Easter things to do in East Sussex and Kent
From visiting the chocolate heaven of Knoops in Rye, to Easter egg hunts with the National Trust, check out these Easter things to do in Kent and East Sussex.
National Trust properties to visit this Easter
Image credit: Pexels / Chris F
Trust the National Trust to have Easter things to do all wrapped up. Starting with Bodiam Castle. Built in 1385 by former knight of King Edward III Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, moated Bodiam in the Rother Valley is resplendent feat of medieval architecture. This Easter between 29th and 14th April 2024, you can dip into the castle’s rich history and take the trail to discover the castle’s dragons, Easter activities and get a chocolate egg at the end. It’s £3 to join in.
Over in Rye, 300-year-old Lamb House, is most famous as the former home of American writer Henry James and has an easter eggstravaganza going on between 24th March and 2nd April 2024. For £3 you can take the trail to find all the lambs and get a dairy, vegan, or Free From chocolate egg at the end. It’s only a few minutes’ walk from The Playhouse.
Rudyard Kipling afficionados with primary school aged children should make a beeline for Bateman’s in East Sussex’s Burwash. The National Trust property was the celebrated writer’s home between 1902 until his death in 1936. Their Easter Adventure trail, from 23rd March – 14th April, winds around Bateman’s estate and gardens. All 300-acres of magical High Weald countryside filled with hedgerows, ponds and woodlands and the River Dudwell running through it. Along the trail you’ll be joined by The Jungle Book characters and get an Easter egg once you’ve completed it.
For a soul-restoring spring walk, there’s nowhere quite as glorious as the rolling grounds of Sissinghurst Castle Gardens with its carpets of yellow daffodils that dance in the breeze of the orchard. Transformed by poet Vita Sackville-West and her author husband Harold Nicolson, you can enjoy the 460-acre estate and ongoing beauty of all that they created. Breathe in the scents of the pink magnolias in the White Garden and explore the vibrant planting of The South Cottage Garden, the bird-filled Nuttery and the fragrant herb garden. Don’t forget to pick up a trail sheet at the entrance to find your Easter egg along the way.
Best Easter chocolate in East Sussex
Image credit: Georgina Holt
Easter in East Sussex would not be complete without a trip to the chocolate heaven of Knoops in Rye. Genuis founder Jens Knoop (his surname is Dutch for button – very fitting…) opened his original chocolate shop here in 2012, and has a ‘knoopology process’, which he describes as a “periodic table of chocolate” with 22 different strengths of hot chocolate. They’re absolutely delicious, especially when topped with a handmade marshmallow.
Continue your own Easter chocolate trail to nearby Rye Chocolates, who create handmade single-origin, artisan, handmade chocolate in East Sussex. From Peruvian dark chocolate dipped honeycomb to 43.5% Venezuelan milk chocolate with pink Himalayan sea salt. It’s a veritable treasure trove of chocolate with the most beautifully illustrated wrappers.
Easter things to do in the great outdoors
Image credit: Pexels/Kat Smith
For more fun in the great outdoors, the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve is brimming with wildlife. The coastal and wetland landscape is home to everything from oystercatchers, lapwings, redshank, and terns. And on 30th March you’ll get your chance to become a twitcher. The reserve’s Guide in a Hide event is a free event where you’ll be given binoculars, telescopes, and spotter sheets. Knowledgeable guides will be on hand to help you spot the birds.
Active types should get on their bikes and take a spin around the Romney Marshes. Peaceful and flat, the picturesque marshes are also home to 14 historic Romney Churches. Each one is completely unique (Fairfield Church is particularly beautiful), and some do cycling trips round the marsh to view them.
The Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest is an alrefsco wonderland of rolling hills, valleys and over 12, 000 specimen trees. Wrap up warm and have a spring picnic by one of the many lakes, get amongst the treetops on a Go Ape treetop adventure or get exploring on the Nature Play Trail. Great for all ages, the Nature Play Trail has a giant rope swing, a Conifer Crossing rope bridge and a Puzzle Forest. Download the free iNaturalist app before you go and tick off all the wildlife you see on your visit.
Take a hands-on approach with your list of Easter things to do and learn how to lamb at Hare Farm in Brede near Rye. On Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th March, you can join the lambing team for an action-packed course on how to deliver a lamb during lambing season.
More Easter things to do
Image credit: Georgina Holt
Get your cultural fix of Easter things to do at the Hastings Contemporary. On the seafront in Hastings Old Town, Hastings Contemporary is a gem of a gallery, championing all that is modern. 4th April is the first family day of the Easter holidays, celebrating the opening of the Pearls of the Sea exhibition. There’s no need to book you can just turn up and take part in the artist-led workshops that will be exploring the theme The Sea and Me, about our personal relationship with the coastline.
For more family-friendly things to do in East Sussex head for Alexandra Park in Hastings, on 30th March for The Mad Hatter’s Easter Extravaganza, which includes everything from bonnet parades and face painting to a tea party. Over at English Heritage’s Battle Abbey and Dover Castle from 23rd March to 14th April, you can try your hand at the Easter adventure quest and hunt for clues to discover the chocolate eggs.
On the edge of Alfriston, Druscilla’s Zoo is a family-run, family-friendly zoo with over a hundred animals. Get up close and personal and feed the sloths, penguins, and capybaras, try the rides and playgrounds and have some Easter fun. Don’t miss the zoo’s exciting Easter things to do with their free Easter egg trail to find giant eggs and a fun new sensory attraction called Spark.
Looking for Easter things to do for adults? Tucking a long string of awards under its belt Gusbourne wine estate has one vision and that’s to “create the finest wines in the world”. Try them out on a limited-edition wine tasting flight, sparkling tasting flight or estate tour across the Easter weekend.
For Easter services across Lent and the Holy Week, medieval Canterbury Cathedral is one of the most atmospheric places to take them. Follow their full list of services here, and if you go, don’t miss the cathedral’s spectacular stained glass.
