Barn Cottage near Gatwick

Lola I don't know Barn Cottage but another option would be to come down to Brighton. We're only just over half an hour from Gatwick by train and have a good range of restaurants and pubs, plus a royal palace, a pier and the world's oldest electric railway. (The railway only runs in the summer.) http://www.brighton-hove-rpml.org.uk/RoyalPavilion/Pages/home.aspx http://www.brightonpier.co.uk/history-of-the-pier http://www.brightonpier.co.uk/history-of-the-pier Alan

Hi Lola... I don't know the specific place but if you are away from the flight path, and knowing how much you and yours love walking, I'd suggest staying out. There are so many options around, including National Trust Gardens and so many others. Just setting out from your cottage across the fields would be fun and get some air into your lungs. Just my suggestion...

Thank you both! Alan, I did think of Brighton but thought it was farther away. I'll take another look. I was there years ago while studying abroad ( 1967!) and it might be fun to see the changes. This would be in early November. Does that make a difference in your recommendation? We do enjoy walking, as Nigel acknowledged, and a bit of rain is fine but maybe not in combination with the beach. Nigel, yes, our plan for the afternoon and evening would be a nice long walk and then dinner at a pub. We enjoyed Windsor so much thanks to the Thames path. I will look into possible paths and National Trust sites and gardens in the Gatwick area, but will have to keep in mind the transport to and from the airport. Barn Cottage is the place recommended by Rick. But I don't often follow his lodging recs anyway. I see lots of suggestions for B&Bs in and around Horley on Tripadvisor.

We spent the night in Horley before flight home, free transport to airport and only a ten minute walk from a great pub for dinner, think it is called Six Bells. If you want info, let me know and will look it up in my travel folder.

Lola I'm afraid I can't guarantee it won't rain! It's sunny here today but was pouring yesterday! The last few autumns have been fairly mild and not too wet, but you never know! The fastest trains to Brighton take 28 minutes and the slowest 40. There are around 6 an hour so you won't have to wait for long. If you fancy something less urban there are 2 trains an hour from Gatwick to Lewes, which is a small town in Sussex. The train journey is just over 30 minutes. Lewes has a small castle, a very good brewery, and there's a nice walk along the river. http://www.lewes.co.uk/ If your early November date happens to be the 5th it has one of the biggest Guy Fawkes parades in the country with huge torchlit parades through the town. http://www.lewes.co.uk/Bonfire/ Cheers Alan

We stayed at Barn cottage a few years ago and don't know if they are still up and running. The room was okay but the cottage was a bit run down. There are many better options and many B&Bs offer free transport to LGW-this one does not. The breakfast was terrible. Would not stay there again.

Last spring I stayed in Horley before a morning flight from Gatwick. It was Castle Lodge (or Guest House) and included a shuttle to/from the airport. The Lodge is walking distance from the town center with restaurants, etc. Horley has a train station. I arrived at Gatwick by train from Reading, then called for the shuttle. Castle Lodge is inexpensive, and has clean, simple rooms.

Hi Lola, we stayed at the Corner House Hotel in Horley, 011-1293-784574. It's five minutes from Gatwick, they offer free transportation to and from the airport. They are only a few minutes walk to a pub.

Yes Lola, that is the Barn Cottage where we stayed. The owners are quite elderly so I'm surprised they are still running a B&B. The charge for pick up at LGW as well as being driven back was about 15 bp-a bit steep. I would definitely look for other lodging for the one night. Try for a place with a nice pub nearby.

Thanks everyone. Susan, that is good to know about Barn Cottage. It is listed in the 2013 guide, but it warns not to confuse it with others of the same name. The recommended Barn Cottage ison Church Road in Leigh and has no website ( and no free shuttle to the airport). Is that the one where you stayed? I'll keep a list of recommended places in Horley, but Alan's suggestion of Lewes is just what I was looking for. Easy link to Gatwick by train, and it is close to one of the National Trails, the South Downs Way, so I can check that out for a future multi-day walk. We would be there around Nov. 1 so will miss Bonfire night and the parade, but I hope others take note of that is they are in the area. Mounds like a lot of fun.

We stayed in Royal Tunbridge Wells the night before Gatwick...it is a pleasant Georgian flavored town about an easy 48 minute driveto airport with a gas station on the way to fill up before turning car in. It is also near several National Trust Sites and is fun for antique shopping.

I second the idea of Lewes. The large priory ruins are very interesting and Anne of Cleves house,owned by the local archeology association, is worth seeing too. There was a beautiful public garden to wander through near her house. All of these sights are near the train station.