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Horsepower of a different kind!
e Whatever your interest in horsepower whether it's at Goodwood or Cowdray, we have two superb and high quality Sussex executive homes to offer you that.....
Festival Fever
May is the month for festivals in Sussex, with some of the best you'll find anywhere.
Running from 5-27 May is the famous Brighton Festival, En.....
The Amberley House Cottage Holidays Blog for Sussex and the South Downs
Welcome to our blog. It is designed to give you an insight into what we do and a little about daily life here in Sussex.We also want to provide you with useful information as it happens so hopefully it will be topical and timely. Whether you are a second homeowner or looking to come and visit we hope it will be of interest
Posted May 15, 2012 by:
e Whatever your interest in horsepower whether it's at Goodwood or Cowdray, we have two superb and high quality Sussex executive homes to offer you that are perfect for your executives and corporate guests who enjoy the high profile horsepower events here in Sussex! Shopwyke Manor dates back one thousand years, a manor home steeped in local history and today presented to the highest standard complete with maid service. For top executives and key guests it is a special place to stay allowing you to entertain in style during our premier events..Read more
Posted May 10, 2012 by: Andrew Gardner
May is the month for festivals in Sussex, with some of the best you'll find anywhere. Running from 5-27 May is the famous Brighton Festival, England's biggest arts festival, with this year's guest director Vanessa Redgrave inspiring a whole range of events that explore some of her favourite themes ranging from theatre, literature and politics to humanitarian and social issues. Alongside it runs the Brighton Fringe, the third-largest fringe festival in the world with something like 675 events over three weeks. Just about every one of Brighton's fabulous arts venues, plus some quite unexpected temporary ones, is pressed into action and it's always a showcase for major and up-and-coming talent as well as a forum for ideas and debates.Read more
Posted May 1, 2012 by: Andrew Gardner
Dust off your hiking boots and head for Ashdown Forest. It's fabulous at any time but on a clear, sunny day and with the trees filling with new leaf growth you can see so much. It's not just the views, though – just look at the textures. Windswept grasses against soft heather, dark birch and oak trunks... if you're given to taking a sketchbook on holiday, do bring it here. The walking doesn't have to be hard; plenty of hills but if you start from one of the car parks (which are free, by the way) and do a circuit, there's nothing too arduous. The forest has plenty of lovely places to see even if you don't really enjoy walking. Winnie The Pooh country, around Hartfield East Sussex, is delightful, and it’s worth calling in at the visitor centre, which has plenty of information – from maps and trails to how to recognise different types of newt – and usually an art exhibition. The volunteer staff are well-informed and helpful.Read more
Posted Apr 13, 2012 by: Andrew Gardner
I'm thinking fitness with the Brighton Marathon taking place this weekend and the Olympic torch relay route - with its Sussex sections, of course – being announced recently. I just wish the thinking could translate into a bit more doing... don't we all? The Brighton Marathon course always takes in the best local scenery, from lovely Preston Park and the Regency-era Royal Pavilion to some fabulous stretches of coast with magnificent views. This year's route is designed to be a bit faster than usual, with one of the big climbs around Ovingdean East Sussex taken out and an extra loop added around Portslade, West Sussex instead. A good knock-on effect should be some extra trade for the local shops and cafes around Portslade as the run draws a host of visitors..Read more
Posted Apr 3, 2012 by: Andrew Gardner
Well I’m happy to report that finally the Easter holidays are here. We’ve had a busy lead up to Easter in Sussex this year – and if you're spending your Easter in one of our pretty Sussex cottages as I know many are, you won't be disappointed. I really think there's something here for everyone. Sussex has lots of lovely old churches and, of course, two magnificent cathedrals – Arundel and Chichester; National Trust and other stately homes and gardens start opening up for the summer season, complete with Easter egg trails in many cases; and, as if you could miss it on the South Downs, it's the tail end of lambing time. If you appreciate ecclesiastical architecture from outside as well as in, I recommend the view of Arundel castle from the train. I caught the train from Pulborough to Chichester the other week and as the line curves around Arundel you're treated to the most glorious sight of the cathedral and castle towering above the flat coastal plain. Look the opposite way and you're faced with the South Downs escarpment. In fact the whole journey is beautiful and really shows some of the scenic variety Sussex has to offer.Read more
Posted Mar 21, 2012 by: Andrew Gardner
Do you fancy a fabulous day out with birds of prey?. You can do this at several places in Sussex – including the Sussex Falconry Centre in, appropriately named Birdham, and West Sussex Falconry at Compton, near Chichester. There’s also Huxleys, in Horsham, where owners Julian and Steph and their team give a day to remember. We have some handy holiday cottages in this part of the county as well so take a look! The 'Raptor Experience Day' at Huxleys starts with coffee and owls, a bit Harry Potter-ish. Gloves are lent out with an introduction to the little owls who squeak happily, and a tawny owl who loves having his feathers stroked. Perhaps the highlight of the day is: the hawk walk with Denver the Harris hawk snug in his travelling basket, At the appropriate place usually with the cover of Sussex woodland he displays his skills. It's a bit like walking a dog, except Denver flies and sits in trees. The walk they take you on takes in impressive views over the Sussex Weald and south towards the South Downs at Truleigh Hill.Read more
Posted Mar 8, 2012 by: Andrew Gardner
