Vineyard & Wine Tasting Walks at Abingworth

Nestled at the foot of the South Downs, Abingworth Hall is ideally located for a short break or a longer holiday. A peaceful ambiance and excellent facilities make it a relaxing place to stay.

Our classic bedrooms offer comfortable accommodation and an en-suite bathroom with bath or shower. They also have TV, hairdryer, and tea and coffee making facilities. Single rooms are available for an extra £8 per night.

You can enjoy extra space or exceptional views plus additional facilities including a towelling robe and complimentary slippers when you upgrade to a premium bedroom. Premium rooms are available at just £5 extra per person per night.    

If you are travelling with your family, we have a selection of 3 and 4-bedded family bedrooms. These have all the facilities of our classic rooms plus full sized twin or double beds for adults and bunk beds or occasional beds for children.

All our Country Houses are tailored to the needs of walkers and outdoor enthusiasts and have excellent boot and drying rooms.

Abingworth Hall has three comfortable lounges, the largest of which opens onto the attractive conservatory and bar. The large ballroom can be used for dancing, evening talks or as a games room with table tennis. There is also a pleasant dining room. Free Wifi is available in some public rooms. There is also a range of board games and books.

Abingworth Hall is surrounded by eight acres of gardens. Outside there is a putting green and croquet lawn. The heated outdoor swimming pool is popular with our guests in the summer (May – September).

All holidays at our Country Houses are Full Board with all meals included, from dinner on arrival to breakfast on the day of your departure.

Start your day with our extensive breakfast. Choose from a wide selection on the cold buffet and/or a full cooked breakfast. Maybe enjoy a lighter option of fruit and yoghurt followed by scrambled egg, go for porridge followed by a full English breakfast, or select something in between.

Choose from our famous self-select picnic lunches - everything you need to keep you going on a day outdoors. Your own choice of sandwiches is prepared to order, and you can add crisps and snacks, fruit, nuts, chocolate bars, sweets and biscuits as you wish.

Our house-based Leisure Activities include an in-house lunch (generally soup, sandwiches etc).     

The relaxed dinner is a highlight of any stay at our Country Houses. With tables seating up to 10 and no seating plan, it offers a great opportunity to get to know your fellow guests. There is always a choice of dishes for every course, featuring good British cooking and often local specialities. A vegetarian option is always available.

All our Country Houses have a well-stocked bar serving local beers, wine and spirits.

Guided Walking: enjoy a glass of wine or local beer in the bar before a talk about the next day's walks. After dinner there will be an activity or entertainment which you will be welcome to join. These vary from week to week but could include a talk on wildlife from a local speaker or a team quiz. Alternatively if you prefer, feel free to just relax in our lounge or bar.

Leisure Activities: many of our Leisure Activities holidays continue into the evening with programmed sessions. Other holidays will have the evenings free, and you will be welcome to join in other social activities that may be happening in the house.

Self-Guided Walking: there may be evening social activities happening in the house during your holiday, and you will be most welcome to join in. However, not all self-guided holidays will have evening activities available – if these are important to you, please check before booking.

Abingworth Hall is generally accessible to wheelchair users and has a bedroom specifically designed for wheelchair access.

Arrival & car parking facilities

• There is ample (gravel) car parking available at the rear of the House
• Disabled parking is available closer to the front door
• The driveway from the main B2139 is tarmac up to the front door
• It is possible to load and unload cars directly at the front door
• Assistance can be provided with luggage

Main entrance & reception

• There is a small step (6cm high) into the porch at the front door of the house
• The front door can open double to 151cm wide
• The step into the main reception hallway is 12cm high with double doors opening up to 162cm wide
• A hatch immediately inside the front doorway opens to reveal a check-in desk
• The reception hallway gives access to the drawing room, large lounge with conservatory, dining room, reception / office, powder room and gents
• A well-lit corridor leads off to the ballroom and bedrooms 1 - 8
• There is no lift. The main stairway (112cm wide) leads up to rooms 9 – 25

Public areas - hall, stairs, landing, corridors etc

• All public areas are carpeted
• The corridor leading to rooms 1 - 8. Minimum width is 99cm
• The main stairway leading up to rooms 9 - 25 is 112cm wide

Public areas - sitting room, lounges, lobbies etc

Drawing room:

• Door is 86cm wide
• A carpeted, wood panelled lounge with relaxed seating for 12

Large lounge:

• Door is 86cm wide. Impressive lounge with a baby grand piano and a large mirror. Carpeted with comfortable seating for 26. Leads into the conservatory

