Lavender Fields Near London: A Guide to the Best Spots

Ina

Jul 2, 2024

5 min read

Updated: Sep 30

Lavender fields near London are in bloom from late June to early August, and the season is short. Seven farms within 90 miles of the city open their rows to visitors in those weeks. For each one, here is where it is, how far it is from London, when to go, and what else is on the site, from farm shops and tearooms to a working distillery.

A yellow tractor parked between a strip of sunflowers and a field of purple lavender, with trees behind

What Is at Mayfield Lavender Farm in Surrey?

Location: Banstead, Surrey. Distance from London: 15 miles (24 km). Best Time to Visit: Late June to early August.

Mayfield Lavender Farm is 25 acres of organic lavender at Banstead in Surrey. Long purple lines, right across the field. People come to photograph them, or to sit down between the rows with a picnic.

There is a lavender-themed café with outdoor seating and a farm shop selling organic lavender products: essential oils, soaps and lavender-flavoured treats. Through the season the farm also runs events, including lavender yoga and guided tours.

Rows of lavender under a blue sky full of white clouds, with visitors walking in the distance

What Can You Do at Hitchin Lavender?

Location: Hitchin, Hertfordshire. Distance from London: 37 miles (60 km). Best Time to Visit: Mid-June to mid-August.

Hitchin Lavender has 25 miles of lavender rows with the Hertfordshire countryside behind them. Pick your own. Take it home. Sunflower and wildflower fields grow alongside the lavender.

A 17th-century barn on the farm has been converted into a museum and a tearoom. There are family activities and events through the summer.

Stripes of sunflowers, bare earth and several varieties of lavender running across one field

What Is Kentish Lavender at Castle Farm?

Location: Shoreham, Kent. Distance from London: 23 miles (37 km). Best Time to Visit: Late June to late July.

Castle Farm at Shoreham in Kent is one of the largest lavender farms in the UK. It sits in the Darent Valley. The farm runs guided tours of the lavender fields that cover the history of the crop and how it is grown, and in season it sets up lavender picnics and photo sessions among the rows.

The farm shop sells lavender products and local produce.

Lavender rows running uphill to a line of visitors on the horizon under a pale sky

When Does Lordington Lavender Open?

Location: Chichester, West Sussex. Distance from London: 66 miles (106 km). Best Time to Visit: Early July.

Lordington Lavender is a family-run farm near Chichester that opens its gates to the public for a short period each summer, in early July. It is less commercial than the other farms here. Fewer people, fewer crowds in your photographs.

There is a farm shop selling lavender products. Chichester and the South Downs are close by if you want to make a day of it.

A white wrought-iron gazebo with two people sitting inside, above striped lavender fields, with wild grasses in front

Where Are The Lavender Fields at Hartley Park Farm?

Location: Alton, Hampshire. Distance from London: 55 miles (89 km). Best Time to Visit: Late June to early August.

Hartley Park Farm is a rural site at Alton in Hampshire, 55 miles from London. The farm shop sells a wide range of lavender products. Each year the farm holds a lavender festival with local crafts, food stalls and live entertainment, and there are activities for children on festival days.

Other Hampshire attractions are within reach for the rest of the day.

A woman in a pink dress with long fair hair walking away between rows of lavender

What Is Cotswold Lavender Like to Visit?

Location: Hill Barn Farm, near Snowshill and Broadway, on the Gloucestershire–Worcestershire border. Distance from London: 90 miles (145 km). Best Time to Visit: Late June to late July.

Cotswold Lavender is a family-run farm in the Cotswold hills that grows more than 35 varieties of lavender. There is a distillery on site where the essential oils are extracted, with demonstrations for visitors, and a farm shop selling handmade lavender products. The fields look out over open countryside.

I went on a Saturday morning in early August, near the end of the season. Hill Barn Farm sits almost 1,000 feet above sea level, and the rows run straight to the horizon. The family moved to the farm in 1994 and planted their first few hundred lavender plants by hand in 1999. The farm lists about 45 acres of lavender, some 250,000 plants.

Long straight rows of purple lavender running to the horizon, separated by green grass paths

Dogs are welcome on a lead, and one sat among the lavender that morning. The distillery turns the harvest into around 1.5 tons of oil a year, usually distilling in the last week of July.

Pale Labrador on a lead sitting among lavender plants in a Cotswold field

Beyond the lavender, I walked through the wildflower meadows. The farm gives about four acres to them, to bring back a kind of habitat Britain has mostly lost. Mown paths run through red poppies, blue cornflowers and daisies. One field was a sheet of yellow corn marigolds.

Wide wildflower field of red poppies and mixed blooms with hills fading into the distance

Close view of red and pink poppies, blue cornflowers and yellow daisies growing together

Tickets are bought by card on arrival, with no advance booking for standard entry. The 2026 season ran from 11 June to 5 August. Adults paid £7.75 at peak flowering (27 June to 22 July) and £5.75 after it. The Cabin sells drinks, snacks and ice cream. For a longer day, pair it with some of the prettiest villages in the Cotswolds.

Broadway Tower is a short drive from the farm, on the hill above Broadway. My guide to Broadway Tower covers the folly, the view from its roof and the Cold War bunker next to it.

Field of yellow corn marigolds cut by a grass path, with a line of dark conifers under a grey sky

Is There Lavender at Ham House in Richmond?

Location: Richmond, London. Distance from Central London: 10 miles (16 km). Best Time to Visit: July.

Yes. Ham House is a 17th-century estate on the Thames at Richmond, looked after by the National Trust, and lavender lines the paths in its formal gardens. It is the closest place on this list to central London. Riverside walks run along the Thames from the house, and there is a café and a gift shop on site.

Rows of lavender at Ham House and Garden, with a café and gift shop on site.

What Are the Best Tips for Visiting Lavender Fields Near London?

Timing. Lavender fields are typically in bloom from late June to early August, though each farm on this list gives a slightly different window, so check the farm's own website before you set off.

Weather. Go on a sunny day. Colour and scent are both stronger in sun.

Photography. Bring a camera or a phone. Early morning or late afternoon light gives the best conditions.

Comfort. Wear shoes you can walk in between the rows, and take a hat and sunscreen.

Local products. The farms sell their own lavender: essential oils, soaps and things to cook with.

Which Lavender Fields Near London Are Closest?

The Lavender Fields Near London on this list, closest first. Ham House is 10 miles from the city, Mayfield Lavender Farm 15, Castle Farm 23, Hitchin Lavender 37, Hartley Park Farm 55 and Lordington Lavender 66. Cotswold Lavender is the furthest, at 90 miles (145 km) from London.

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All photos were taken by Ina/WithinLondon, unless stated otherwise.