The Sussex village of Ditchling definitely punches above its weight. For starters, there's Ditchling Beacon, a high point in the South Downs and a notable challenge for cyclists. The brilliant Museum of Art + Craft showcases the work of pioneers such as Eric Gill who made this a creative early 20th-century hub. No fewer than four vineyards surround the village offering tours and tastings. And now it boasts a contemporary eco-cabin from which you can enjoy all this and more.
The dynamic owners have transformed one end of their long terraced garden with this unique Scandi-inspired building. It's a thing of beauty with burnt black larch walls, a bold red front door and jazzy angular roofs surrounded by wildflowers and an orchard. Inside is a generous hallway with patterned tiles, a living/dining/kitchen space with wood-burning stove and squashy sofas. Bi-fold doors open to an ebony wrap-around deck overlooking the newly resurfaced tennis court. Two bedrooms share an ample bathroom with large walk-in shower; one room can be a twin so the house works for friends or family. Best of all you get exclusive use of the owners' pool house which has a sauna, gym and a 13-metre indoor swimming pool. This is a knockout, and we’re thrilled to be spreading the word about this brilliant addition to delightful Ditchling.
Highs
- A snazzy tennis court right beside the house and exclusive use of the owners' pool and sauna steps away
- You're well located: the pub is a 10-minute walk, the railway station at Hassocks is a 10-minute drive and from there it's only an hour to London, buzzy Brighton is a 20-minute drive away
- Lots to do in the vicinity: you're in the South Downs National Park for nature, walks and cycling
- Interiors are finished to a high standard with good eco-credentials, yet it's all extremely liveable – there's underfloor heating throughout, the kitchen is very well-equipped
- Flexible arrival and departure days, with a minimum stay of just 2 nights
Lows
- Not much storage in the bedrooms, but we found the hall cupboards very useful
- Be aware that the owners live behind their pool house (but the 3 acre gardens are landscaped so you feel very private, and the ‘shack’ has its own driveway). If you want more seclusion they also own a very popular lakeside cabin nearby
- It was new when we visited, so the planting hadn't had time yet to flourish to full height
Best time to go
Although the South Downs are at their most delightful in the warmer months, they are also lovely in the cooler months with great walking and vineyards to visit.
Our top tips
This is a great spot to base yourself for notable local events such as Glyndebourne near Lewes; Brighton Festival and Brighton Fringe (the UK's 2nd largest arts festival); and the Artists Open Houses, also in Brighton. All are within 30 mins, and even Goodwood, which hosts the Festivals of Speed and Glorious Goodwood in July, is under an hour away.
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 9 independent reviews from i-escape guests
What a wonderful property. Stunning location, in a beautifully quiet spot yet walkable into Ditchling for pubs and cafes. Great walks (Ditchling Beacon) do-able from the door. The property itself is lovely and use of the stunning pool and tennis court make it particularly special. We definitely hope to return. Thank you!
An idyllic setting, beautiful garden, very comfortable, well thought out amenities, amazing pool house. Wish we could have stayed longer.
Great for a relaxing getaway - everything we needed and more, we didn't leave the cottage, owners and caretaker very accommodating. We'll be back I'm sure!
Lovely long weekend at the shack - an easy drive into Brighton for seaside activities with the kids (aged 2 and 6) with the shack enjoyed by us in between. The pool was a particular highlight, as was roasting marshmallows at the fire pit. The shack is finished to a high standard and the owners could not be more helpful. The village itself is lovely too, we tried the nearby Bull pub, along with the tea rooms and Green Welly coffee shop and would recommend all. Hope to return!
We had an incredible five nights here in the middle of August.
It is a wonderful place and the photos don't do it justice. It is quiet, tranquil and surrounded by rolling fields and wildlife.
The house is very well thought out, beautifully built, well furnished and has lots of lovely touches that nod to it's name.
Both bedrooms open out onto a different deck. Both are gorgeous. One looks out over the front with a neighbouring field full of rabbits and the downs visible in the distance. I would have a morning coffee here enjoying the wild flowers and quiet on one of the comfy sunbeds. The guest goes out onto the rear deck which overlooks the tennis court and little orchard which has apple and a plum tree (they are delicious and plentiful if you time your stay right).
The top garden and pool house are fantastic and great for all kinds of activities. We took our almost four year old who loved it. There are a lot of sunbeds and facilities to entertain like a small kitchen (fridge, oven and hob) at the poorhouse as well as a locker room, toilet and shower. The sauna and small gym (water rower, TRX, Pelaton bike, punch bag and running machine) is excellent for those who don't want to just relax in the sun in the garden. The pool was just the right temperature and we had a lot of fun playing various games whilst listening to various Disney soundtracks from the speakers in the ceiling.
We met Paul the owner who was very sweet who has clearly put so much thought into this space.
The star of the show is definitely Char who looks after the property for the owner. She was so sweet and made lovely touches to make our stay incredible like buying a pool noodle for our son to use, putting out children's books especially for him, vases of wild flowers freshly cut from the garden not to mention picking us up from the station and taking us to Haywards Heath on our last day so we could look round before departing. She gave us so much advice on nice places to go or eat and the area in general. She is an absolute star and made us feel so well looked after.
The house has everything you will need down to things like cooking oil, salt and pepper and coffee. There is a smeg sized fridge freezer in a store on the deck next to the bbq which is a great idea. We spent nights either sat on the deck or on the comfy sofa in the lounge and meals outside on one of the big table or round the beautiful bench seating table inside.
We can't say enough good things about our stay and experience and will be coming back asap.
We had a fantastic stay at the Black Shack, it was incredibly relaxing, great hosts and really well thought through.
The location is beautiful, secluded and quiet.
Facilities are fantastic, we all played lots of tennis, swam, sunbathed had saunas, used the gym equipment and enjoyed the grounds.
We look forward to return. Alison and family.
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