BEAUTYOFKENT
Long before Henry VIII was staggered by Kent’ s irresistible charm, it was our neolithic ancestors that first established the county’ s roots at the forefront of growing some 4,000 years ago. Today, Kent remains at the helm of the fruitgrowing industry, claiming 90 % of cherries grown in England and 50 % of plums grown in the country – two staggering figures considering this is just one corner of Britain.
According to DEFRA, Kent also has the most farms and smallholdings in South- East England, with over 2,700 throughout the county covering everything from cereals to livestock and spanning over 221,000 hectares of countryside. With one of the warmest climates in the UK, plenty of sunshine, fertile soil and chalky earth perfect for drainage, it should come as no surprise that this glorious county of ours is ideal for growing hops and vines.
As much as Kent is revered for its agricultural significance, we’ re also celebrated for being one of the most creative counties in the country. With seaside hotspots such as Folkestone and Margate famous for their thriving arts scene, Kent’ s buzzing towns are home to numerous artisan markets, each packed with boutiques, independent gifts, homeware, food, drink and more. What’ s more, behind every one of these products sits a lively community of skilled makers whose imaginations appears to know no bounds.
Blessed with award-winning beaches and picturesque inland lakes and rivers, Kent is as much a place to experience adrenalinfuelled watersports as it is to boost your serotonin with a walk amongst our forests, woodland and vast open countryside. Whatever outdoorsy means to you, be it an educational excursion, a creative escape, sports- both on and off the water, actionpacked adventure trails or a simple stroll to relax amongst acres of green space, Kent has it all.
Welcome to our Beauty of Kent special feature – the perfect inspiration to pack your summer calendar with opportunities to explore even more of Kent’ s natural majesty.
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