You’ll find the Tree House Retreats at Cowdray nestled within 16-acres of storied woodland on the edge of the South Downs close to the thriving market town of Midhurst.
Planes
London Gatwick is the closest travel hub, around 45 minutes away by car. From here, transfers can be arranged for £75 each way. International travellers may be better served by London Heathrow, a one-hour drive away, transfers from here will set you back £130 each way.
Trains
South Western Railway has direct trains from London Waterloo to the neighbouring village of Haslemere, which take about an hour. From here, the retreats are a 10- to15-minute drive, transfers can be arranged for an additional charge.
Automobiles
You have everything you need within the estate, so you’re unlikely to need a car. But if wheels are your non-negotiable, there’s free private parking for guests. The bad news? Due to the size of the estate it's a five- to 10-minute walk from the tree houses. The good news? Well, it should be hitting your step count, but steering your own electric buggy (no need for a full driving license) from the carpark to your door is a perk, too.
Worth getting out of bed for
We’re not about to suggest you saddle up and start swishing a mallet around, but you could take an introduction to polo from the experts at the famous Cowdray Park Polo Club, it’s the home of British polo, after all. Or, for something a little more interactive, try your hand at clay-pigeon shooting at the nearby Hownhall Shooting school. The less competitive among you should opt for more passive pleasures; a mindfulness and wellbeing workshop, say, or forest-bathing – the estate has their own guide who can assist in your soothing sink into nature. Speaking of which, the estate has 16 acres to explore, so dust off those walking shoes. Each of the Tree House Retreats has walking maps and guides, so you can choose a trail that suits your mood. Wildlife-lovers should go badger-spotting on a three-hour wildlife tour, while botanists will go bonkers for one of the many foraging tours available with Cowdray’s resident expert George Linklater, who guides guests through the different habitats and flavours of the forest. And, for when you feel like venturing outside the Cowdray bubble, you’re surrounded by pretty English villages and pubs. One of the loveliest is Petworth, a picturesque town chock-full with independent galleries and antique shops. While you’re out that way, pop into Petworth House, a National Trust property nestled in a deer park which is also home to a pleasure garden, café and one of the country’s finest art collections, including work by the likes of Van Dyck, Turner and Gainsborough.
Local restaurants
If an Anglophile was tasked with designing the perfect country pub, they’d probably use the Duke of Cumberland as the blueprint. This traditional eatery in Henley sources all its produce locally; meat from nearby farms, fresh fish from the southern coast and veggies plucked straight from the pub’s own patch. Menus change regularly but you can expect home-cooked, hearty favourites like wild-mushroom fettuccine; pan-fried, herb-crusted seabass fillet; or sirloin steak with roasted tomatoes, chunky chips and peppercorn sauce. Petworth’s E Street Bar and Grill is housed in a restored 17th-century building, and has a similar locally-focused philosophy when it comes to food. Here, you’ll find dishes like tenderloin of pork served with celeriac and apple rösti, crackling, beetroot purée, cavolo nero and pickled apples, or Lebanese spiced falafel and preserved-lemon pastilla with za’atar aubergine and pesto for the veggies among you. Whatever you choose, East Street’s sommelier will be on hand to help you choose something suitable to wash it down with.
Local cafés
Right next door to the Cowdray ruins, you’ll find Fitzcanes, a cute Midhurst café specialising in locally-roasted coffee alongside paninis, bagels, ice-cream and their signature affogato.
Local bars
After a spot of shopping in Petworth, pop into the Cricketers, a16th-century pub with a lovely lawn come summer, and some cosy crannies to curl up in during winter. And, when you start to feel like an extra in The Holiday, shake it up with a visit to Spanish-themed Faustino’s Wine & Tapas Bar, where weekly quizzes and live music are accompanied by handmade cocktails, a heated beer garden and enough patatas bravas to keep the cerveza rounds on an even keel.
