Day Trip to Tenterden
With
so many European destinations on our doorstep, it’s easy to forget about
exploring the actual country that we live in – the United Kingdom.
But
so far this year, we’ve been trying to explore more locations just outside of London. Last month, we took a train to
visit Tenterden, a small town located
in the Kent district, about 2 hours southeast of London. The town was hosting
the 10th Annual Real Ale & Cider Festival
at The Kent & East Sussex Railway, co-hosted by Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), a group we signed up for that supports and promotes British breweries and pubs.
at The Kent & East Sussex Railway, co-hosted by Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), a group we signed up for that supports and promotes British breweries and pubs.
Had
it not been for the beer festival, we probably wouldn’t have chosen Tenterden
as a destination since it no longer has a train station. We took a train from
Waterloo to Headcorn, then transferred to a local country bus, which stopped
close enough to our hotel for the night. We originally planned to take a taxi from
the station but learned we would have to wait awhile since we didn’t pre-book
and it would cost £22. Yikes! So we figured out the local bus,
which runs every 30 minutes – give or take 10 minutes, and took a bus from
Headcorn to the London Beach Country Hotel. Cost £3 for two people.
Technically Stayed Overnight
Okay,
so we technically did this journey as an overnight trip, but it easily could be
done as a day trip. Our cozy hotel room featured a small balcony, so we brought
up a drink from the bar and enjoyed a Kentish countryside sunset. In the
morning, we both had a full English breakfast before we set out for the day.
Local Cider & Beer
For
the main event on Saturday, we walked about 1.5 miles from our hotel directly
to the Kent & East Sussex Railway. Being CAMRA members, our festival
admission was free. The event featured more than 50 British beers and 22
ciders. Some of the beers we enjoyed were from: Signature Brew (London), G2 Brewing
(Ashford), Kent Brewery (Birling), York Brewery (York) and Kentish Pip Craft Cider (Canterbury). The queues were never that long and the atmosphere was
quite jovial and relaxed.
Rolling On the Old Railway
Although
Tenterden no longer has an intra-country railway, it does have an old-fashioned
steam railway line that travels from Tenterden to Bodiam, a 45-minute journey.
Channeling my inner Anthony Bourdain (who had sadly died recently) with a
festival beer in hand, I boarded the wooden carriage with plush velvet-lined
seats and soaked up the Kentish countryside scenery.
Hubby
and I absolutely loved this train journey and would highly recommend it as a
fun day out! The KESR also runs train outings that feature local beers as well
as dining options.
A Classic English Castle
Set
in the heart of an historic landscape, the 14th-century, moated Bodiam Castle is considered “one of
Britain's most picturesque and romantic ancient monuments.” Just a 5-minute
walk from the Bodiam station, we decided to take a few photos of this National
Trust property, so we wouldn’t miss out on the next train.
Traditional Morris Dancing
Back
at the beer festival, we experienced an unexpected highlight – traditional Morris
dancing! Morris
dance is a form of English folk dancing based on rhythmic stepping and choreographed
routines. The dancers usually wear bells on their shins and use sticks and
handkerchiefs as part of the dancing.
The
earliest known and surviving written mention of Morris dance, dates to 1448,
and records the payment of seven shillings to Morris dancers by the Goldsmiths’
Company in London.
Getting
out of the city for a day meant we got to explore a new part of the UK, try
some tasty beers, ride an old steam train, see a historic castle and more. I
can only wonder what will happen on our next adventure.