Day Trip From London: An English Castle, Cider Festival As Well As Morris Dancing Inward Kent

Day Trip to Tenterden

With hence many European destinations on our doorstep, it’s slowly to forget close exploring the actual province that nosotros alive inwards – the United Kingdom.

But hence far this year, we’ve been trying to explore to a greater extent than locations only exterior of London. Last month, nosotros took a educate to catch Tenterden, a minor town located inwards the Kent district, close 2 hours southeast of London. The town was hosting the 10th Annual Real Ale & Cider Festival
at The Kent & East Sussex Railway, co-hosted past times Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), a grouping nosotros signed upward for that supports in addition to promotes British breweries in addition to pubs.

Had it non been for the beer festival, nosotros in all probability wouldn’t direct maintain chosen Tenterden equally a goal since it no longer has a educate station. We took a educate from Waterloo to Headcorn, in addition to then transferred to a local province bus, which stopped closed plenty to our hotel for the night. We originally planned to accept a taxi from the station but learned nosotros would direct maintain to hold off awhile since nosotros didn’t pre-book in addition to it would terms £22. Yikes! So nosotros figured out the local bus, which runs every xxx minutes – give or accept 10 minutes, in addition to took a charabanc from Headcorn to the London Beach Country Hotel. Cost £3 for 2 people.

Technically Stayed Overnight  

Okay, hence nosotros technically did this journeying equally an overnight trip, but it easily could hold out done equally a twenty-four hours trip. Our cozy hotel room featured a minor balcony, hence nosotros brought upward a drinkable from the bar in addition to enjoyed a Kentish countryside sunset. In the morning, nosotros both had a sum English linguistic communication breakfast earlier nosotros laid upward out for the day.

Local Cider & Beer

For the main effect on Saturday, nosotros walked close 1.5 miles from our hotel direct to the Kent & East Sussex Railway. Being CAMRA members, our festival admission was free. The effect featured to a greater extent than than fifty British beers in addition to 22 ciders. Some of the beers nosotros enjoyed were from: Signature Brew (London), G2 Brewing (Ashford), Kent Brewery (Birling), York Brewery (York) in addition to Kentish Pip Craft Cider (Canterbury). The queues were never that long in addition to the atmosphere was quite jovial in addition to relaxed.

Rolling On the Old Railway

Although Tenterden no longer has an intra-country railway, it does direct maintain an old-fashioned steam railway trouble that travels from Tenterden to Bodiam, a 45-minute journey. Channeling my inner Anthony Bourdain (who had sadly died recently) amongst a festival beer inwards hand, I boarded the wooden railroad vehicle amongst plush velvet-lined seats in addition to soaked upward the Kentish countryside scenery.  

Hubby in addition to I absolutely loved this educate journeying in addition to would highly recommend it equally a fun twenty-four hours out! The KESR also runs educate outings that characteristic local beers equally good equally dining options.

A Classic English linguistic communication Castle

Set inwards the pump of an historic landscape, the 14^th-century, moated Bodiam Castle is considered “one of Britain's most picturesque in addition to romantic ancient monuments.” Just a 5-minute walk from the Bodiam station, nosotros decided to accept a few photos of this National Trust property, hence nosotros wouldn’t immature adult woman out on the side past times side train.

Traditional Morris Dancing

Back at the beer festival, nosotros experienced an unexpected highlight – traditional Morris dancing! Morris dance is a cast of English linguistic communication folk dancing based on rhythmic stepping in addition to choreographed routines. The dancers ordinarily wearable bells on their shins in addition to utilization sticks in addition to handkerchiefs equally utilization of the dancing.

The earliest known in addition to surviving written advert of Morris dance, dates to 1448, in addition to records the payment of 7 shillings to Morris dancers past times the Goldsmiths’ Company inwards London.

Getting out of the urban heart in addition to individual for a twenty-four hours meant nosotros got to explore a novel utilization of the UK, endeavour closed to tasty beers, ride an onetime steam train, come across a historic castle in addition to more. I tin exclusively wonder what volition come about on our side past times side adventure.