Castle Farm Lavender and Seasonal Days Out Near Eynsford
What is actually open at the Darent Valley's lavender farm in each season, and how it fits round a round of golf
The Castle Farm lavender fields near Eynsford are the best known day out in the Darent Valley, and they are also the one people most often turn up for at the wrong time of year. The lavender blooms from late June to late July. Outside those five or six weeks the farm is still worth the drive, but for entirely different reasons, and the useful thing to know is what is actually open in each season.
Right now, in September, the answer is apples. Pick your own apple picking opened on 4 September 2026 and it is not ticketed, so you can simply turn up during shop hours.
The basics
- Where: Castle Farm, Redmans Lane, Shoreham, Sevenoaks, Kent TN14 7UB. Signposted off the Shoreham road in the Darent Valley, a few minutes north of Eynsford.
- Farm shop hours: Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday and bank holidays 10am to 5pm. Closed Mondays. The coffee cart stops at 4.30pm.
- Lavender: in bloom late June to late July. The 2026 harvest is finished.
- By train: Eynsford and Shoreham stations are both walkable to the farm, which makes it one of the few Kent farm attractions you can reach without a car.
From Lullingstone Park it is a short drive, roughly ten to fifteen minutes through the valley, which puts it comfortably in reach either side of a morning round.
Lavender: late June to late July, and book early
Castle Farm grows lavender on a commercial scale in the valley, and during the bloom it opens the fields for walking, photography and events. The window is short and weather-dependent: the farm sets its dates after assessing the crop in early June, and in 2026 the first bookings opened for 25 June to 9 July with further dates added as the crop came on.
Two practical points if you are planning for next summer. Field access during the bloom is ticketed and the popular slots sell out, so watch the farm's own site from the start of June rather than turning up in mid-July and hoping. And the distilled lavender oil and other lavender products are sold in the shop all year, so a January visit is not a wasted one if that is what you came for.
September and October: apples, then pumpkins
Apple picking opened on 4 September 2026 and runs as a non-ticketed pick your own. That makes it the easiest visit of the year: no slot to book, no ticket to hold, just the shop's opening hours to work round. Take your own bag and reasonable footwear; an orchard after rain is an orchard after rain.
Pumpkins are the other autumn crop grown on the farm and normally follow into October. Check the farm's site for this year's dates before travelling, because the pumpkin field is the one attraction that varies most between seasons.
The rest of the year
The farm grows more than lavender. Alongside the apples and pumpkins there are hops, sunflowers in the summer, beef and honey, and the farm shop sells across all of it plus the usual Kent producers. Guided farm walks and seasonal tours run through the year and are bookable in advance.
Winter is the quiet version: shop, coffee cart, and a valley that looks better under low sun than it does in July. If you are combining it with a walk, the Darent Valley footpaths link the farm with Shoreham and Eynsford, and our guide to walks in Lullingstone Country Park covers the paths at the southern end.
Making a day of it in the Darent Valley
Castle Farm sits in the middle of one of the densest clusters of things to do in west Kent, which is what makes it a useful anchor for a day rather than a stop on its own.
- Morning: nine holes at Lullingstone Park, or the driving range if you are short of time. Our green fees and booking page covers turning up for a round.
- Late morning: the drive up the valley to Castle Farm, apples in autumn or lavender in high summer.
- Lunch: Eynsford village, which has the ford, the bridge and a couple of pubs. See our Eynsford village guide.
- Afternoon: Lullingstone Roman Villa for the mosaics, or Lullingstone Castle and the World Garden if the weather is good.
Our day out around Lullingstone and Eynsford page puts the whole cluster in order, and the Lullingstone Park homepage has everything on the golf side. Castle Farm publishes its current opening times and season dates on its own website, which is the one to check before setting off.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the lavender in bloom at Castle Farm?
Late June to late July. The farm sets its field opening dates after assessing the crop in early June, so the exact window moves a little each year. In 2026 the first bookings covered 25 June to 9 July, with more dates added as the crop developed. The 2026 harvest is now complete.
Where is Castle Farm and can I walk there from Eynsford?
Castle Farm is at Redmans Lane, Shoreham, Sevenoaks, Kent TN14 7UB, in the Darent Valley north of Eynsford. Both Eynsford and Shoreham stations are within walking distance of the farm, which makes it one of the easier Kent farm attractions to reach without a car.
What are the farm shop opening hours?
Tuesday to Saturday 9am to 5pm, and Sunday and bank holidays 10am to 5pm. The farm is closed on Mondays, and the coffee cart stops serving at 4.30pm. The shop trades all year, including outside the lavender season.
Is apple picking open at Castle Farm?
Yes. Pick your own apple picking opened on 4 September 2026 and is not ticketed, so you can turn up within shop opening hours. Take a bag and sensible footwear. Pumpkins normally follow in October, but check the farm's site for current dates.
Do you need to book to see the lavender fields?
Yes, during the bloom. Field access and lavender events are ticketed and the popular slots go early, so watch the farm's website from the start of June. Lavender oil and products are sold in the shop year-round without a ticket.
How far is Castle Farm from Lullingstone Park golf course?
Roughly ten to fifteen minutes by car through the Darent Valley. That makes it easy to combine with a morning round, and it sits close to Eynsford village, Lullingstone Roman Villa and Lullingstone Castle for a full day out.