Castle Farm Shop & Lavender Farm: A Relaxing Visit to the UK’s Largest Lavender Fields
I’ve been visiting Castle Farm regularly from the first time we discovered this part of the Kent about 25 years ago. I even remember the farm before it became the ‘lavender’ farm with much smaller farm shop. We always stop here when we are on our walk and pick up treats and gifts from the shop on site. Recently I’ve also enjoyed coming here during the lavender season, especially as I love to taste anything with lavender!
Best time to visit Castle Farm
The best time to visit Castle Farm to see the lavender in full bloom is typically from late June to mid-July. This is when the pretty purple fields are at their peak and there are beautiful views across the valley. The exact timing can vary slightly each year depending on the weather, but mid-June to mid-July is generally the safest window to catch the lavender at its best. I always check the Castle Farm Facebook page for the latest updates.
During the main lavender season, the Castle Farm also offers guided lavender field walks, self-guided lavender field walks, picnics and lots of other lavender related events.
In the autumn the farm also has a pick your own apples days, when you can visit the orchard and take home some delicious apples.
The rest of the year, the main shop is open all year round and there are some lovely walks in the area and other local attractions (see my favourite suggestions below) to turn your visit into a whole day out.
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My Local Tip
The farm gets super busy during the lavender season and the slots for picnic, guided tours and visiting the lavender field can get booked up pretty quickly. It’s best to book in advance through the Castle Farm website.
But if you are on a budget or all the tours and visits are sold out, you can still visit the farm without a pre-booked ticket. The car park at the farm and the roads around can get also super busy, so in my experience it’s better to park in Lullingstone Park Visitor’s centre or in Shoreham village and walk to the farm.
There is a free access to the main area in front of the shop, lavender barn with gifts and the coffee cart. One year, we couldn’t get tickets for the tour, so we just picked up few lavender goodies from the shop and walked around the outside lavender field instead of going in. It was still a great day out, especially as we walked from Shoreham following the Samuel Palmer trail and saw the lavender fields from a far.
As we were coming down from the woodland the path followed the side of the upper lavender field. The lavender was being harvested at the time and the smell was just amazing!
On the way back, we walked along another lavender field as we walked towards Shoreham following the Darent Valley Path running next to a local road.
Extra tip: There are two lavender fields that you can have access too – one is for the ‘bring your own picnic’ booking and the other one is for walking around (much cheaper entrance fee). The picnic lavender field is much large than the ‘walk around’ lavender field and there are usually not as many people there.
Both fields have stalls with lavender produce and refreshments, so you can taste the lavender as you walk around it too!
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What to taste & buy in the lavender barn
I have to say that being slightly allergic to various pollen and plants I sneeze when I smell lavender and find it a bit too strong as smell. But I absolutely love the flavour of lavender and I think it taste differently than it smells!
I totally recommend (and can’t get enough off) the lavender shortbread biscuits, the lavender ice-cream, iced coffee with lavender syrup and the lavender lemonade. I’ve also bought Apricot & Lavender jam, which was lightly fragrant and delicious on toast.
I like baking, so one year I treated myself to the culinary lavender buds, which lasted a long time. I also use lavender oil to add to my iced coffee at home and to make milk chocolate bars with lavender flavour.
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How to see the lavender fields from a far
Apart from walking inside the lavender fields or right next to them, I think it’s also worth seeing them from slight distance to see the whole valley with the patchwork of purple fields.
There is a great viewing point when you park at the top of the road (small parking along the top road towards Shoreham as you pass the official entrance to the farm access road) above the Castle Farm. From there you get great view of the whole valley and all the lavender fields.
You can get a similar view from the top of both fields (the walk in lavender field and the picnic field), but you need to walk all the way up to the top.
There are also lovely (but slightly distant) views of the lavender fields when you follow the Samuel Palmer Trail from Shoreham as it takes you up to the top of the hill on one side of the valley.
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History of Castle Farm
Castle Farm is a family-run farm which was founded back in 1892. The Alexander family has been farming in the Darenth Valley since James Alexander brought 17 milking cows from Ayrshire, Scotland, by train in that year. Over generations, the family expanded the farm’s operations, and today, Castle Farm is managed by William and Caroline Alexander, with involvement from their children.
Originally focused on dairy farming, the farm has diversified significantly over time, including growing hops for beer making and decorations (the farm shop was called at one point the ‘Hop Shop’). From about 1998 the farm started to focus more on lavender and it’s now the UK’s largest lavender farm, which gets super busy with visitors each year in early summer.
Castle Farm’s lavender fields cover approximately 100 acres and there are several lavender varieties here, including Folgate, Maillette, and Grosso. Castle Farm’s on-site distillery enables them to process their lavender into essential oils and other products within hours of harvest.
Apart from lavender, Castle Farm still produces beef, apples, apple juice, hops, dried flowers, and honey, all of which are sold through their award-winning farm shop.
