A lavender field in London – Mayfield Lavender Farm
25
JULY 2019
The bus no. 166 stops immediately outside Mayfield Lavender Farm. And when I mean right outside, it’s about 2 steps from the stop to the farm entrance. A stupendous lavender field in London, the farm welcomes hundreds of visitors through its gates each year.
Lavender field in London – where is Mayfield Lavender Farm?
Mayfield Lavender Farm is in Banstead, a small town in the London borough of Sutton. While the borough has ‘London’ in its name, it’s, in fact, about 15 miles away from the center.
It sits on the border between London and another county called Surrey. In short, it’s a region that lets you escape the chaos and crowds of London, if only for 1 day.
Arriving at the fields
Mayfield Lavender Farm is open to the public from June to September. From June, the lavender begins to bloom, transforming the field into a sea of purple.
It’s quite a scene the second you spot the rows of lavender. Among the pink and purple hues are various groups of visitors meandering their way around the fields.
Families with young children pass by small clusters of teenagers celebrating the end of school. At the other end are the influencers, poised and ready to take the perfect Instagram shot.
Find your space among the lavender plants
5 useful tips to know before visiting this lavender field in London
1. Come on a weekday
If possible, visit during the week, preferably Monday or Tuesday — better yet before the school holidays start. There’s something special about experiencing the fields without many people around.
Explore up and down the aisles between the rows of lavender, being mindful not to step on them. To one side is also a wild flower garden that’s easy to miss if you don’t walk the entire grounds.
2. Arrive early
This tip ties into number 1. If you can only visit on the weekend, I advise arriving as early as possible. The farm opens from 9am to 6pm (10am in September), and as you can imagine, gets very busy, very quickly.
We arrived at 1pm, which was much later than I wanted. However, as it was a Monday, it wasn’t as hectic as if we’d visited on the weekend.
Go for a tractor ride, or enjoy lunch at the farm’s cafe
“Among the pink and purple hues are various groups of visitors meandering their way around the fields.”
3. Take the fastest route – lavender fields near London
There are several ways you can get to Mayfield Lavender Farm from London.
Public transport
The most popular, and budget friendly, route to reach Mayfield Lavender Farm is by train and then by bus. From London Victoria, catch a direct train (33 minutes) to West Croydon station. From here, you need to get off, walk to the bus station and take the 166 bus.
The bus stop for Mayfield Lavender Farm is Oak Parks. This takes you right up to the front gate.
While this may be the most popular route for visitors, it’s also the slowest. The bus from West Croydon takes around 47 minutes, including traffic. It takes you through city centers as well as small residential roads, stopping frequently along the way.
Instead, the quickest — and best — way to reach the farm is by train and then taxi. Take the same direct train from London Victoria, but this time stay on until you arrive at Sutton. It’s about a 32-minute train ride from the center and is also a scenic ride in parts.
When you exit at Sutton station, book an Uber (taxi service) to take you to the farm. The drive’s around 12 minutes and is a far nicer option to reach the lavender fields.
By car
Parking is free at Mayfield Lavender Farm once you’ve paid the entrance fee, but there’s limited capacity. Again, weekends are the busiest times, and once the spaces are full, they’re full.
The only other option is to find another nearby independent car park — which you’ll have to pay for. Alternatively, you’ll have to come back when some spaces become vacant.
Last entry to the farm is 6pm, and you’ll need to leave before they lock up at 7pm. You can enter this postcode into your GPS if you plan on visiting by car: SM7 3JA.
Enjoying the entirety of the lavender fields
4. A lavender field in London – bring a sunhat and wear sunscreen
England and good weather don’t usually go hand in hand, but come summertime, the weather can be surprisingly good. Temperatures can hit the high 20s (C) or even 30s, matching those you find in Italy or Spain.
Saying that, it’s advisable to be prepared when you visit the lavender field in London.
- Bring a good sunhat to protect your head from the strong sun, and
- Wear a good factor SPF sunscreen.
