Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare
ENTRY
Free
WHERE
Lewes
What it’s like
A free-entry animal sanctuary near Lewes where you wander at your own pace and catch a guided tour at half eleven.
This is a rescue and rehabilitation centre rather than a farm with a set route, so the animals you see depend a bit on the day. There's a free guided tour every morning at 11.30am if the weather holds, which is the easiest way to get your bearings and hear about who's who. Beyond that you're free to wander the sanctuary, drop into Project Terrapin to see the tortoises and terrapins, and follow the dog walk trails if you fancy stretching your legs with your own dog on a lead.
Entry is free, which makes it an easy one to add to the day even if you're only popping in for an hour. You can arrive any time up to 3.30pm and stay until closing at 4pm, so a late afternoon visit still works, though the aviaries shut at 2pm, so don't leave the birds until last if you want to see them. Kennels and the cattery aren't open to visitors, and dogs can't go into the Small Animals and Rabbitry areas, which is fair enough given what's living in there.
Parking is free on site, with disabled bays, and there's a voluntary £5 donation box if you want to chip in. There's a café and a gift shop on site, and toilets are on hand, so you can make a proper morning or afternoon of it without having to plan around anything. Children under 3 don't need a ticket, which is one less thing to sort out before you go.
Because animals are here to recover, some of the shyer ones may keep out of sight, and the guided tour can get cancelled in poor weather. It's worth remembering this is a working sanctuary rather than a big-name attraction with guaranteed sightings, but that's also what makes it feel a bit different from a standard petting farm.
Facilities
Need to know
- Last entry
- 3:30pm
- Parking
- Free on site, including disabled bays
- Dogs
- On leads welcome in most areas (not in Small Animals and Rabbitry areas)
- Aviaries close at 2pm, so see the birds before you do anything else
- Kennels and cattery are not open to visitors
- Under 3s don't need a ticket
- Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, plus occasional maintenance closures
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
Entry is free. There's a voluntary £5 parking donation if you'd like to give something back.
Do we need to book?
Booking is required, and there's a booking link on their site to sort a ticket before you arrive.
What time should we arrive?
You can turn up any time between 10am and 3.30pm and stay until they close at 4pm.
Is the guided tour worth timing our visit around?
It's free and runs every day at 11.30am, though it depends on decent weather going ahead.
Will we see all the animals?
Not necessarily. Many are there for rehabilitation and are shy or nervous, so some stay out of view on any given day.
Can we bring our dog?
Dogs on leads are welcome in most areas, but not in the Small Animals and Rabbitry sections.
Is there anywhere to eat?
There's a café on site, plus a gift shop for afterwards.
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