East Sussex Falconry
ENTRY
from £80
WHERE
Hailsham
What it’s like
A hands-on hawk walk through the Herstmonceux Castle Estate, with birds of prey doing the flying and you doing the walking.
This one's built around getting a bird of prey on your glove and walking it through the grounds of Herstmonceux Castle Estate, not just watching from behind a fence. The hawk walk itself runs 60 to 90 minutes, and you're handling the bird yourself, which is the bit you'll be talking about after. There's also a VIP owl experience and half day or full day options if you want more time with the birds.
None of this is cheap. Half day experiences start at £80, a full day is £135, and the VIP owl or hawk walk experiences run £200. You're paying for small groups though, they cap it at around 4 to 6 people and never more than 10, so it never feels like you're queueing behind a coach party. Everything's by appointment only, booked over the phone or by email.
The ground's uneven in places and the birds are very much hands-on. There's a tea room on site, but it only opens at certain times of year, so packing your own snacks is the safer bet. If you're doing a private party, the day entry pass to the castle estate afterwards is a nice bonus, though that's subject to the estate's own seasonal opening hours.
You can bring a spectator along for each participant, and anyone under 16 needs an adult with them either taking part or watching. If mobility or mental health considerations are a factor for anyone in your group, they'll customise the experience around that, but they want to know before you book rather than on the day.
Facilities
Need to know
- Booking
- All experiences by appointment only
- How long to allow
- Half day or full day options available
- Food
- Tea room on site with tea, coffee and food, open at certain times of year
- Parties
- Private parties for up to 6 participants with customisation options
- Groups are kept small, usually 4 to 6 and never more than 10
- Private parties get a day pass to explore the castle estate afterwards, seasons permitting
- The ground underfoot is uneven, so proper shoes over trainers
- Private half day parties run £350, full day £630, for up to 6 participants
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
Half day experiences start at £80, a full day is £135, and the VIP owl or hawk walk experiences are £200 each.
Do we need to book ahead?
Everything's by appointment only, arranged over the phone or by email. There's no turning up on spec.
How long does the hawk walk take?
The hawk walk itself runs 60 to 90 minutes, with half day and full day options if you want more time.
Can we bring someone who isn't taking part?
You can bring one spectator per participant. Anyone under 16 needs an adult with them, either joining in or watching.
Is there anywhere to eat?
There's a tea room on site but it only opens at certain times of year, so bring your own food to be safe.
Can you work around mobility or other needs?
They'll customise the experience for mobility challenges or mental health considerations, but they ask you to get in touch before booking.
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