Hastingford Fishery: East Sussex Shepherd’s Huts with a Wild Swimming Pool

Four huts, four spring-fed lakes, and one of them kept for swimming rather than fishing. Hastingford, at Hadlow Down near Uckfield, is a family-run fishery and farm where the top lake is a natural wild swimming pool — on the site, not near it.

The stay

The four fisherman’s huts — Carp, Roach, Perch and Tench — each sleep two adults. Perch and Tench are the larger pair, overlooking the top lake, with full kitchens and en-suite facilities; Tench has the bigger bathroom. Carp and Roach sit on the bottom lake, with a short walk to a private heated shower and toilet unit and a small portaloo hut right outside for the caught-short moments. It is adults only. Dogs are welcome but must stay on leads around the lakes and farm, and there is an empty fenced field for a proper run off lead. Minimum stay is two nights, three over bank holiday weekends. There is wifi, though phone signal is poor on some networks except at the top of the hill. One of the owners is a wheelchair user, and the site has facilities for wheelchair users and less able guests.

Swimming on site

Hastingford describe it themselves: “at the very top of the site is a natural ‘wild swimming’ pool for those adventurous enough. This has grass carp to keep the weed down (no fishing at this lake). Just relax around the pool with its picnic benches and gazebo and enjoy the fabulous views to the South Downs from here.” Their homepage sells the break on “wildlife, glorious views & wild swimming”.

Two things are useful in that. First, it is a dedicated swimming water with angling excluded, so you are not sharing it with rods. Second, the weed is kept down by grass carp rather than treatment. All four lakes on the site are spring fed. The benches and gazebo mean the pool works as a base for an afternoon rather than a quick in-and-out, and because it is private farm water for guests there are no session times — and no lifeguard.

Worth knowing

This is a fishery first. Three lakes are stocked with common and mirror carp, golden and blue orfe, perch, green and golden tench, roach, rudd, dace and gudgeon; day anglers fish 8am to 8pm or dusk, and hut residents can fish at night. Four further natural wild lakes up the hill are for walking round rather than swimming in. Uckfield, Crowborough and Heathfield are all about ten minutes’ drive, Lewes twenty and Brighton thirty-five. Pick-ups from Buxted or Crowborough stations can be arranged for a small charge.

Bookings and full details: hastingfordfishery.co.uk.

One of the spring-fed lakes at Hastingford, looking towards the South Downs. Photo: Hastingford Fishery.