Haywards Heath
The heart of Mid-Sussex Gaze upon the backdrop of the South Downs from Beech Hurst Gardens. Catch sight of a deer on a misty morning up on the plateau of Victoria Park. Sit, ponder and gaze at autumnal colours and treelined lawns of Muster Green with its cluster of Victorian and Edwardian houses.
As its name suggests, Haywards Heath has always been a town in the country. The early railway brought the residents here to breathe easy in the Mid-Sussex air between Ashdown Forest and the High Weald, and this tradition is still behind the bustling community today.
Top Tip
Kids will love the miniature railway in Beech Hurst Gardens, but don’t miss an excursion to the nearby Bluebell Railway, England’s oldest preserved steam line.
Shopping time
Individual and specialist shops and a good range of big name stores line the main streets and the Orchards shopping centre. Head up to The Broadway for café culture where you’ll find tabled pavements under shady trees and colourful hanging baskets invite you to sip and watch the world go by. Bistros, restaurants, wine-bars and family eateries are all here, many with live music and theme nights on offer too. Nearby villages like Cuckfield or Balcombe boast some delightful country pubs and the warmest of West Sussex welcomes.
Thing to do
Take a self-guided walking tour around town and you’ll learn about the Roman Road and the town’s former fame as home to the biggest livestock market in the South East, but what sticks is the Victorian legacy.
St Wilfrid’s Church dates to 1861 and Victoria Park needs no historical introduction. Here the playgrounds still delight the little ones and at Beech Hurst Gardens you’ll find putting and mini-golf, tennis and boules to distract the older siblings.
Even Kew Gardens has found its country seat here, at Wakehurst Place near Ardingly village - a great spot for a jaunt through rocky valleys and home to the Millennium Seed Collection.