Opening hours
Raystede is open every day from 10am until 4pm, apart from Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
How to find us
We are located on the B2192, between Ringmer and Halland, opposite the East Sussex Gliding Club. For directions and contact details, please visit our Contact Us page.
Please consider car sharing where possible.
On arrival
There is plenty of free parking, including disabled parking bays.
Please go to the welcome cabin to be greeted by our Welcome Volunteers and to show your ticket.
Pick up a map to help you find your way around and make the most of your visit.
Our volunteers are always happy to help with any questions and directions.
Our animals
Many of our animals are with us for rehabilitation and are very shy or nervous so you may not see all of them. We really appreciate it – and so do our animals – if visitors stay calm and quiet.
Our Kennels and Cattery are not open to visitors as some of our animals are nervous. If you are interested in adopting, complete an online application form or call 01825 840252 to arrange assistance.
Our Aviaries
We provide our birds with plenty of enrichment and spacious aviaries so they can behave as naturally as possible. Some of our birds love seeing visitors but others find it stressful and display negative behaviours. The welfare of our animals is our top priority so the Aviaries area closes at 2pm to ensure that all our birds have time each day to relax and unwind.
Please walk quietly and calmly through the Aviaries. Thank you.
N.B. The UK Government have applied an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone across the UK. This means that from 25 January 2025, we must close our Aviaries and part of the lakes area to the public until the restrictions are lifted. We do NOT have this virus at Raystede but we are required to put in place a range of measures to protect our birds. Birds are not allowed access to open or standing water and our geese have been removed from the lake and ponds and are now in enclosures that will prevent them from coming into contact with wild birds.
We are still open and welcome visitors to enjoy the rest of the beautiful site.
We are dog friendly
Raystede welcomes dogs on leads in most areas, including the shops and café, and there are a couple of dog walk trails around the perimeter of our site.
Please note that dogs are not allowed in the Small Animals and Rabbitry areas.
Daily tour
Join our free guided tour every day* at 11.30am. Head to the meeting point outside Visitor Information where you will find your personal tour guide.
*Subject to suitable weather conditions. Not available in extreme weather conditions.
Make the most of your visit
Please read our ‘Visit Us’ page and FAQs to find out more about visiting Raystede, what to see and do.
Please note
Please do not feed our animals. Many of them are on special diets and can become very ill if they are fed anything other than their own food.
We ask that visitors do not bring picnics so as not to tempt our birds and also to reduce the risk of litter blowing around the site and potentially harming our animals.
Enjoy your visit!
