In this glorious weather, how better to enjoy the South Downs than by taking a walk to and through a vineyard to enjoy a gorgeous picnic and some of the best British wine on offer?
That’s how I felt after we took a stroll through Seaford and across to the Rathfinny Wine Estate, which is offering a picnic package with fantastic food to enjoy while looking across the vines and the rolling hills.
The walk from the centre of Seaford to the estate is a good hour—just about right to build up a solid hunger and a thirst for their wonderful wine.
From the town centre, you can go to the top of Firle Road and through Seaford Golf Club or from Chalvington Park head across the path through the farmland to Seaford Golf Club.
You cross the golf club, which has helpful crossing points (we were waved across by a friendly golfer) and drop into the path above the vineyard.
Find your way down to the western edge of the vines, which is a little tricky and zigzaggy a route but it is worth it to walk through the vineyard. You can then head east and then up through the vines towards the Rathfinny buildings, where you pick up your picnic. You could alternatively get a taxi there and walk around the vineyard.
There is a van outside and the cellar door where you can buy goods and drinks.
You take your beautiful picnic basket down to a lawned area with seats and umbrellas for shade to eat while you look across the vines.
It is absolutely stunning and so relaxing sitting there in the quiet, watching what was either a red kite or a buzzard swooping through the Cradle Valley.
The picnics can be booked from Thursday to Sunday on the Rathfinny website between July and August between midday and 3 p.m.
We arrived at about 1 pm, and people were still in full relaxed mode when we left, well after 3 p.m.
We enjoyed ciabattas with chicken, dry-cured bacon, and wholegrain mustard mayonnaise, as well as sumptuous posh sausage rolls, summer slaw salad, gordal olives, hummus, and crackers.
These are £35 per person, £13 for children.
There are vegetarian and children’s picnics too.
These do not include drinks but you can buy glasses or bottles of a range of Rathfinny wines from the van.
I can definitely recommend the Rathfinny Blanc De Blancs sparkling wine.
I enjoyed a glass and also some of their Cradle Valley still wine, which is also excellent, crisp and refreshing.
After that walk and sustenance, and plenty of relaxing, I had the energy for the walk back to Seaford, perfect to see the sun starting to get a little lower over the Downs.
There cannot be many better ways to celebrate the glorious bucolic countryside that we are lucky to have here in Sussex.
What an absolutely amazing way to spend a sunny afternoon.
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