Wealden’s latest tourist guide- We do the Best Attractions 2018, is now in circulation around hotels, tourist destinations, libraries, farm shops and garden centres within a two-and-a-half hour drive, bringing visitors to the District.—Wealden District Council, 25 April 2018
Representatives of Wealden tourists industry gathered for launch
The guide was officially launched at the Bluebell Vineyard, one of a growing number of wineries that are proving to be a hit with visitors both from home and abroad.
Soaking up the spring sunshine at Wednesday’s launch, Councillor Roy Galley, Wealden Cabinet member for Economic Development, said the Romans had begun the wine industry in Wealden and it is being revived in the 21st Century by a new generation of viticulturists and wine makers who are utilising the beauty of the Wealden countryside to provide an additional attraction.
“Weald and Downland Vineyards provide a great reason for visitors to escape from their cities and enjoy our local food and drink and sample some of our enviable scenery and heritage,” said Councillor Galley. “The Council is keen to support the industry and is looking at working with local partners to help raise awareness and support collaborative ways of working. Together accommodation providers, gastro pubs, vineyards, heritage attractions and National Trust sites can make a visit to Wealden one that many people will never forget.”
The Bluebell Vineyard Estates are named after the bluebells that grow in abundance in the nearby wood, and are home to award winning Hindleap sparkling wines. The Furners Green vineyard’s proximity to Sheffield Park and the Bluebell Railway is making it a popular destination for both the wine connoisseur and the curious alike.
Representatives of Wealden tourists industry gathered for the launch of the 2018 We do the Best Attractions guide heard a first-hand account of how sparkling wines are made in Sussex from Collette O’Leary.
They also heard about another native Wealden craft, trug making, from Sarah Page of the Herstmonceux Truggery. Trugs became the must-have garden accessory after Queen Victoria purchased one at the 1851 Great Exhibition. There are now only six trug makers left in Sussex, and only one is under 30 years old.
Tourists spend over £300 million a year in Wealden, and they support nearly one in five of all jobs, making it a major driver of the Wealden economy.
This year’s We Do the Best Attractions guide features 79 attractions and includes special offers at many of the listed attractions available on presentation of the leaflet. The leaflet also features fascinating snippets of local history from many of the villages in towns in Wealden including Blackham, Chelwood Gate, Horam, Mayfield and Waldron, as well an information about different walking and cycling routes in the District.
For all the latest information about all the events taking place in Wealden and to download your copy, visit the Wealden do Sussex website, www.wealdendo-sussex.co.uk, which is now in its third year and continues to grow. Last year saw 38,000 people visit the site.
Image: Cllr Galley and representatives of the local tourist industry with the 2018 Wealden Do the Best Attractions Guide
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