You should also bring a bottle of water, and an umbrella too. This still is England after all!
Lavender field in London – don’t forget to bring your hat!
5. Leave the picnic at home – Lavender field in London
To put it simply, they don’t allow picnics on the farm. Unfortunately, they had a growing issue of visitors leaving their trash around, so they now no longer permit them.
Similarly, they also ask that you don’t bring, or eat, your own food to the farm. Again, the staff experienced problems with people not clearing up their waste after eating. That said, the only place you can take food while at Mayfield Lavender Farm is from the café.
To say it’s a shame is an understatement. We should all be mindful of encouraging zero waste travel whether we’re in the Bahamas, or closer to home.
The farm provides recycling bins by the seating area and encourages their visitors to use them.
Rows of purple and pink hues at Mayfield Lavender Farm near London
Lavender farm in London – what facilities do they have?
As mentioned above, there are 2 places where you can get food and drinks. They are:
- The café that sells hot food and sandwiches, and
- The caravan style stall that sells hot and cold drinks, waffles and cookies.
Other treats also worth mentioning are the ice cream and the droolworthy lavender cream tea.
As the season begins to get busier, so do the lines for food and drink. We decided to take something at the caravan stall instead of waiting out the long line for hot food.
Once you’ve got your order, head to the wooden tables, take a seat and inhale in the glorious view ahead.
Shop at Mayfield Lavender Farm
Take home memories of your day at the lavender field in London by buying something from the farm shop.
They sell an array of lavender products, from the plant itself to some fragrant lavender cookies.
Toilets
There’s not much I can say about the bathroom facilities other than this: bring hand sanitizer and extra tissues. The farm sits on the Metropolitan Green Belt of London, meaning they can’t build any permanent buildings on the land.
Instead, there are several portable toilets on site, and it can be hit or miss in terms of cleanliness. Be quick, be fast, and make good use of the outdoor sink and soap.
Aisles of lavender at this lavender field in London
How much does it cost?
At the time of writing, entrance costs £2.50 ($3 / €2.80) per person. They only take cash, so be ready to have some to hand. Children under the age of 16 are free to enter.
When is the best time to visit Mayfield Lavender Farm?
By mid-July, the lavender is in full bloom and is also at its fullest and most colorful. As I mentioned earlier, if you can arrive before the school holidays begin, there will likely be less people around.
Is it worth visiting Mayfield Lavender Farm?
In one word: yes! It’s a great day trip from London and an ideal place for families, couples and friends.
Have you been to a lavender field before? Would you like to visit Mayfield Lavender Farm? Let me know in the comments below.
Till next time, happy boutique travels x
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I’ve recommended. Thank you for your support.
Mayfield Lavender Farm – an ideal day trip from London
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Lisa Rivera
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Welcome to my site! I'm Lisa, founder of Following the Rivera. I write primarily for a ‘flashpacker’ audience; a demographic (late 20s onwards) that enjoys glamping over camping, staying at boutique/luxury boutique hotels, sampling the local food and wine, cultural activities, and indulging in a spot of wellness on their travels. Read more here…
You look amazing and I love all the photos you have taken of the lavender field. It is so beautiful! Thanks for the thorough review of the place too
Aw thank you, it’s the place that’s photogenic! You should definitely go!
Your pictures look stunning. I visited a lavendar farm in New Zealand a while back and the purple hues are beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
I’m sure that was just as amazing too!
This is so gorgeous!!! I would love to visit this farm one day, just amazing…wow!!!
It’s such a wonderful farm, and within easy reach of London too 🙂
I have been to London, but never to a lavender field. I can smell the fragrance as I look at your lovely shots.
Aw maybe next time Rhonda you can visit when you’re here 🙂
I have been to a lavender farm in China and it was so pretty, great for photo shooting. Lavender at Mayfield looks super pretty too and I love how there is a bus stops right outside the farm.
It’s so straightforward to visit, plus it’s lovely once you arrive there too!
wow so pretty! i bet it smelt amazing! i need to go here next time im in London!
