Easter 2015

We are unable to take much time out at Easter due to the Nursery business, but the motorhome provides the ideal last minute getaway, providing you can find somewhere to park overnight!

So Good Friday, where to go? We have always fancied eating at the Three Chimneys in Biddenden, and yes, they were happy to let us park overnight in their car park. Voted the Best Dining Pub in Kent 2015 (and in several of the recent years) this short break is off to a good start! We managed to book Saturday night at Braid Farm, a CL at Smarden. Easter is always busy, and many places were booked, so we were lucky to find this.

We arrived to park at the pub about 4p.m. (dinner booking for 8p.m.) with the intention of walking up ur appetite. Also, parking in pub car parks can be tricky, so if possible we arrive early to pick our spot. We tucked ourselves into the furthest corner. After a cup of tea and a hot cross bun we set off on our walk:

A circular 6km 'Napoleonic stagger' starting and finishing at a pub in the Kentish Low Weald
http://www.allaboutyou.com/country/walks/country-walks-Biddenden-Kent-walk

This circular walk brought us back to the pub via Sissinghurst Castle, which is very picturesque. We found a very unusual stile and met lambs who quite clearly had not seen a dog before; otherwise they wouldn’t have been so inquisitive!

National Trust 'counter weight' stile

Sissinghurst Castle

We arrived back with time only for a quick change of clothes and an apero, before dinner in the pub. It is a lovely 15th Century building, bursting at the seams with people having a drink, and a full restaurant – they must be doing something right! The food was fab, the service swift and efficient. We met some lovely people, all very friendly.

We began Saturday by running up to Bewl Water, but at £8 for a vehicle, (£4 per person on foot) thought that the cost was a bit steep just to have a ‘look see’. It was actually very cold and damp, so having a walk here did not appeal.

We trundled off, as planned to visit Scotney Castle at Lamberhurst. We try to make good use of our NT membership. We were given a timed entrance ticket to the Victorian House and wandered down to the ‘romantic’ ruined castle first. Jeff had to stay in the van, so he authoritatively assumed the driver’s seat.

Scotney was very interesting – like most of these places are; inhabited right up to 2006 by Betty, whose husband Christopher Hussey had handed it to the NT upon his death in 1970. Most surprising fact was that Margaret Thatcher rented an apartment here throughout the 70’s & 80’s. It is an idyllic location, but was too cold for a walk in this exposed landscape. Somewhere that is definitely worth a visit in better weather. We felt sorry for the staff manning the Easter Egg Hunt, stuck outside in the cold weather.


Next we went to Bedgebury Pinetum, believing that a walk in the Forest would be more protected. £10 entrance here. £10 is your entrance and parking. It’s £2 more for a small map of the location!!!! They have to make their money somewhere I guess. We chose to do the 6 mile woodland walk, sharing it with leisure and family cyclists. Jeffrey was able to run free, provided he was kept under control. There are some serious mountain biking trails here, (bike hire available) and a ‘Go Ape’ The children’s playground looks excellent too. Go Ape charges £33 for a ‘Gorilla’. I suppose that is an adult, so it would be an expensive day out to do that, methinks! Anyway, they were busy, as they would be on a Bank Holiday.




We retired, muddy, to our ‘van for a late lunch.


Off then to our night time stop, Braid Farm, Smarden, checking out the local pubs as we went. It was lovely and sunny when we got there, (probably should have waited longer to go for a walk) but it remained very cold, despite the sunshine. Braid Farm has a small colony of Wallabies, and two of them have Joey’s, so they were very cute to look at. Much fiddling with our digital TV aerial produced only ITV for us to watch, so we missed the final of the voice. We did see ‘Back in the Room’ which was very amusing, but I still feel uncomfortable about hypnotism as entertainment, even if the participants are willing, it somehow seems a bit exploitative.


Braid Farm, with hook up was £15. Unbeknown to us, overnight we sank into the clay, and could not drive off in the morning – mats or ‘breadbaskets’ were required really. The site owner very kindly got his 4 x 4 Daihatsu to pull us out, but that wasn’t enough. We were by now a spectacle on site, and gathering onlookers. Fortunately a few decided to help, and with 6 volunteers, plus Daihatsu we managed to move off. We stopped to remove the tow rope etc., only to find ourselves marooned again! The owner & volunteers obliged once more (very embarrassing) and we got towed to the gate.





Back home within the hour, proving that you don’t have to go far to have fun !