Visit Us
William Robinson Gravetye Charity manages 637 acres of forest and farmland in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty for public enjoyment and forestry purposes.
You can park on the Estate for free and enjoy our woodland trails and public footpaths any day of the year. Print off our trail map and choose either the 5km trail from Vowels Lane Car Park or our shorter 2.6 km trail from the public parking layby just before Gravetye Manor.
Our vistas and lake views are a treat all year around and there are unusual trees and plants along the trail which were planted by pioneering gardener William Robinson (1838-1935).
We are working hard to improve biodiversity on Gravetye Estate through our volunteering activities and our mission is to develop a disease and climate change resistant woodland for future generations.
Please keep dogs on leads around Lower Lake and under close control elsewhere for the protection of wildlife.
If you have enjoyed your visit, please help us by donating towards urgent maintenance costs and biodiversity projects.
Visit Gravetye Manor Gardens
William Robinson (1838-1935) lived at Gravetye Manor for 50 years developing his groundbreaking ideas around ‘wild’ gardening.
His world-renowned garden, wildflower meadow, orchard and elliptical walled vegetable garden are now open to visitors.
Image courtesy of Gravetye Manor
Parking
We offer three places to park your car:
- Vowels Lane Car Park – approx. 30 spaces. 2m height restriction barrier. CCTV monitored. The start of our 5km William Robinson Woodland Trail.
///boil.polar.rotate - Kingscote Drive Layby – 9 spaces. Just off the lane to Kingscote Vineyard from Vowels Lane.
///spaces.relegate.trouser - Gravetye Manor Drive Layby – 9 spaces. Disability spaces. The start of our 2.6km William Robinson Woodland Trail.
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Visitors come to absorb the tranquil atmosphere around Lower Lake and to glimpse William Robinson’s wild flower meadows from the High Weald Landscape Trail, which cuts through the middle of the estate. The charity’s mission is to share William Robinson’s teachings and to develop a woodland garden and forest garden, for public enjoyment, over the coming years. Please support our mission today.
“There is much beauty in our native flowers and trees”
“The woodlands should be a sanctuary for birds, foxes, badgers and the like.”
The High Weald Landscape Trail cuts through the middle of Gravetye Estate and you can glimpse William Robinson’s famous wildflower meadow to the south of Gravetye Manor as you wind down this public path. There are interesting bulbs and wildflowers to look at all year around and visitors often see kingfishers flying along the valley.
The Charity is developing a woodland garden for colour and scent in the dell between Upper and Lower Lake. School children planted hundreds of Narcissi and anemones in autumn 2023. We can’t wait to see carpets of yellow and gold in spring 2024.
Please visit us and share your pictures via Instagram. We have a Nature Log if you would like to report anything unusual that you see.
Follow the William Robinson Woodland Trail and take in the highlights of the estate and William Robinson’s legacy. The trail has been clearly marked with the Charity’s icon and will be improved and further developed using your feedback.
There are several slopes, so the trail is not fully accessible to wheelchair users and pushchairs, however the layby on Gravetye Manor’s main drive does provide wide bays and all-weather access to the Lower Lake and a beautiful linear walk.
Please download the William Robinson Woodland Trail map and look out the points of interest along the way with your friends and family. The trail is circular and measures 5km from Vowels Lane Car Park or 2.6km from the Main Drive layby.
The route can also be viewed on OS Maps here.
To help us to build a picture of our visitor’s needs please access the QR code where you park and use this form to provide constructive feedback.
Because the estate sits on Wealden clay, paths do become wet and slippery in winter time so sturdy shoes are advised.
William Robinson Gravetye Charity is investing in a programme of path improvements and accessibility projects and donations are welcomed, however small.
Deer Management Policy
The High Weald is home to large numbers of deer, including significant herds of fallow deer, which can have significant detrimental impact on woodland biodiversity and tree growth. In order to manage this impact, a deer management plan has been put in place and stalking activity is carried out by highly experienced and qualified stalkers to achieve its objectives.
Stalking activity typically takes place at dawn and dusk during the ‘open season’, which runs from 1st August to 30th April. Please be aware of this activity when walking in the Estate and keep to marked paths and trails.
