Gusbourne Gusbourne x The Sportsman 2026

Public transport

We are located just a short taxi journey from Ashford International, with trains departing every 15 minutes from St Pancras International and Stratford International. You can also take the Hastings train from Ashford for three stops to Rye station and take a taxi from there. Appledore station.

Although Appledore station looks like the closest to us on the map, we don't recommend travelling from there, as it is not served by taxis or regular buses. We would highly recommend booking a taxi for both journeys to/from Gusbourne in advance of your visit.

Our preferred taxi provider is ETM Cars. Our agreed set rate from Ashford International is £30 and advance bookings should be made via this link quoting “Gusbourne”.

Note:
There isn’t any public transport between Kent vineyards for wine tasting. You can arrange a wine tasting tour of multiple vineyards, and the Wine Garden of England website is the best place for more information.

Parking

You can park free of charge at the vineyard. It is only a short walk from the parking area to the tasting room. We do not have facilities for coach parking.

Places to stay nearby

A visit to Gusbourne has a way of recalibrating expectations. The lanes narrow, the skies seem to stretch and suddenly the idea of driving straight home after a tasting feels like unnecessary haste. So, to help you plan your escape, we’ve brought together some of our favourite places to stay - from design-led boltholes on our doorstep to quietly confident country houses. Read more.

Accessibility

If you or one of your party have restricted walking ability, please contact us in advance of your visit, and we’ll make arrangements for you to be as comfortable as possible, such as using our golf buggies to take you around the vineyards. The tasting room has ramp access, and accessible toilets suitable for a person with restricted walking ability and for those that use a wheelchair some of the time. We welcome registered carers and assistance dogs free of charge when they are accompanying visitors with special needs.

We have worked with AccessAble so you can find out about our facilities before you visit. See the detailed access guide to visiting Gusbourne.

Children

Our hosted experiences include a guided wine tasting, with some also offering a tour of our working vineyards. As such, these experiences are not suitable for children. You are welcome to bring children on a self-guided tour around our estate free of charge, and The Nest serves soft drinks for drivers and under-18s.

If you would like any additional advice before bringing children to the estate, please email nest@gusbourne.com, or telephone 01233 884680.

Dogs

We’re delighted to welcome dogs to the vineyard and there are plenty of spaces where they can join you during your visit. If you’re taking a self-guided tour, your dog is free to enjoy our outdoor areas with you, and they’re also welcome in our outdoor hospitality spaces.

Inside our tasting room, The Nest, your dog is welcome to join you on the ground floor only. This is where we host our Sparkling Tasting Flights and Vineyard Platters during the cooler months. Because our Estate Tour, Icons Experience and other special events take place upstairs, dogs aren’t able to join those experiences.

For everyone’s comfort and safety, please keep dogs on a lead at all times.

Cancellations

If you have booked a ticket for a tour or wine tasting event and you do not arrive for your scheduled booking, then the tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded, unless at our discretion. Any request for a refund or transfer must be made in writing, directed to nest@gusbourne.com. If we cancel your booking in its entirety, you will be entitled to a full refund for the purchase price. Tickets will be exchanged or refunded at the price paid for them, but no further compensation will be paid. To read our full cancellation policy click here.

Allergen information

If you have a food allergy, please make a member of staff aware as soon as possible.

Although every effort is made to provide allergen free dishes, owing to our kitchen layout we cannot guarantee cross contamination of any of the following 14 allergens: cereals, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, peanuts, sesame, soybeans, sulphur dioxide & sulphites, tree nuts. Our dishes are therefore not guaranteed as “free-from”.

For more information or details of menu ingredients please speak to a member of staff.

Can i bring my own picnic?

We kindly ask that only food and drink purchased at Gusbourne is consumed on site. This allows us to ensure the best possible experience for all our guests and helps us support our local food producers. Through the summer months, you can enjoy casual dining options on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. You can find out more here.

Other questions

Does Gusbourne have EV charging points for visitors?
No, we don’t. The nearest EV charging point is at Hamstreet Garden Centre, TN26 2JZ.

How far is Gusbourne from Rye and what are the connections?
Gusbourne is a 15 minute drive from Rye. There are no local buses, so we recommend pre-booking a taxi. Although there is a train from Rye to Appledore, Appledore station is several miles from the vineyard and walking from there to Gusbourne isn’t safe. We recommend pre-booking a taxi from Rye, as there are no local taxi companies in Appledore.

Can you buy wine directly from the Gusbourne cellar door?
Yes, you can. The shop is open for wine sales 7 days a week, from 10am to 5pm.