Uppark and Harting DownA house on the crest and the downland beside it
Uppark is a National Trust house built between 1685 and 1690 on the crest of the South Downs, about 3.5 miles and ten minutes by car from The Marden in West Marden. Harting Down, about 5 miles away, is one of the largest areas of ancient chalk downland in the Trust’s care, open every day from dawn to dusk, with the South Downs Way along its ridge. After dark it is the nearest Dark Sky Discovery Site to the farm.
- From the farm
- Uppark 3.5 miles, Harting Down 5
- Open
- Down all year; Uppark seasonal
- Dogs
- On leads at both, not in the house
- Best for
- Ridge walks and dark skies
Uppark
Uppark stands high on the Downs above South Harting, a late 17th-century house attributed to William Talman. On 30 August 1989 a workman’s blowtorch started a fire during roof repairs and the house was gutted. The National Trust spent six years putting it back, and it reopened in 1995. The young H. G. Wells spent time here.
The house costs £11 for an adult with Gift Aid. The garden, café and bookshop are free. Parking for non-members is £2.50 for two hours or £4 for the day. Booking is advised for the volunteer-led tours on Tuesdays.
When Uppark is open
This is the part to check. In November 2026 Uppark is closed. It is reported to reopen for Christmas from 6 to 22 December 2026, 10am to 4pm, and then to close again until about the start of March. In 2026 it reopened on 1 March. The 2027 date is not yet published.
In season the site opens Sunday to Wednesday and the house Sunday to Tuesday. So Uppark is shut from Thursday to Saturday even in summer. The 18th-century dolls’ house, one of the things people come for, is away on loan and due back in 2027. Look at the National Trust page before you set off.
Harting Down
Harting Down needs no planning. It is open all year from dawn to dusk, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, with the car park on the B2141 right on the South Downs Way. Walk along the ridge for as long as you like and turn round. The wide views start a few hundred metres from the car.
Non-members pay for parking through the JustPark app, and members park free. There are no toilets and no café. The nearest toilets are in South Harting. Details are on the National Trust page. For longer routes along the ridge, see our South Downs Way guide.
Dogs, and after dark
Dogs are welcome on leads on Harting Down, where livestock graze. At Uppark they are allowed on short leads in the garden and grounds but not in the house.
Harting Down is one of ten Dark Sky Discovery Sites in the South Downs International Dark Sky Reserve, which was designated on 10 May 2016. From the car park you see overhead and to the north, and the wide views are a few hundred metres along the South Downs Way. The long dark nights run from October to March. Avoid the week around full moon, take a torch and a flask, and wrap up. The South Downs Dark Skies Festival is reported for 11 to 21 February 2027. There is more in our dark skies guide.
From the farm
Both are ten to twelve minutes from the farm by car. A good winter day is Harting Down in the morning and lunch at the Royal Oak at Hooksway, which opens at lunchtimes only in winter. See our pub guide.
For a stargazing break, Keepers has a wood burner and underfloor heating to come back to at eleven at night. With a dog, Barley Cottage takes one for £50 a stay. Outside the school holidays we take short stays, so two or three winter nights are easy to arrange.
Questions
Good to know.
How far is Uppark from West Marden?
About 3.5 miles by road, around ten minutes by car from The Marden. Harting Down car park on the B2141 is about 5 miles, ten to twelve minutes.
Is Uppark open in winter?
Mostly not. Uppark is closed in November 2026, is reported to open for Christmas from 6 to 22 December 2026, and then closes until about the start of March. Check the National Trust page before you go.
Can you see the dolls’ house at Uppark?
Not at the moment. The 18th-century dolls’ house is away on loan and is due back in 2027.
Are dogs allowed at Uppark and Harting Down?
Yes, on leads. On Harting Down livestock graze, so keep dogs on a lead. At Uppark dogs are allowed on short leads in the garden and grounds, but not in the house.
Is there parking at Harting Down?
Yes, a National Trust car park on the B2141. Members park free and non-members pay through the JustPark app. There are no toilets. The nearest are in South Harting.
Where is the best stargazing near West Marden?
Harting Down, about 5 miles from the farm, is the nearest Dark Sky Discovery Site. Go between October and March, away from the week of the full moon.
Last updated 14 November 2026.
Book with us, not a platform
Come and stay.
Three homes on one farm, no booking fees, and a real person on WhatsApp before, during and after.
Local · Winter nights
Dark skies
The South Downs has been an International Dark Sky Reserve since 2016. The nearest Discovery Site, Harting Down, is about 5 miles from the farm.
Local · Long-distance paths
South Downs Way
Join the South Downs Way at Harting Down, about 5 miles from the farm. Also the Monarch’s Way, the Sussex Border Path and the Centurion Way by bike.
Local · Where to eat and drink
Pubs
The Victoria Inn is a very short walk from the farm. Seven more country pubs are within 7 miles, with distances, dogs, food and which to ring first.
Events · February 2027, to be confirmed
Dark Skies Festival
The South Downs Dark Skies Festival is reported for 11–21 February 2027. Our houses at West Marden are inside the International Dark Sky Reserve.
Breaks · Boots by the door
Walking holidays
Nine waymarked walks start within 2.5 miles of the homes and the South Downs Way is 10 minutes by car. Wood burners to come back to. From £896.
Breaks · Just the two of you
Breaks for two
Two homes with wood burners, super-king beds and baths, in a quiet South Downs valley 10 miles from Chichester. At their best in winter.