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Explore the grounds at Uppark

A view of the red brick house and parkland at Uppark
A view of the house and parkland at Uppark | © National Trust Images/Andrew Butler

The garden and grounds at Uppark are free to visit. Uppark is perched high on a ridge and offers panoramic views across the South Downs.

Walking at Uppark

As well as exploring the grounds you can access the South Downs Way from Uppark. Please note that some of these walks involve walking on roads - take extra care at these areas. 


West Harting Down walk: a varied walk, passing through fields and woods, with views across the rolling countryside.

South Harting walk: a steep walk leading down to the beautiful village of South Harting with its many local amenities.

Harting Down walk: take a trek to explore an area of ancient chalk downland with panoramic views over the Weald to the North Downs.  The path out to Harting Down is a nature reserve and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), thanks to its rare and fragile chalk grassland. Note, this walk includes minor B roads so please stay alert for traffic. 

Uppark's Meadow walk: for a gentle stroll, follow our Meadow Walk around the fringes of Uppark’s south meadow. The route features information boards with details of wildlife and nature to look out for, as well as pointing out the best viewpoints across the South Downs. This short walk offers views of Uppark House and across to the Isle of Wight. 

A small copper butterfly on a wildflower
The small copper butterfly | © National Trust Images/Hugh Mothersole

The wildlife

Uppark is home to a wide variety of wildlife. There are bats and dormice, buzzards and red kites, and many other nesting birds. If you're lucky you might even see a brown hare on the meadow, lying still and low to the ground.

In summer swallows swoop across the meadow and butterflies, including large whites, meadow browns and small coppers, among the wildflowers.

Last but not least, look out for shrews and frogs living in the tunnels under Uppark – and around a hundred species of lichen that make the grounds their home.

The West Pavilion at Uppark, West Sussex, with a white cupola on top

Discover more at Uppark House and Garden

Find out when Uppark House and Garden is open, how to get here, the things to see and do and more.

Plan your visit

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Family-friendly things to do at Uppark 

The gardens and meadow are free to enter - offering a safe space for families to enjoy.

Four people sit together on a grassy lawn in a park, having a picnic. One person holds a purple drinks bottle while a child in the foreground eats from a lunchbox. Two other children sit nearby with their backs partly to the camera. Trees and buildings are softly blurred in the background, and bags and picnic items are placed on the grass.

Visiting Uppark with your dog 

Uppark is a two pawprint rated place. Take a look at what you need to know if you are bringing your four-legged friend with you on a visit, including walking tips, facilities and information on Pooch Passports.

A tan and white corgi stands on a gravel path attached to a red lead, with a green lawn and trees in the background. The dog is facing slightly to the right with its ears upright, while the lead rests across the gravel in front.

The garden at Uppark 

Our gardens and meadow are free to enter for everyone. Discover different spaces and lots of places to sit, relax and take in the world around you. The meadow offers views over the South Downs and a picturesque walk around the House.

A neatly trimmed green lawn with a single white wooden chair in the foreground, set in a lush garden filled with dense greenery, shrubs, and trees. Purple flowering bushes and low pink flowers add colour among the foliage in the background.

The house at Uppark 

Take a look inside this classic historical house, filled with exquisite furnishings from all over the world, and discover what life was like below stairs for serving staff.

The south front of the main house showing the steps to the entrance at Uppark House and Garden

The history of the garden at Uppark House and Garden 

Look back in time through the history of the gardens at Uppark, dating back to the early 18th century, which has shaped how they appear today. 

A black-and-white illustration of Uppark, West Sussex, called Lord Tankerville's House and Formal Gardens, and created in 1707 by Johannes Kip:

Countryside and woodland 

Plan a visit to one of the special countryside places in our care and discover the benefits of being in the great outdoors. Pack your walking boots and get ready to explore woodlands, valleys and rivers.

Ashness wood in the summer with lush moss covering boulders on the ground and sun rays piercing through the trees

Countryside and woodland in Sussex 

Discover the wide array of countryside settings around Sussex, from the highest point of East Sussex at Ditchling Beacon to the incredible rolling landscape of the South Downs.

Public footpath signpost at Devil's Dyke, West Sussex

Walking 

Explore some of the finest landscapes in our care on coastal paths, accessible trails, woodland walks and everything in between. Find the best places to walk near you.

Walkers on the South West Coast Path at East Soar, Devon

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