KENTSTAYCATION
TRIUMPHANT TUNBRIDGE WELLS CONT .
Another great home on the outskirts of Tunbridge Wells that is waiting ready to enthrall everyone from history buffs to curious children is Chiddingstone Castle ( www . chiddingstonecastle . org . uk ). A real ‘ one of a kind ’ castle , Chiddingstone has Tudor origins but was remodelled in the 19th century to look like a medieval castle . Bought in 1955 by Denys Bower , it became home to his splendid collections of antiques , which remain there for visitors to admire today . During the month of March , the castle grounds come into their own as the daffodils spill out across the lawns and the Japanese cherry blossoms dominate the landscape views . Hanami , which means ‘ flower viewing ’ in Japanese , is the traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of cherry blossoms . It is synonymous with public picnics , friends and families huddling down under the trees with food and drink . From mid to late March , Chiddingstone Castle will be inviting guests to a special ‘ blossom viewing ’, at which they can bring their own Hanami hamper picnic to welcome in the spring .
A large part of Tunbridge Wells heritage and a lovely way to honour this while seeing the beautiful countryside that surrounds the town is via The Spa Valley Railway ( www . spavalleyrailway . co . uk ). With the slogan : a destination at every station , a day spent touring with Spa Valley is certain to be full of excitement and plenty of enthralling sights . As you chug through the spectacular scenery of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and on to exciting stations , Spa Valley also offers the opportunity to enjoy special extras and events such as cream teas , ploughmans ’ lunches , fish and chip supers and even Sunday roasts on selected days . Hop off at stations such as Groombridge to be greeted by pretty villages , traditional signal boxes and historic attractions . Groombridge is the principal intermediate station and is the best stop to walk to Groombridge Place Gardens ( www . groombridgeplace . com ). It is also possible to walk to Harrisons Rocks , one of the most popular sandstone crags in the UK complete with climbing challenges and if cycling , to get to the Forest Way ( national cycle route 21 ).
When it comes to the foodie scene in Tunbridge Wells , you will not be disappointed . Awash with eateries of all shapes , sizes and styles , enjoy plenty of bakeries , coffee shops and cafés to watch the world pass by during the day and venture out in the evening to enjoy fine dining experiences , gastropub galore and a myriad of stylish restaurants and bars . Sophisticated smoked salmon brunches can be enjoyed alongside flutes of Champagne at beautifully designed destinations such as The Ivy ( theivytunbridgewells . com ), whereas more informal lunches with flowing cocktails and craft beer on tap can be found at trendy pubs in the town , such as The White Bear ( www . the-white-bear . co . uk ).
Elegant fine dining experiences are easy to come by in Tunbridge Wells too , one example being Thackerays ( www . thackerays-restaurant . co . uk ), an exquisite restaurant free from pretension , while being
steeped in charm and history . A former residence of author William Makepeace Thackeray , the building itself is more than 300 years old and is an architectural work of art . Odd angles , sloped ceilings and off-kilter stairways make the experience here captivating from the moment you set foot over the threshold . Sitting just off London Road , among a cluster of traditional-style English villas and overlooking the open grassy common - Thackerays is the epitome of everything Georgian Tunbridge Wells is so cherished and famous for . When it comes to food , Thackerays ethos states that they are not an exclusive restaurant and have no desire to be one . For that reason they offer a wide variety of menus , from a daily set lunch menu to their indulgent chef ’ s tasting menu . The head chef , Patrick Hill uses his immense knowledge , passion and creativity to craft ever-changing , seasonal menus to inspire and delight all tastes . Examples of Hill ’ s ingenious dishes can be found on their special Mother ’ s Day menu , which will be available on 19 March . After starting with a beautifully concocted sparkling cocktail such as the pomegranate royal , enjoy a starter of lamb shoulder croquette with wild garlic pesto and chicken of the woods before tucking into a main such as panfried stone bass with spiced red lentils , charred leek , sea radish , coconut and miso sauce . Finish your Mother ’ s Day meal with a heavenly dessert such as white and dark chocolate cremaux with honeycomb , rhubarb and ginger .
THE IVY
© Darryl Curcher Photography
THE SPA VALLEY RAILWAY
© Joe Josland
THE WHITE BEAR THACKERAYS
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