Conservatory & bar

• Carpeted with relaxed rattan furniture. Bar in the corner (bar height 117cm)
• Accessed though the large lounge, doorway is 117cm wide and a step down 17cm high or alternatively accessed from the reception hallway, down the corridor which is ramped. The door from the corridor is 79cm wide

Ballroom

• Entrance through double doors (total width 150cm)
• A large room, 7m by 11m with windows on two walls. Carpeted around a wooden dance floor, which measures 5m by 9m
• Chairs are movable, armless and stackable

Public WCs

Ladies:

• Ground level from the reception hallway, carpeted, door 79cm wide
• Two cubicles, doors 59cm wide, with standard toilets of 42cm high
• One basin with hot and cold taps
• A vanity unit with good lighting and a large mirror with two upright padded chairs

Gents:

• Tiled floor (door width 81cm)
• One cubicle with standard toilet of 44cm high
• Four self-flushing urinals, 67cm high
• One basin with hot and cold taps
• Good lighting and mirrors

Dining room

• From the reception hallway, three steps up into the main stairway (154cm wide with handrail) is the entrance to the dining room. Further two steps up (120cm wide with hand rail)
• The dining room is L-shaped, carpeted throughout
• Tables are rectangular, six legged and 72cm high, each seating five to eight diners
• Seats are without arms, 48cm high, padded seats with 40cm wooden backs
• A portable stainless steel mobility ramp is available

Bedrooms & sleeping areas

• Bedrooms 1 - 8 are on ground floor, down a well lit corridor from the reception hall
• Bedrooms 9 - 14 are up a main L-shaped stairway, 16 steps to the first floor landing
• Bedrooms 15 and 16 are through a door and further 7 steps up from the first floor landing
• Bedrooms 17 - 23 are through another door from the first floor landing, up a second flight of stairs, 16 steps up through a landing door onto the second floor
• Bedroom 24 is situated above room 16, up a curved narrow stairway of 15 steps
• Bedroom doors are 72cm - 87cm wide
• Beds are 55cm high. Rooms are single, twin or double bedded
• Usually made up with hollow fibre duvets and pillows, blankets and feather pillows available on request
• All rooms are carpeted and well lit
• All furniture, including beds are movable
• Most rooms have baths, although some have only a walk-in shower
• Rooms with baths have mostly mixer taps with a shower attachment
• Most rooms have vinyl or tiled floor, rooms 9 / 10 / 11 and 24 have carpet

Room 6:

• Room 6 has been specially adapted for wheelchair users
• A low level shower tray, 62cm by 105cm, with the step-in of 7cm
• An adjustable free standing mobility shower seat is available
• The shower is thermostatically controlled to give even water pressure with an adjustable shower head
• The toilet is 47cm high with left side static hand rail and adjustable right side rail
• The basin has level mixer taps and is wall-mounted for wheelchair access
• Tiled floor

Grounds and gardens

• There are around eight acres of grounds. Most of the pathways are gravel and therefore uneven
• Grass meadows and lawns are also uneven. Steep, uneven steps lead to the meadows
• There is a stone terrace along the front of the house. The surface is uneven. The terrace is accessible either via the front door or through the conservatory doors with 2 / 3 steps down to the terrace. The conservatory door width is 113cm
• The outdoor swimming pool is situated between the main house and the car park
• The pool is heated May - September
• Due to the secluded location of the pool, guests are advised not to swim alone. Pool emergency alarm at the side of the pool, attached to changing room

Additional information

• Fire procedure is displayed in each room and explained to guests on arrival. Guests requiring assistance at an evacuation are identified at this time and door hanger cards are issued
• Mobile phone reception is generally good from the main building
• Assistance dogs accompanying visually or hearing impaired guests are welcome; dogs must be kept on a lead or harness at all times
• Information can be provided in large print
• Staff have received disability awareness training
• Special diets can be catered for. Specialist food can be obtained with prior notice
• Fridge for medication can be supplied

Richard has been a walking holiday leader for HF Holidays since 2003. He has developed a healthy interest in wine generally and walking around Sussex has prompted a particular interest in the wines of the area. Over the last twenty or so years the English wine industry has expanded at an astonishing rate and Sussex has been leading the way in producing award winning wines – particularly sparkling wines. Now retired, Richard combines his HFH leading with voluntary work for the National Trust and also takes part in courses on subjects as diverse as archaeology, tractor driving and philosophy.