That bastion of British seaside tradition, the pier, is disappearing fast. These iconic wooden structures seem to burn down or get ravished by storms at an alarming rate and those that remain become national treasures. So when you find a fully-functioning pier – and the Brighton Pier is one – what's the attraction? It's tacky, it's noisy and there's probably a cold wind blasting through the boards. You'll burn cash in the amusement arcade, perhaps feel a bit dizzy as you peer at the surging sea below or shudder at the recollection of Graham Greene's Brighton Rock gangsters, and the kids will clamour to go on the fairground rides before demanding candyfloss; but there's an indoor fish-and-chip restaurant and three bars and, let's face it, there's just something about the atmosphere. Perhaps because it's been enjoyed by so many people for so long, or perhaps because – and it's easy to forget this – back in 1823 it was the landing stage for ferries to and from Dieppe, it has a certain je ne sais quois, a timeless, feelgood experience for anyone and everyone.Read more
Posted Feb 29, 2012 by: Andrew Gardner
It's 25 years since the Great Storm of 1987 that wreaked havoc across Southeast England. Arguably we've had a few 'great storms' since then, but the 1987 one really did change the landscape. Well-known views disappeared overnight as 75mph winds swept through and felled trees and shrubs – many of them centuries old – in their path. Ironically, though, there was a silver lining for visitors as many other vistas across the Sussex Weald reappeared that had long been hidden. At Wakehurst Place, the country estate near Ardingly in West Sussex which is now linked with the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, the damage was keenly felt both in the gardens and in the surrounding woodland. More than 25,000 trees came crashing down and it took five years to clear the damage, let alone begin the restoration process. But in the aftermath of that storm features such as the Asian Heath Garden were created that are now much-loved parts of the scenery, and some of the trees planted then now reach 50ft (you might not be surprised to hear that they're eucalyptus).Read more
Posted Feb 20, 2012 by: Andrew Gardner
Appropriately for a region that's so popular with walkers, some of our country and coastal cottages can accommodate your dog as well as yourself. We don't discriminate, but we'd love to see more of our very own Sussex Spaniels visit, as this lovely breed – stockier and stronger than other spaniels – is on the Kennel Club's 'at risk' list. It's always described as having a sort of rolling gait, which makes me think of sailors and seems rather appropriate to our coastal county. Although they're working dogs they have a kind, confident nature that makes them good pets too. The English Setter and the Irish Terrier are also on the list as more people turn to exotic breeds of the sort favoured by slebs, sorry, that's the breed formerly known as celebrities. Paris Hilton and her Chihuahua have a lot to answer for. It's always sad when a native breed begins to die out. It's not just dogs – ponies, cattle and sheep are affected too, and I'm sure there are other examples. We don't have our own Sussex ponies but our local Southdown sheep are having a bit of a revival, mainly because they grow fast and taste good but let's face it, the Downs just wouldn't be the same without flocks of these no-nonsense, leg-at-each-corner creatures. No country walk is complete without the sight and sound of local sheep. Another Sussex breed that's still popular is our very own chicken. They seem to come in all sorts of colours, from brown or red to speckled, lavender or even golden (these apparently popular in Australia). They're good foragers and very productive on the egg front and they get on well with people, so they're popular as garden pets. The Sussex Weald is full of deer, of course – anyone who's walked in the woods will have come across the signs, if not seen them. But if you're after something a little more exotic – barring the odd escaped wallaby – another inhabitant that's on the increase is the wild boar, a nocturnal fella so you're less likely to come across him, although you may well see the signs – look for rubbing posts and wallowing holes as well as tracks, especially in woodland on the Kent/Sussex border. They're a bit controversial as they can damage crops, but it's sad to hear they're popular with poachers. So keep walking, keep looking... you never know what you might meet.Read more
Posted Feb 10, 2012 by: Andrew Gardner
Half term is here, and our lovely Sussex countryside offers so much to see and do. Walks are always an option, but as it's February we thought you might like something warmer. The Weald and Downland Open Air Museum at Singleton makes a lovely day out (it occasionally has to close when conditions are too icy, so it's worth phoning ahead if the weather's iffy). You get to stretch your legs strolling around the scenic site and its outdoor attractions, but if the rain or snow descends there's plenty of indoor stuff too. Discover how our ancestors lived, how they built their homes and worked their land as you explore the museum's village which includes farmsteads, a Tudor kitchen and a working watermill. There's also an amazing collection of buildings 'rescued' from the local area – historic structures that would otherwise have been demolished.Read more
Posted Feb 3, 2012 by: Andrew Gardner
We're enjoying a winter cold snap here in Sussex with beautiful crisp clear days, in my view that's what winter is all about and it's pleasing to avoid all the snow that blighted us last winter!. Our winter booking activity has been far more active with many guests enjoying short breaks away in Sussex even at this coldest time. I read an article in the Independent recently on the best winter walks. We have long held the view that getting on to the Sussex chalk downland whether walking the South Downs Way or enjoying the myriad of paths and bridleways that cross Englands latest National Park is a wonderful way to enjoy the winter air and our stunning scenery when it's at its bleakest time.Read more
Posted Jan 17, 2012 by: Andrew Gardner
The legend of Devil's Dyke on the top of the South Downs above Brighton is far more romantic than the down-to-earth explanation offered by geologists: that Britain's largest dry valley was formed during the last Ice Age by the ebb and flow of ice over its chalk landscape. Ancient parisoners took it as gospel that the valley was the Devil's work, carved out of the land by the Devil himself so the sea would flood the Weald and drown all its God-worshippers. Man has lived on this landscape for 5,000 years, building farmsteads in the Bronze Age and hillforts in the Iron Age to defend against invaders and farming corn and grazing sheep at Devil's Dyke in the Middle Ages.Read more
Posted Jan 7, 2012 by: Andrew Gardner
The Chichester Harbour Conservancy and the RSPB at Pulborough Brooks are offering a series of weekends this month to meet some of our neighbours! In January we see the arrival of thousands of migrating birds [...]Read more
