Herstmonceux Castle Gardens and Grounds is a 600 acre estate including woodland, formal themed gardens and of course a 15th century moated castle. Made from red brick Herstmonceux Castle is one of the earliest examples of a brick built building in England. In 1946 Sir Paul Latham sold Herstmonceux Castle to the Admiralty, which established it as the new home of the Royal Greenwich Observatory. From the early 1950s until 1989 Herstmonceux Castle remained a centre of scientific research and home to one of the world’s leading astronomical organizations. As well as operating throughout spring and summer as a popular tourist attraction, Herstmonceux Castle also operates as an International Study Centre for Queen’s University in Canada, the castle hosts international students every year who come to England to study within this tranquil setting.

Type of cycle routes: We recommend leaving the castle estate and heading south along the beautiful quiet lanes through the flats towards Sustrans route 2. From here you can either head to the coast and down to Eastbourne or up towards Hastings. Alternatively, you can connect up to the off-road Cuckoo Trail at Polegate. 

Suitability:  Older children and adults comfortable to cycling on the lanes.

Difficulty: Easy – the routes are mainly flat as a pancake and along Sustrans recommended cycle routes.

Herstmonceux castle routes – please download our handy guide that you can also reference whilst out and about – Herstmonceux route maps