wide views from the rose garden, bluebells in spring and maples in autumn.
10am to 5pm on October 17, 2026; Autumn Festival October 9 to November 1, 2026
Free parking with admission
- Knole🏛️ Historic site · Sevenoaks · about 7 mi, 15 min drive
A former archbishop's palace set in a 1,000-acre deer park where fallow deer roam; climb the Gatehouse Tower for rooftop views.
Park dawn to dusk; showrooms 11am to 4pm, with some rooms closed for winter from November
October 2026: Outdoor & Tower £6 adults, £3 children; showrooms ticket £19 adults, £9.50 children
- Box Hill🏞️ Park · Tadworth, near Dorking · about 11 mi, 25 min drive
A North Downs summit with a broad viewpoint and marked walks, from a 1-mile hilltop stroll to the 2-mile Stepping Stones walk over the River Mole.
Countryside dawn to dusk; cafe 10am to 5pm
Parking £2 for an hour to £9 all day; National Trust members free
- Polesden Lacey🏛️ Historic site · Great Bookham · about 13 mi, 30 min drive
Margaret Greville's country house on 1,600 acres of downland, with a walled rose garden and woodland walks; only the ground floor is open in 2026.
Garden 10am to 4pm, house 11am to 3pm (as listed October 2026)
Parking £5 for non-members
Where to stop: farms, food and stays
- The Mount VineyardWinery or vineyard (21+) · Shoreham
A hillside vineyard in Shoreham village with a courtyard restaurant and tastings, five minutes from Castle Farm.
- Hewitts FarmU-pick farm · Orpington
Free-entry pick-your-own on the A224 near Orpington from mid-July to October, ending with pumpkins.
- Westerham BreweryBrewery or taproom (21+) · Westerham
A Westerham taproom with daily street food, gluten-free ales and Saturday brewery tours.
- Denbies Wine EstateWinery or vineyard (21+) · Dorking
A large Surrey Hills vineyard below Box Hill with vineyard train tours and restaurants, open daily.
- Priory Farm EstateU-pick farm · Nutfield
A family estate near Redhill with a farm shop, cafes, a woodland trail and an October pumpkin field.
A one-day plan
- 9:45 AMHewitts Farm
Pick your own on a late-July Saturday, when picking has started; about 45 minutes.
- 10:45 AMCastle Farm · about 10 min drive
About 10 minutes south to Shoreham. Book a lavender walk ahead, then browse the farm shop; about 90 minutes.
- 12:30 PMThe Mount Vineyard · about 5 min drive
About 5 minutes into Shoreham village for lunch in the courtyard restaurant (opens noon Wednesday to Sunday); about an hour.
- 1:50 PMEynsford Castle · about 10 min drive
About 10 minutes north. A free 30-minute look at the Norman walls, then a stroll along Eynsford's High Street.
- 2:50 PMHome of Charles Darwin, Down House · about 25 min drive
About 25 minutes west to Downe. Arrive before the 4pm last entry and walk the Sandwalk; about 75 minutes.
- 4:30 PMWesterham Brewery · about 20 min drive
About 20 minutes south. Early dinner from the street food stall at the taproom (card only); plan a designated driver.
Tips
- Castle Farm's lavender walks and picnics are ticketed and run only from late June to late July, so book before you go.
- Box Hill has no phone signal, so set up the parking payment app before you arrive, or pay at the machine.
- Knole's car park is for ticket holders only; if you just want the deer park, use the Sevenoaks multi-storey (TN13 1LW) and walk in.
- For Carshalton Lavender's harvest weekend, use the Oaks Way Centre entrance (SM5 4NQ); parking there is very limited and reserved for Blue Badge holders.
- Westerham Brewery's taproom is cashless, and Hewitts Farm takes cash and card.
Checked in October 2026 against official park, tourism and business websites. How we check listings
Questions
When is the lavender in bloom near Shoreham?
Castle Farm says its fields bloom from late June to late July.
Is Mayfield Lavender open now?
The Banstead fields closed for the 2026 season on August 23. Its cafe and gift shop in Epsom (139 Reigate Road) are open all year.
When is the Carshalton lavender harvest?
Pick-your-own runs for one weekend: Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 July in 2026, booked in advance.
Is the Naturallythinking lavender farm open?
No. It is closed for the 2026 season while its shop and cafe are refurbished, and plans to reopen in summer 2027.
Can I see the Roman villa at Lullingstone?
Only partly for now. The ruins are closed during conservation work, but you can view them from a window and talk with volunteers; entry is free.
🪪 Collect a stamp at every stop
The free Lavender Passport keeps a stamp for each farm and stop you visit, in real life and in the Lavender Farm Simulator. At the farm, play Field Quest to collect plant varieties as you walk, climb the leaderboards and unlock sponsor rewards.
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