COUNTRY
COUNTRY
It is surprising that Kent ’ s breathtaking rural beauty can be accessed in just under an hour from London ’ s centre . Few counties can boast this , along with an unrivalled sense of regional identity , quintessentially English scenery and of course , the title of The Garden of England . The linchpin of Kentish topography is of course rich farming country that sits alongside rolling hills , combined with a smattering of pretty woodlands and ancient forests , as well as flat marshes that teem with wildlife .
omewhat Kent ’ s crowning glory , it is the county ’ s
Spicturesque countryside and fertile soil that has given it the prestigious title of The Garden of England . For centuries it has been a place ripe for farming and it is this trait that has become the linchpin of Kentish topography . Rugged barns , grand county estates and magnificent castles sit astride rolling hills and lucious valleys , which themselves are peppered with pretty woodlands and ancient forests before they reach the sea to which they are linked by flat marshes that teem with wildlife . In summer , tangerine sunsets cast a backdrop to these surreal scenes and in wintertime , ethereal plumes of mist roll in from the ocean and reinforce a sense of the mystical upon Kent ’ s ancient countryside .
Very much a walker ’ s paradise , from the holy hillside path of the Pilgrims ’ Way to the highest point in the county , Greensand Ridge , there is plenty to gaze upon in awe when exploring the countryside of Kent . From Greensand , views take in vistas that stretch in all directions . From this upland region , the River Darent begins its journey northwards , flowing and swelling as it passes through nostalgic tableaus of villages complete with weatherboard houses , historic churches , welcoming pubs and village greens . A countryside worthy of a lyrical poet , it is no surprise that Kent has been the inspiration for many of Britain ’ s most treasured authors , poets and playwrights . A place of such eerie beauty and once the haunt of smugglers , the remote setting of the Romney Marsh with its flooded meadows and wind-bent trees was an inspiration for Charles Dickens , whereas the green pastures and manicured lawns of Kent ’ s most beautiful country estates proved worthy of Jane Austen ’ s most cherished novels .
Whether you ’ re delighting in the county ’ s agricultural magnificence through food , delving into the past through admiration of enthralling architecture or simply marvelling at the sheer natural beauty of the countryside - there is no better place to do so than the glorious Garden of England .
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