The ultimate staycation at The Jolly Sportsman in East Chitlington

The Jolly Sportsman is a cosy, modern, country bed and breakfast located just a stone's throw from Sussex's idyllic South Downs. Whether you’re passing through on a dog walk, driving down for their mighty Sunday roasts or resting your head for the night, this contemporary restaurant is the heart and soul of East Chitlington.  

You cannot beat their beautiful and spacious garden in the summer, with so much natural light and vine-covered pagodas, perfectly manicured hedges, stunning flowerbeds and to top it all off with a beautiful outside bar tucked in between the foliage. The inside is just as pretty, hosting roaring open fires and leather armchairs to cosy into. The building has a modern interior design, but still holds on to its past with features such as wood-panneling and exposed brick walls. The dining area is a dark, moody plum/crimson colour that oozes cosiness and quiet luxury.  

My partner and I dropped off our bags in our room before eagerly heading down to join the Christmas wine club meet-up. Having never been to a wine club before, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I have been on wine tours in vineyards and had a few tasting sessions, but nothing like this. I wasn't sure if I would fit in, but this was the least pretentious event I have ever had the pleasure to attend.  

We sat down rather closely altogether, about 20 of us all in all, all sat on one massive table. We eagerly listened to our host for the evening. She knew her stuff, explaining why some variations of wines taste certain ways and going into depth about when it's drunk, why it’s drunk and what it's paired with food-wise. The food was utterly delicious, from crab bites, prawn cocktails to cheese and crackers, it truly was a moment for the senses. This also ended up being a really fun way to meet so many different walks of life. Most people lived either in the surrounding villages or hailed from Brighton. I didn't expect it to be so community-focused focused but at the end of the day, it's all about who you share these experiences within life with and this experience will stick with me forever. It really opened me up to exploring new wines, trying new food and meeting new people.  

After many good conversations passed over good nibbles and drinks, I tried everything from sparkling, red, desert wines and finished off with some port before the evening ended. So I sorted myself before moving to another table for dinner. Feeling rather merry from all the wine tastings, we sat down and ordered quickly, ready to demolish dinner. The Jolly Sportsman proudly uses local and organic produce. The pub hosts ‘Fish Friday’s” with daily caught fresh fish from Brighton and Newhaven fisheries. On Saturdays, they host their ‘strict 25-mile radius menu’ featuring exclusive produce from a 25-mile radius of East Chiltonton.  

While the menu changes regularly due to its seasonal nature, a flavour of what you can expect this winter includes marinated white anchovies, bread and whipped butter, as well as house garden pickles with olives and garlic to nibble on. Complemented by a range of aperitifs such as Clarified Bloody Mary, Hot Toddy and Autumn spiced pear martini, all around the 10-pound mark. Current starters are: Burrata with pickled cherries, wild garlic and honey, as well as French onion soup, cured trout with lemon and dill allioli, preserved beetroot and sherry. The selection of main dishes really offers a bit of something for everyone. For those craving gourmet pub grub, the fish and chips are a go-to, while the flat iron stake, red wine jus with smoked mushrooms, spring onion and elephant garlic, make for a great elevated dinner dish, or try the Baked gruyere parmigiana, with mosto cotto and basil emulsion, edamame beans and roquito peppers for a tasty veggie option.

After being well and truly wined and dined, we headed upstairs to our room, note that the only way to get to the rooms is around the back of the garden and up the stairs, so unfortunately not wheel chair accessible. On the positive side, before heading into our room we are greeted with an adorable doggy goody bag, packed with maps for good walking routes nearby, doggy shampoo after a muddy day and a towel to keep him warm and dry. This was a very nice attention to detail, as more and more people have dogs and want to take them with them everywhere they go (understandably!)

The bedrooms are rather spacious, with a massive comfy and elegant bed taking centre stage. There is also a sofa bed (the room can sleep four) and another cute detail was what's inside the fridge. There was homemade cordial and fresh milk. There was also the usual tea and coffee set up, accompanied by some delicious truffles and a bottle of red. As for the bathroom, it was covered head to toe in gorgeous Spanish-esque tiles and had body wash and moisturizer provided. After drifting off rather quickly with all the food and wine in our bellies, I woke to a frosty sunrise and hopped in the waterfall shower to wake me up. The heat and pressure from the shower was glorious, no complaints at all and opening the bathroom window to sun-soaked winter fields and the sound of horses next door made me feel transported a world away from everything.  

To finish it off, we headed downstairs to the cosy bar area, the fire was already roaring at 9am, as we sat down and ordered poached eggs on avocado toast with a latte for myself and a pot of breakfast tea for my partner. The eggs were perfect, and the coffee was delicious.  

The Jolly Sportsman is an all-rounder; you can come in summer to sit in the beautifully manicured gardens, and it’s the perfect pitstop for a spring stroll in the countryside. Yet, equally you can come in winter for roaring fires, roasts, fresh walks and their fabulous wine club events (although you can come all year round for their wine club). One night at the pub, with good food and company does leave you feeling rejuvenated and connected to the countryside. Even though it’s just 20 minutes from Brighton, this is a world away from the big-beach hustle and bustle.

The Jolly Sportsman is on Chapel Lane, East Chiltington, Lewes BN7 3BA

www.thejollysportsman.com

‍