Local Attractions
Barrow Hill Barns has many beautiful walks and attractions on it’s doorstep. Below are a few of our favourite days out. You can also explore some of our favourite walking locations.
Within our guest books are a selection of walks which start and finish at Barrow Hill Barns, exploring the beauty of the surrounding National Park and a few of our favourite pubs!
Sky Park Farm (6.9 miles)
Sky Park Farm is a great place to visit for all the family. This deer farm allows you to walk amongst, get close to and feed the deer. There is also a farm shop and a fantastic adventure playground for children.
Hambledon Vineyard (7.7 miles)
Walk the vineyard that is nestled on the edge of the south Downs. A beautiful vineyard with stunning views over the valleys and hills, you will be shown around their gravity-fed state of the art winery. The friendly staff led by Hervé Jestin, formerly one of Champagne’s leading chefs de cave, will be delighted to explain the processes involved in making English sparkling wine, as well as what makes Hambledon Vineyard unique in england and around the world.
Tours last around 2 hours and you will taste both Classic Cuvee Sparkling wines!
Uppark (8.8 miles)
Uppark is an amazing 18th century house that is on the South Downs ridge and gives beautiful views as far out as the English Channel. They are gradually restoring the gardens to their original 18th century design. At the front of the house is a meadow that gives you space to play or relax with a picnic while gazing at the wonderful views. There is also nearby woodland to explore. In the house you are not only able to see the family rooms but you can also see the servants quarters downstairs. However, the most impressive piece in Uppark is the 18th century doll’s house which is one of the best in the country. It is magnificent, with amazing hand carved furniture, hand-painted oil paintings and the house’s impressive size! There was a fire in 1989 which devastated the upstairs, as well as some of the ground floor, and they have a video on site so you can see some of the restoration process. There is a cafe that serves light lunches and on a nice day you can sit outside. Dogs are only allowed in the woodland areas of the estate. The meadow is a great place for children to play and there is also a children’s trail. Parking is free. Always check the website before visiting as, due to its position, opening is often affected by extreme weather (especially in winter).
Hinton Ampner (9.4miles)
Hinton Ampner is an elegant country manor that has amazing gardens. There was a fire in 1960 which meant it had to be restored by its last owner but it holds a huge collection of ceramics and art. The formal gardens are beautifully kept and you can take the dog for a walk along any of the 4 miles of parkland and woodland. They often have activities for children to do as you walk around, such as things to find in the house. The house has beautiful view, as it sits on a hill, so you can look out across the South Downs. They have a tea room or you can picnic anywhere on the ground. Parking is free. If you want to visit the house then its a good idea to check the website for opening times as some days the house is closed. Also the general closing time of Hinton Ampner can vary.
The Watercress Line (11.9 miles)
Fares give you all day travel, so you can visit our stations with period charm and explore these historic towns. Watch the world go by at the peaceful country station of Medstead & Four Marks and enjoy a run around at Ropley station with its elevated picnic area and the famous Kings Cross Bridge which featured in the Harry Potter films. Here you can also investigate the impressive engineering sheds and see preservation in action!
The Watercress Line have fantastic special events throughout the year, including: a Day Out With Thomas, War on the Line, Santa Specials and Christmas Leave, along with spectacular Steam Galas and much more! There are pre-bookable real ale and fine dining trains for the grown-ups and Sunday lunch trains for all the family.
Jane Austen’s House Museum (12.2 miles)
This house in Chawton, where Jane Austen lived and wrote, is the only one that is open to the public. Jane Austen lived in many different places as she grew up but this is where she spent the last 8 years of her life and where she wrote or edited most of the books which were later published. She lived here rent free with her mother, sister and a close family friend. This was because her brother was adopted by the owner of the Chawton estate and so was able to offer her a house on his lands. In this house you can see the writing table that Jane used to write her books as well as paintings done by her sister and lots of other items. There is a learning area for children and a short video about Jane’s life. Opposite the house is a cafe and a pub where you can have some lunch after your visit. You could also visit the Chawton House Library, down the road, which is where her brother lived and Jane often visited. Opening times vary depending on the month but it is not open in January or February. A ticket gives you unlimited visits for 12 months and you can save £1 on your ticket for Chawton House Library with the ticket. Free parking in Chawton village.
Hollycombe Steam in the Country (13.6 miles)
The Hollycombe Steam Collection is a collection of steam powered vehicles, rides and attractions. The collection includes fairground rides, a display farm and two railways. Hollycombe is a great day out with all the family to experience the fanfare of Edwardian Britain.
The site is usually open at weekends over the summer months. It’s best to check their website for the days which they are open.
Winchester Science Centre (15.4 miles)
Winchester Science Centre is a hands-on, interactive, science and technology centre. A great activity for all ages.
Marwell Zoo (17.2 miles)
They have an amazing range of animals including tigers, rhinos, giraffes, snow leopards and cheetahs. There are daily talks on the animals and multiple animal feeds to watch. As well as animals, they have five adventure playgrounds and lots of other activities on offer, such as train rides and different events running every day.
It opens at 10am but closing time varies, so its worth checking on the day. Last entry is 90mins before closing.
Winchester (17.5 miles)
An unspoilt cathedral city, Winchester is England’s ancient capital and former seat of King Alfred the Great.
