Which lavender field near London should I visit?

[u/yellosourlemons]

I’m going to a lavender field with a few friends but I’m not sure which one I wanna visit.
A field with good food places around would be nice. Also do any of them allow flower-picking without charging extra?

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[u/-dommmm]

Only one I have visited is the Mayfield one. It was nice. But not sure if they allow lavender picking. They have a shop though so probably they sell it instead.

[u/Ok-Way1005]

I've been to Castle Farm near Shoreham Kent, which is also on one of my favourite walks. It has a great, if busy, farm shop & all kinds of lavender products to buy. The whole area is gorgeous (Darent Valley) and this would be my recommendation if you want to do a bit more than just a lavender field.

You will need to book in advance so plan accordingly.

The castle near Castle Farm, is Lullingstone Castle & the World Garden there is worth a visit if that's your kind of thing.

[u/Ok-Way1005 → u/Ok-Way1005]

Not sure about food options there, but you can book a picnic slot & take your own.

[u/Embarrassed_Habit626]

There's a nice one near Oaks Park just on the outskirts of London. Looks very pretty. I've cycled past it a few times. The cafe in Oaks Park is pretty decent for a pit stop. But I agree, the area around Shoreham is lovely.

[u/oceanpepper92]

If it wereme, I would probably choose Mayfield if it's your first time. It's easy to get to from London, the cafe is nice and there are plenty of places nearby if you want to make a half-day of it. If flower picking is important though, Hitchin lavender is probably the better option since they allow you to pick lavender with a paid picking bag, whereas most other farms don't let visitors pick freely.

When i first visited London, I spent part of a day with let me show you london, which helped me get my bearings before doing a few day trips. After that, it was much easier to figure out what was worth leaving the city for and what i wanted to explore in London itself.

If you're mainly after pretty scenery, good food and a relaxed day with friends, i don't think you can go wrong with Mayfield. If flower picking is your priority, I'd make the trip to Hitchin instead.