You must, it’s such a beautiful field 🙂
You have given me all the reasons to be in Mayfield Lavender Farm. This is absolutely my kind of place. Thank you for the useful tips. The photos looks absolutely stunning. Thanks again.
You’re welcome!
Walking through a lavender field should be a unique experience. I hope to be able to do this activity soon. 🙂
Me too! Bookmark it if you ever come to London
This is just like paradise. I love lavender and I would be very happy to visit this wonderful place. Will definitely keep this in mind should I get the chance to visit London. Thank you for sharing.
Then you must definitely come and visit!
Lavender fields are so beautiful and peaceful to walk through. I’m fortunate to have one near where I live. Gorgeous photos!
Lucky you! They’re so pretty!
Never knew that such a place existed right at the footsteps of London. I missed out on my chance of visiting a Lavender field in Romania, but i guess theres hope, that i’ll be able to tick it off my bucket list, by visiting this one. Your tips and suggestions are really helpful, specially the information on the bus routes.
You’re welcome Arnav, I’m glad it’s easy to follow 🙂
That’s definitely a gorgeous place to visit and hope to visit that farm someday with my loved ones.
It’s the kind of place the whole family can enjoy!
Wow! This Lavender field looks like a piece of paradise. It’s very beautiful! Can’t wait to visit.
Make sure you do Dennis, it’s pretty wonderful!
I would never have imagined something this awesome near a crowded city. It looks beautiful. Lavender is among my favourite essential oils. Would love to see this place.
Bookmark it for when you’re next in London 😀
looks so beautiful! I hope I will visit lavender field one day myself and enjoy this bright purple everywhere
It’s quite a sight! And so pretty too 😀
I would love to go just to experience the smell. The photos are lovely.
It’s heavenly, plus you can take some home too!
What a picture perfect location. I would love to visit this the next time I get to London. I wish I had known of it earlier for this was the season that I visited. Thanks for the useful tips on the entrance fees and how to get there. That definitely eases the pain of trying to figure out the conveyance and budget.
You’re welcome Ami! I hope you come and visit the next time, it’s so pretty here
Woah, I never realized that there was a lavender field in London. Been there twice now and there’s so much more I need to discover.
Third time lucky! Come back and see it maybe next year 🙂
Mayfield Lavender Fields look absolutely gorgeous. Thank you for all the detailed information. Now if only I could smell this website… Guess, I’ll have to go in person.
Lol it’s more fragrant in person, I hope you visit one day!
Oh wow it is so beautiful out there! I love all the beautiful lavender color spread all over! If I am ever in the area, I will definitely check it out. Thank you for sharing this.
You’re welcome! I hope you get to visit one day 🙂
This is a nice tip for London frequent travelers. I like lavender and always like have some at home. But it blooms only a few weeks in year.
That’s true, which is why you have to be here for lavender season 🙂
I love that this lavender field is close enough to London to justify a day or even a half-day trip. When I’m often in the city, I crave some lovely nature and greenery, this would be a perfect mid-trip getaway for me! It’s nice to know that France is not the only country with beautiful lavender fields as well. Thanks for educating others on the importance of staying to the noted pathways!
It’s such a pretty lavender field and not so far from London either! x
I love flowers and a visit to Lavender field is always in my list. Good to know that this Mayfield Lavender farm is very close to London and also it can be reached by bus. The entrance cost is also not very expensive and it is good children under 16 are free to enter. And I would also buy some authentic Lavender related products.
You’ll really love this lavender field! It’s a great day trip and a little gem not too far from London either!
I didn’t know that Lavender farm is so close to London, will plan visit for next week
Great to know! Take an Uber there lol!
The lavender farm at Banstead looks really pretty, Lisa. I like how you have given the details of how to reach the place. I guess the train followed by taking an Uber will be the best option. Even the bus to Oaks Park is good but not convenient if I am planning to reach early and fast.
Exactly! It was sooo much longer taking the 166 bus, so if budget’s not an issue, take an Uber!