Popular for its bustling shopping streets, its floral summer season and quirky open air events, Winchester is most well-known for its eleventh century Cathedral and for the Great Hall which for over 700 years has housed the mysterious King Athur’s Round Table.
During the festive season, a Christmas fair fills the small cobbled streets which surround the Cathedral.
West Dean Gardens (17.8miles)
Nestled at the foot of the South Downs, West Dean Gardens in West Sussex is one of the greatest restored gardens open to the public. You can explore a wide range of historic features on a gentle walk around the grounds. From surreal trees to the restored walled garden, West Dean Gardens proudly presents its rich creative and social heritage. Features include an impressive collection of working Victorian Glasshouses, a 300 foot pergola and a spring garden with flint bridges. There is also a restaurant and shop on site. The gardens surround West Dean College, which is internationally recognised for conservation and creative arts.
Bird World (18.1 miles)
This is a great day out for the family and has far more than just birds. They have over 2,000 species of bird which include emus, penguins, flamingos, birds of prey and much more! They also have lots of interactive events, such as two penguin feeding events and various bird shows every day. As well as the birds they have an aquarium which has crocs, piranhas and more. They have animal encounters every day which is where you can meet little animals like guinea pigs and rabbits. Ponies, sheep, reindeer, donkeys and goats can also be found at Bird World. They have a restaurant, cafe and kiosks if you get peckish.
Bird World is open from 10am-6pm in the summer and 10am-4.30pm in the winter every day (last entry is an hour before closing).
Weald and Downland Living Museum (18.4 miles)
Discover rescued traditional rural buildings set in a beautiful landscape, which tell the stories of the men, women and children who lived and worked in them over a 950-year period. Enjoy the Museum’s 40-acre site and visit their collection of 50 historic buildings. There is a regular programme of domestic and craft demonstrations, including cooking in the Tudor kitchen, blacksmithing in the Victorian smithy and seasonal demonstrations. Take a walk in the woods with the dog and visit the waterside cafe or enjoy your own picnic.
Fishbourne Roman Palace and Gardens (19 miles)
Explore this first-century home and outstanding archaeological site. Get hands-on at our exciting family events and marvel at the largest collection of early Roman mosaic floors in Britain. Discovered in 1960, the North Wing of this remarkable building is an important attraction for anyone interested in learning more about Roman life, art and architecture.
The extensive grounds of the Palace offer visitors the opportunity to stroll around the formal Roman garden carefully replanted to its original plan, featuring box hedging and staked espalier fruit trees. The Museum Gallery displays a wide range of Roman objects found during excavations on the site. These include beautiful jewellery and personal items and a sculptured marble head that is believed to be a rare image of the Emperor Nero, as a child.
http://wp.sussexpast.co.uk/properties-to-discover/fishbourne-roman-palace
Chichester Festival Theatre (19.2miles)
One of the UK’s flagship theatres, renowned for the exceptionally high standard of its productions as well as its work with the community and young people. The Festival Theatre’s bold thrust stage design makes it one of England’s most striking playhouses. The annual summer Festival season runs from April to October, during which productions originated at Chichester reach an audience of over 200,000. Year-round programming continues through the winter with the Theatre presenting high-class touring productions, as well as a traditional Christmas show mounted by the renowned Chichester Festival Youth Theatre.
Goodwood (19.2miles)
Goodwood has motor racing, horse racing, aero & golf clubs. Its one of Englands great County Estates. They often have events on in the summer like the Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival.
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard (20.1 miles)
The Portsmouth Historic Dockyard has an amazing selection of historic ships that you can walk around and see. These include HMS Victory (Nelson’s famous flagship from the Battle of Trafalgar), HMS Warrior and the Mary Rose (the recovered Tudor ship). This dockyard has museums dedicated to most aspects of the Navy and interactive learning areas, so there is bound to be something for everyone.
Its open from 10am to 5pm in winter and until 5.30pm in summer.
Petworth House (20.6 miles)
Petworth is a stately mansion with amazing history and a beautiful art collection. The house was given to the Percy family (Dukes of Northumberland) by Henry VIII. There are over 300 paintings here including some by Van Dyck, Reynolds, Titian and Blake as well as classical and neo-classical sculptures. JMW Turner also spent some time here as he was under the patronage of the 3rd Earl of Egremont and so many of his paintings can be seen here. It is a good idea to check what’s on at Petworth as they often have some interesting tours through the house and certain days when you can see the upstairs rooms. You can also walk the vast grounds. Dogs are only allowed in the deer park. There are children’s trails, a restaurant and a cafe. Parking is free for National Trust members and £4 for non-members. Check the website for opening times and dates.
Paultons Park (32.8 miles)
Paultons Park is a family theme park that has stuff for children of all ages. For the younger children, there is Peppa Pig World and Critter Creek. These areas have classic rides, such as tea cups and merry-go-rounds, as well as a baby roller coaster. Over in the Lost Kingdom part of the park are the more serious roller coasters and water rides for older children. There are also loads of adventure playgrounds which are each aimed at different age groups. As well as rides, you can find lots of different birds at the park, including penguins (which are fed twice a day) and flamingos.