Wayfarer Wines - A Family-Run Kent Vineyard at Highfield Farm, Woodchurch
A Family-Run Kent Vineyard at Highfield Farm
Wayfarer Wines is a small, family-run English vineyard rooted in the rolling countryside of Woodchurch, on the edge of the Romney Marsh in Kent. The estate is run by Matt Ashford alongside his wife Karen and sister Emma, and the wines are made from grapes grown at Highfield Farm in Woodchurch and at the Pilgrims Way vineyard near Maidstone. In 2024 the winery was awarded Best Wine in Kent, beating some of the biggest names in the UK wine industry - a remarkable result for a young, boutique producer. The team welcomes visitors to the cellar door, runs guided tours and tastings on site, and operates a popular day-trip experience called the Folkestone Wine Bus.
About Wayfarer Wines
The Wayfarer philosophy is straightforward: grow the best possible fruit in the Kent climate, look after it gently in the winery, and bottle wine that is a true expression of place. The team produces a tight, considered range of still wines that leans on classic cool-climate grape varieties - Pinot Noir, Bacchus, Ortega, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay - alongside two rosés that have become flagships for the brand. The winery is active on Facebook and Instagram.
The Estates: Highfield and Pilgrims Way
Wayfarer Wines is unusual in sourcing fruit from two distinct Kent sites. The flagship Highfield vineyard sits at the family farm in Woodchurch and provides the backbone for the Hedgerow Pinot Noir Rosé, Highfield Rosé Blend, Woodland Chardonnay, Wandering Wayfarer Oaked Bacchus and the new Fathers Path Ortega. The Pilgrims Way vineyard near Maidstone is the source of the Pilgrims Way Pinot Gris and Pilgrims Way Pinot Noir Rosé, both bottled under the newer sub-label. Each vineyard brings a slightly different microclimate and terroir to the blend of still and rosé wines in the range, and the dual-estate approach is one of the things that makes Wayfarer feel distinct from many of its single-site Kent neighbours.
The Wine Range
Wines can be bought online. The current line-up is divided between still whites, two rosés, an oaked Bacchus, and a flexible mixed case for those who can't decide.
Rosés
- Hedgerow Pinot Noir Rosé 2022 - £22.00 (or £120 for a case of six, £20 each). Ripe red fruit, wild strawberry, candied red apple and a structured, moreish finish. 12.0% ABV. Estate: Highfield, Woodchurch.
- Highfield Rosé Blend 2022 - £22.00 (£20 each when you buy six). Honeysuckle and redcurrant on the nose, gala apple and honeydew melon on the palate. 12.0% ABV. Estate: Highfield, Woodchurch.
- Pilgrims Way Pinot Noir Rosé 2024 - £27.00 (£24 each when you buy six). Powdery coral pink with cherry blossom on the nose, zingy grapefruit and a lingering, fragrant raspberry finish. 11.0% ABV. Estate: Pilgrims Way, Maidstone.
Whites and Oaked Wines
- Woodland Chardonnay 2022 - £17.00 (£15 each on a case of six). Honeysuckle, flinty minerality and zingy lemon. 13.0% ABV.
- Pilgrims Way Pinot Gris 2025 - £27.00 (£24 each when you buy six). Ripe conference pear on the nose, citrus lime and green apple on the palate. 12.5% ABV. Estate: Pilgrims Way, Maidstone.
- Wandering Wayfarer Oaked Bacchus 2023 - £27.00 (£24 each on six). Double Gold medal and Kent Wine of the Year at the Taste of Kent Awards. Partial oak ageing and lees stirring give body and texture; subtle vanilla is lifted by elderflower and fresh lychee. 12.0% ABV. Estate: Highfield, Woodchurch.
- NEW Fathers Path Ortega 2025 - £27.00 (£144 for a case of six, £24 each). Light and fruity with apricot and white-peach notes. 12.0% ABV. Estate: Highfield, Woodchurch.
- Steve's Blend Bacchus/Ortega 2024 - £22.00 (currently sold out). A blend that pairs the herbal aromatics of Bacchus with the soft stone-fruit character of Ortega.
The Mix and Match Case
For visitors who want to sample more of the range, the Mix and Match Case is priced at £95.00 for six bottles of your choice. The same case rate - roughly £20 each - applies across most of the still wines when bought as a six.
Visiting the Vineyard: Tours, Tastings and the Cellar Door
Tours and events can be booked directly, and tickets are also available to add to cart alongside wine orders.
Vineyard Tour and Tasting
The signature experience. Priced at £25.00 per person, the Vineyard Tour and Tasting takes guests on a short walk through the vines at Woodchurch followed by a guided tasting of the wines with the team. It's a relaxed, informative format that suits both English-wine newcomers and seasoned tasters, and it's the most popular way to discover the full Wayfarer range in one sitting.
