Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens
ENTRY
from £8.50
WHERE
Horsham
What it’s like
Grade I listed gardens with seven lakes, wallaby feeding and a Dolls' House Museum to explore over a good three to four hours.
This is a proper wander round job rather than a quick stop: seven historic lakes, sweeping Grade I listed gardens and enough ground that they reckon on three to four hours to do it justice. The wallaby enclosure has daily feeding, which is the sort of thing that gets mentioned on the way home, and there's a Sculpture Park and Art Gallery dotted through the grounds if you fancy slowing the pace down. The Dolls' House Museum, with its Edwardian estate scenes, is a nice indoor breather if little legs need a rest from all the walking.
There's a new play park too, so it isn't all looking at plants, and the paths are tarmac and pushchair friendly across most of the site. Entry isn't cheap, £15.50 for an adult and £8.50 for a child aged 2 to 16, though the family tickets bring it down a bit if there are two of you. Booking ahead online can save you money too, which feels like the sensible way to do it rather than paying on the gate.
Food is on-site only, no outside picnics allowed, which is a faff if you'd rather bring your own sandwiches, but there are several cafés including the Clocktower Kitchen open daily from 9am with kids' lunch packs and gluten-free or vegan options. Card only across the site, so leave the cash at home. Dogs on short leads are welcome, and there's a shuttle buggy service for anyone who needs it, though it's first-come-first-served with queues and depends on volunteers being about.
One thing worth knowing before you set off: the lower gardens have steep slopes and aren't wheelchair accessible. In winter they run Leonardslee Lights, a separate ticketed event through late November and December, which is a different sort of visit entirely.
Facilities
Need to know
- Last entry
- Peak: 4:30pm. Off-peak: 3:30pm (regular)
- Booking
- Book ahead online to save time and money with advance booking discounts
- Parking
- £4.80 for garden visitors, RingGo app or reception
- How long to allow
- 3-4 hours
- Food
- Multiple cafés and seasonal venues: Clocktower Kitchen (daily, hot food, light lunches, cream tea)
- Picnics
- No outside food or drink allowed
- Pushchairs
- Pushchair friendly on tarmac pathways
- Wheelchairs
- Manual wheelchairs (£20 deposit) and electric mobility scooters (£20 non-refundable rental) available for hire, first-come-first-served
- Dogs
- Well-behaved dogs on short leads welcome
- Card only, no cash accepted anywhere on site
- No outside food or drink, cafés only
- Lower gardens have steep slopes, not wheelchair accessible
- Book online ahead for a cheaper ticket than paying on the gate
- The shuttle buggy service runs 10am to 3pm and can mean a wait
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
£15.50 for an adult and £8.50 for a child aged 2 to 16. A family ticket for two adults and up to three children is £43.
Do we need to book?
Booking isn't required, but going online ahead of time can save you money with advance discounts and the ticket is valid for 30 days from purchase.
How long should we plan for?
They recommend three to four hours to see everything properly.
Can we bring a picnic?
No outside food or drink is allowed. Everything has to come from the on-site cafés and restaurants.
What's there for food?
The Clocktower Kitchen opens daily from 9am with hot food and light lunches, plus kids' lunch packs and gluten-free and vegan options. There's also a Michelin-starred restaurant on site called Interlude.
Is it OK for a pushchair?
The main pathways are tarmac and pushchair friendly. There's also a free shuttle buggy service for anyone with limited mobility, though it runs first-come-first-served and queues build up.
Is the whole site wheelchair accessible?
The main gardens are wheelchair accessible but the lower gardens have steep slopes and need a good level of fitness and mobility. Manual wheelchairs and mobility scooters can be hired on site.
Is there parking?
Parking is £4.80 for garden visitors, paid via the RingGo app or at reception. It's free for members, blue badge holders and coaches.
Can we bring the dog?
Well-behaved dogs on short leads are welcome. If you've got an extendable lead you'll need to swap it for a short one with a refundable £10 deposit.
Do you take cash?
Card only across the whole site, no cash accepted.
Is there anything on in winter?
Leonardslee Lights runs from 27 November to 30 December 2026, a separate lights event with its own ticket prices.
Do you do birthday parties?
Birthday parties are listed as something they cater for on site.
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