Practical Information for visiting Castle Farm
Address: Redmans Lane, Shoreham, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN14 7UB
Tickets
The entrance to the farm shop, lavender barn, coffee cart and the outside stalls is free, but you have to purchase ticket if you want to walk inside the lavender fields.
- Lavender Field Walks: £7 per person (discounts for children)
- Lavender Picnics: £15 per person, which includes access to a reserved picnic area within the fields (bring your own picnics, blankets and pillows to sit on).
- Guided Lavender Tours: £15 per adult, with discounts for children
It’s always best to book in advance, as tickets for peak times during the lavender season often sell out quickly. Last time I visited, it was a little over casted weather (with a promise of rain) during the week and because of that there were still slots available to purchase on the gate.
Parking
There is free car parking on site and you can drive all the way down to the farm from the top road. During the very busy lavender season, there is also overflow car park if you are coming from Shoreham on the narrow local road.
The roads and the car parks get super busy at peak times, so I usually walk in Shoreham (free public car park) and walk to the farm through the fields following the Darent Valley Walk.
Opening Times
Farm Shop:
- Tuesday to Saturday: 9am – 5pm
- Sunday (& Bank Holidays): 10am – 5pm
Lavender Field Walks & Experiences:
- Usually open daily during lavender season, with timed entry slots starting from around 10am until the late afternoon or early evening.
How long to allocate for your visit
Outside the lavender season, there is only the main farm shop to visit, but you can always combine your visit with walks in the valley or to visit one of the attractions nearby.
When we come up for the lavender fields, we usually pay for the walking field, where you can spend up to 60 minutes (you can walk around the lavender, take lots of pictures, have a refreshments from the farm stalls and enjoy the views). On top of that we also visit the shop and lavender barn which can easily take another 30 minutes.
I usually park elsewhere (Shoreham or Lullingstone Park car park) and we make the visit to Castle Farm into 1/2 day or even a whole day trip.
Facilities
Facilities are little limited, but there is usually coffee cart open with outdoor seating and there are toilets accessible for visitors.
How to get to Castle Farm
By Public Transport:
- Train: Take a Southeastern train from London Victoria, Blackfriars, or St Pancras to either Eynsford or Shoreham (Kent) station. Both stations are on the line towards Sevenoaks.
- From Eynsford Station: Castle Farm is about 1.4 miles (approx. 30-minute walk) along country lanes. This is a pleasant walk but be aware there are no pavements for part of the route.
- From Shoreham Station: The farm is about 1.5 miles from Shoreham station, also a scenic walk through the countryside.
- Taxi: Local taxis are available from both Eynsford and Shoreham stations if you prefer not to walk.
- Bus: There is limited bus service in the area, so train and walking/taxi are usually the best options
By Car:
- From London: Take the M25, exit at Junction 3 for the A20, then follow signs for the A225 towards Eynsford and Shoreham. Castle Farm’s entrance is directly off the A225, between Shoreham and Eynsford.
- From Kent: Navigate to the A225 and follow it to the farm, which is signposted between Shoreham and Eynsford. The address for sat nav is Castle Farm, Redmans Lane, Shoreham, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN14 7UB.
- Parking: On-site parking is available for visitors.
What can you see nearby
Shoreham Village
A picturesque village just a short walk from Castle Farm, Shoreham has pretty cottages, historic pubs, and the beautiful Shoreham Church (St. Peter and St. Paul). The painter Samuel Palmer and community of fellow artists lived in the village and his paintings are inspired by the local landscape.
Shoreham Aircraft Museum
Located in the heart of Shoreham, this small but fascinating museum is dedicated to aviation history, especially from World War II. It’s a great spot for history enthusiasts and families.
Darent Valley Path
This scenic walking and cycling path runs right past Castle Farm, following the River Darent. It’s perfect for a gentle stroll through the Kent countryside, with beautiful views, wildlife, and picnic spots.
Lullingstone Country Park – Right next to the Castle Farm you have the Lullingstone Country Park visitors centre and lovely cafe with toilets. The park stretches over woodlands, wildflower meadows, and also has riverside walks.
Lullingstone Castle & World Garden – Within easy walking distance (about 10 minutes) from the farm, you can reach the Lullingstone Castle & World Garden, which is a historic manor house, church and botanical garden open on selected days and well worth a visit.
Samuel Palmer Trail – This is a circular walk of approximately 5.3 miles (8.5 km), taking around 2.5 to 3 hours to complete. The trail begins in Shoreham, near the church, and follows a route through the beautiful Darent Valley. Along the way, you can see the houses where the artist Samuel Palmer lived, enjoy riverside paths beside the Darent, pass through Lullingstone Country Park, and climb through woodlands that have amazing views across the valley with the lavender fields.
This blog post was originally published on 22 July 2025 and last updated on 22 July 2025