The Folkestone Wine Bus
The Folkestone Wine Bus is a fully hosted day out, priced at £49.00 per person. Pick-up is from Folkestone Harbour at 11am, with a scenic transfer through the Kent countryside to the Woodchurch vineyard. After a short walk through the vines, guests sit down to a guided tasting with Karen, covering all seven wines currently produced and the story behind each one, from the growing season to the winemaking. Lunch can be pre-ordered or purchased on the day - choose from the award-winning Kentish cheese selection or the local charcuterie board, both served with chutneys, local honey, pickles and fresh bread. The bus drops you back at Folkestone Harbour at approximately 4pm. Gluten-free and other dietary requirements can be catered for with advance notice.
Stop by for Lunch
Visitors don't need to be on a tour to enjoy the Woodchurch cellar door. The Stop by for lunch booking (£0.00 - pay on the day) reserves a table for walk-in guests. Booking is recommended on Saturdays and for groups of six or more, and you can pre-order a bottle to enjoy with lunch or simply order by the glass on arrival.
Cellar Door Opening Hours
The cellar door is open on Saturdays from 11am to 4pm. Free click-and-collect is available at the cellar door on every wine order.
From the Pantry: Local Pairings and Gifts
Beyond wine, Wayfarer stocks a small but well-curated From the Pantry range, all produced or sourced within a few miles of the vineyard.
Honeys
- Highfield Honey 227g Jar - £6.50. Made by the resident bees at Highfield Farm, harvested in spring and summer (currently sold out, restocked seasonally).
- Pilgrims Way Honey 227g Jar - £6.50. The Maidstone vineyard's own honey.
Chutneys, Marmalades and Preserves
Five £5.50 jars cover every cheese-board need:
- Apricot and Ginger
- Red Onion Marmalade
- Spiced Tomato and Caramelised Onions
- Sticky Figgy
- Sweet Chilli Jam
Handmade Recycled-Wine-Bottle Candles
The Candles collection is one of the most distinctive gift lines: each £18.00 candle is poured into an empty Wayfarer wine bottle that has been cut, sanded and filled with natural wax (soy, rapeseed or coconut depending on availability). They are manufactured in the UK, biodegradable and vegan friendly.
- Bacchus Candle - elderflower and white peach (currently sold out)
- Chardonnay Candle - honeysuckle and lemon
- Pinot Gris Candle - pear and green apple (currently sold out)
- Pinot Noir Rosé Candle - inspired by the Hedgerow rosé
- Steve's Blend Candle - currently sold out
Cheese and Charcuterie
Two sharing platters are available for collection or to add to a tour booking, both priced at £20.00:
- Kentish Cheese Selection - cheeses from award-winning local dairy farmers, served with local honey, chutney and crackers.
- Kent Charcuterie Selection - British saucisson, salami, chorizo and pepperoni sticks made by hand on a farm in neighbouring Tenterden, served with pickles and chutneys (serves two).
- Charcuterie Board K - £17.50, a smaller wooden-board option.
Hampers and Gift Cards
The Hamper Set at £45.00 bundles a curated selection of pantry and wine-cellar items, while a Wayfarer Wines Gift Card from £10.00 lets the recipient choose their own bottle, candle or platter.
Events and What's On
The winery runs a small calendar of seasonal events on top of its regular tours. The headline event of 2026 was the Pre-Release Event on Saturday 18 April - an exclusive tasting of the brand-new wines from the 2025 harvest, including a talk on the growing season and the work in the winery since October. Tickets were £20.00. Other recurring in-vineyard experiences are bookable year-round:
- Vineyard Tour and Tasting - £25.00 per person
- Folkestone Wine Bus - £49.00 per person, Folkestone pick-up
- Stop by for lunch - free booking, pay on the day
- Ultimate Cheese Night - a wine and cheese pairing evening at the cellar door
The loyalty mailing list is the best way to hear about new dates and releases first.
Loyalty Members and Pre-Order Tips
Joining the Wayfarer loyalty mailing list unlocks an automatic 10% discount on every order, plus access to a Members Only pricing tier with reduced case rates. The discount can be applied at checkout using the code emailed on sign-up. It also makes sense to pre-order a bottle of wine (currently a bottle of Woodland Chardonnay at £17.00) to enjoy after your tour if you're driving - it's collected from the cellar door at the end of the visit.
Plan Your Visit
Wayfarer Wines is based at Highfield Farm in Woodchurch, Kent, with the Folkestone Wine Bus providing a public-transport-friendly way to arrive from the coast. Whether you come for a tasting flight, a Folkestone-to-vineyard bus ride, or simply to pick up a case of the award-winning Wandering Wayfarer Oaked Bacchus, a visit to Wayfarer is one of the most personal ways to discover modern English wine.