Near Eastbourne Is An English Town With Easy Access To Outdoor Fun, Historic Charm, And Tasty Eats

While the first place that comes to mind when visiting East Sussex might be Brighton, some of the county's lesser-known counterparts are worth discovering. One such place is Uckfield, a classic English market town that's particularly appealing to "Winnie-the-Pooh" fans, thanks to its proximity to Ashdown Forest, which inspired the Hundred Acre Wood. With lush pine trees, oak woodlands, caves, and a forest that inspired children's classics, Uckfield offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor adventures, with a little literary nostalgia thrown in.

Uckfield was first documented in 1220, and the town's name is thought to come from the Anglo-Saxon words for "Ucca's open land." However, archaeological evidence shows that people lived in the surrounding area thousands of years before that first mention. The town center is packed with historic buildings, such as the 1916 Picture House, a Tudor-style movie theater located on High Street, the same street where you'll find Bridge Cottage, the town's oldest building, dating back to the 15th century.

You have a variety of dining options in Uckfield, from traditional British pubs and gastropubs to cozy cafes and international restaurants, so visitors have plenty of options for refueling after exploring the town's abundance of history and nature. Uckfield is relatively easy to reach from Eastbourne and Brighton by car, both situated half an hour away, depending on the traffic. From London, the drive takes two hours, while the train from London Bridge takes one hour and 15 minutes.

Whether you seek scenic woodland hikes, peaceful lake strolls, or garden walks, Uckfield offers several options for getting outdoors. Lake Wood is within walking distance of the town and covers almost 21 acres, yet remains underrated, with the BBC calling it "one of the county's lesser-known landscapes." Among the trees is the 3-acre lake, although visitors aren't permitted to enter the water. The easy path takes you on a 1.6-mile loop, allowing you to view the lake from different points.

Sheffield Park and Garden covers around 250 acres, with trails, ponds, bridges, and landscaped gardens. Here, you can follow paths and bridges around the water features, watch the cattle graze, and have a picnic in the garden. The park has facilities like braille guides and accessible restrooms, and visitors can even borrow a wheelchair from the reception. Dogs are welcome in designated areas, and the on-site cafe has you covered with coffee and baked goods. There is also a secondhand bookshop.

Ashdown Forest is also within easy driving distance of Uckfield. This is the real-life woods that inspired the Hundred Acre Wood in the "Winnie-the-Pooh" stories. There's a lot of trail fun to be had here, with one 5.5-mile loop providing a good amount of exercise with a moderate climb up Camp Hill. There is also an extensive network of bridleways used by horse riders. It isn't quite a destination where wild horses roam free, but you'll see plenty of wildlife while wandering around Ashdown Forest. Ashdown Forest is also home to Nutley Windmill, a 300-year-old open-trestle post mill, the only one of its kind in the United Kingdom that's still fully operational.

You can immediately see the historic appeal of Uckfield thanks to the buildings dating from different centuries that line its streets. One notable landmark on High Street is Bridge Cottage, a Wealden hall house overlooking the River Uck. Constructed in 1436, this medieval structure now displays artifacts, historical archives, and rotating exhibits on medieval life and history. It also serves as a community venue, where people can host talks and organize similar events.

Intersecting with High Street is Church Street, another historic part of the town center. Uckfield's growth was centered right around this area and Pudding Cake Lane. The two formed part of an ancient busy pilgrimage route connecting Canterbury, Chichester, and Lewes. Pudding Cake Lane got its name because travelers used to stop at a local public house for, you guessed it, pudding cake. Wandering these streets, you'll come across a number of 17th and 18th-century buildings, while the newer 18th and 19th-century brick and tile facades of many downtown properties conceal medieval wooden skeletons.

As for food, get a table at the Highlands Inn to enjoy fish and chips, steak pies, and other pub food, while the outdoor area frequently hosts live music. For South Asian flavors, make your way to Star of Bengal. Indulge in traditional curries, tandoori grills, biryanis, and other Bengali specialties. Expect "excellent service and fantastic food all served with a smile," as one customer wrote in a Google review. And with Brighton just 20 miles to the south, you're not far away from the U.K.'s nightlife capital and a palace that inspired the set of "Wicked."