Sunninglye Farm

Five canvas hideaways sit in a shady hilltop copse, each one turned outwards to its own view of fields and woodland. That's Feather Down Sunninglye Farm, a small, peaceful family farm on the Kent and East Sussex border, about 11 minutes' drive from The Pantiles. The Miles family have farmed here for over 50 years. Jo owns the place and her daughter Gill runs the animals and the glamping, so they're the faces you'll see most. There's no electricity and no Wi-Fi in the canvas, and evenings run on oil lamps, a wood burning stove and the campfire outside your door.

Guests score it 9.6 out of 10 from 435 reviews, and stays start from £345.

Why families pick this farm holiday in the High Weald

It's small, and that's the point. With only five tents, the woods and the animals never feel crowded, and younger ones can climb, swing and play among the trees within sight of your door, while older ones roam the fields down towards the River Teise. Nature is right on the doorstep: all around lie the rolling hills and old woods of the High Weald, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

• Families bringing the dog: pets are welcome here, which isn't true of every Feather Down farm.
• Animal-mad kids: sheep, pigs, goats, chickens, ponies and a donkey all live on site.
• Anyone who wants to switch off: no plugs, no screens, lots of fresh air.
• Families without a car: Frant station is about 6 minutes away by taxi.

What's a canvas hideaway like at Feather Down Sunninglye Farm?

Every tented cottage follows the same clever layout. There's a double bed, bunk beds and the cupboard bed (a cosy box bed for two little ones, or an adult and a child), so each sleeps up to six under proper duvets. The middle is a fully equipped kitchen with a big dining table and the wood burning stove, which cooks your meals and keeps the canvas warm. You get running water and a private flushing toilet, and bed linen, towels, candles, matches and a pack of firewood a day are included.

So the real choice is the shower:

With small children or on an Easter break, the en-suite is worth the extra; in August, the one under the trees is the one people talk about afterwards. There's no hot tub here, so if that's on your list, see our farm stays with a hot tub.

Animals and farm life: what kids actually get to do

Chickens wander past the canvas from the moment you wake, and the sheep graze the field next door. You'll meet Margo and Cyril, a pair of pet kunekune pigs, along with the goats, the resident cats, the horses and Norman the donkey. Watch the edge of the woods at dusk too, as wild fallow deer are often seen, and nature does the rest.

Gill is happy to show you round on a farm tour, and a few extras are well worth booking ahead:

• Pony grooming: an hour brushing and mucking out with an experienced adult, for ages 6 and over.
• Raft building: all the materials, plus paddles and life jackets.
• Brunch adventure: a cooked breakfast by the water, with the kit and the wood. Leave it all in the box and it's collected.
• Fresh bread: ordered in advance from a local independent baker.

A day from the canvas

Mornings start slowly. Light the stove, put the kettle on and let everyone check whether the hens have laid, then head for the pond with its boat and kayak, or build a den in the woods and gather sticks for later.

Afternoons are for the hammock.

Then it's a pizza evening with the other families, or supper on your own fire pit, which has an outdoor cooker that doubles as a barbecue. Toast marshmallows, light the lamps, and you'll all be asleep long before you'd manage it at home!

Days out from the farm, with drive times

You won't need to leave, but plenty is under 20 minutes away.

Two are close enough for a half day. Scotney Castle, run by the National Trust, is 9 minutes away and your four-legged companion can join the estate walks, while Bayham Old Abbey stands on the old estate the farm was once part of. For a bigger day, Bedgebury Pinetum has a 2km natural play trail and Go Ape's treetop courses, and little train fans will love the steam and diesel trains of the Spa Valley Railway, which stop at Groombridge on the way to Eridge. Hastings is about 43 minutes for a seaside afternoon.

Food, shops and the pubs nearby

Start with the honesty shop on site, stocked with the basics and local produce, so whatever you forgot is a short walk away.

For a bigger shop, there's an M&S Food at the Blue Boys petrol station about 4 minutes away (open around the clock), Tesco at Woodsgate Corner about 7 minutes and Fuller's butcher about 8. When nobody wants to cook, the King William IV is about 5 minutes, the Brecknock Arms and Ocean Fish & Chips about 6, and The Hawk & Berry about 7.

Getting there and when to go glamping near Tunbridge Wells

By car, the A21 does most of the work: come off at the Kipping's Cross roundabout, follow signs for Frant Station along Dundale Road for about 2.5 miles, past a curling rink, and the track is on your left. By train, Frant (about 6 minutes by taxi) and Tunbridge Wells (about 10) are on the line from London Charing Cross.

Spring is the liveliest time, with lambs in the fields and the chance to see bottle feeding. The summer school holidays bring long evenings outside, so book early for a family holiday then, while a short break later in the season means darker nights for stars round the fire. Whenever you come, pack for life without plugs:

Check dates and prices for Feather Down Sunninglye Farm. If your dates are full, Lunsford Farm in East Sussex is the nearest other Feather Down farm, with Layer Marney Tower in Essex beyond. Our farm stays in Kent page compares glamping in Kent, and you'll find more dog friendly farm stays and farm stays with animals across the country, or every farm side by side.

Questions about staying at Sunninglye Farm

Is Sunninglye dog friendly?

Yes, they're welcome. Keep yours on a lead around the animals, and bring its bed.

Which canvas hideaway should I book?

All five sleep six with the same layout, so pick by shower: farmhouse shower from £345, private outdoor hot shower from £375, or en-suite from £405.

Is there a hot tub?

No. The fun here is the water, the woods, the animals and your own fire pit.

Is there electricity or Wi-Fi?

No, and that's half the appeal. You'll light the canvas with oil lamps and cook on the stove. Bring a power bank for phones.

What can children do with the animals?

Meet the pigs, goats, ponies and the donkey, join a farm tour and, from age 6, book pony grooming. Spring brings lambs.

How far is it from Tunbridge Wells?

About 11 minutes' drive to the town centre, so it's a handy base for glamping near Tunbridge Wells.

Can I get there by train?

Yes. Frant station is about 6 minutes by taxi, on the line from London Charing Cross.

What's included?

Bed linen, towels, candles, matches and a pack of firewood a day are included, while activities and bread are extras.

Canvas lodges and prices

Prices are the lowest in Feather Down's feed for a sample stay and change with dates and length of stay.

Animals on the farm

• Sheep
• Chickens
• Goats
• Donkeys
• Lambs
• Pigs
• Horses and/or ponies
• Dogs

What you'll find

• Dog-friendly
• Honesty shop
• Pizza oven
• Outdoor playground
• Farm tour
• Close to water
• Surrounded by forest
• Animal menagerie
• Raft building
• Dog friendly
• Meet and groom horses

Highlights

• Fresh Bread Delivered
• Raft Building
• Animal Spotting
• Pony Grooming
• Brunch Adventure

Getting there

The farm's postcode is TN3 9AG. Rough driving times from the nearest cities:

Estimates from straight-line distance; check a route planner before you set off.

Other farms nearby