#Ramsgate JenkinsJourneys

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Road Trip around Kent

Hi, I am Marie and my husband is Drew. We hope you like our blog based on our recent visit to Kent. Welcome to Jenkins Journeys, cycling, and adventuring through life. 

I had received a number of recommendations to visit Kent and as I had never been before, we decided to do it as a road trip to get the most out of the visit. We decided to hire a Motor Home and was delighted to pick up a spotless 6 berth Ford Chausson MotorHome from Motor Home Hire UK. It was a comfortable and easy drive especially as this was my first time hiring a motorhome. The vehicle came with all the extra’s you need, such as electric hook up, gas cylinder and kitchenware.

Day 1

We decided to head towards Epping Forest for our first night, as we are keen cyclists we thought it would be great to explore the area and find a campsite that was close to the Forest. Once in the area, we came across Debden House Campsite. It is a conference centre and had 6 large fields for the use of campers and large groups. It cost us £32 for the night which is more than what we would usually pay for a pitch, but as it was on the edge of the Forest we decided to stay for the one night. After a cozy sleep in the double bed above the driver's cabin, we set off for Whitstable, which we decided would be our next overnight stop. 

Day 2

We traveled across the Dartford Crossing along to Rochester,( it is important to note that you must log on to the website and pay your crossing charge before midnight on the day you travel), this was for a quick comfort break and I am glad we did as this was our first sightseeing stop, as there was lots of history in the area and an impressive Castle sitting proudly in the centre of the town. I especially liked the wonky buildings.

We arrived in Whitstable mid-afternoon and after a drive along the seafront out of town we came across Sea View Holiday Park. It has lots of static caravans, but we were pleasantly surprised to find that they had a touring site and offered pods right next to the entertainment area and washing facilities. 

As we wanted to explore the immediate area we decided to stop for the next 3 nights. The touring site was literally a stone’s throw (or pebble throw) on to the pebbly beach, with a long promenade. Once we had set up the motorhome, filling up the water tank and getting our set up right we headed out on our bikes back up the prom to Whitstable. It was a fantastic ride along a wide concrete prom passing lots of beach huts and bars and restaurants. As the area is famous for its Oyster Farm it was no surprise to learn that many of the restaurants offer wonderful seafood menu’s. As it was Sunday late afternoon most of the shops on the high street were shut, but it had lots of small independent shops and had a quaint feel to it.

Day 3

We were up early because we wanted to get out on our bikes and cycle along to Margate. As it turned out we traveled a lot further and made it to Ramsgate, this was partly due to the fantastic prom that made cycling along the coastline so much easier. The trail along the prom is called the Oyster trail and it leads on to the Viking trail, it is well signposted but given that your following on one path it is easy to navigate anyway.

After leaving our campsite the first area we came in to was Herne Bay, we stuck to the trail but it seemed like a beautiful area. Just after the bay, the trail heads away from the beach, however, we decided to push our bikes along the pebbly beach to do some beachcombing. Once around the Bay, we rejoined the trail and came to Reculver Castle Towers, an interesting stop for a quick refreshment break. 

We continued on to Margate and popped into the town for a quick look around and then continued on the trail along the way we passed some stunning coastline, namely Botany Bay, Viking Bay, and Broadstairs. Due to the time of year, there was a number of tourists but we were able to cycle along at an easy pace without having to dismount.

We reached Ramsgate and this was a pleasant surprise, it had a lovely old fashion seaside feel to the town and we visited a wonderful Fish and Chip Shop that was a well-deserved treat after the 25 plus miles ride. After sitting on the beach to enjoy our fish supper and ushering the seagulls, we took the cycle back. Lucky for us the wind was behind us and we arrived back at the campsite early evening, after a full day cycling and sightseeing.

Day 4

The next day we headed inland and took the Crab and Winkle trail on our bikes to Canterbury. The ride from our site was approx 8-9 miles along a disused railway line through gorgeous countryside and woodland. We visited Canterbury Cathedral which we believe is a must to visit when you're in town. It is steeped in history and was undergoing major renovation work, and has masses to see and learn. The town itself had lots of mini shop fronts and they also have punt trips along the Great Stour from West Gate. Here the wonky shops continued.

After speaking with a lady on the gates of the Cathedral that lives in Whitstable we decided to stop off for a seafood lunch in Whitstable, at Wheelers Restaurant. It was a quaint restaurant, with a large selection on the menu. We chose a fishcake starter and a seafood Mezze. We were instructed that the restaurant only takes cash payments and if you want a glass of wine with your meal there is an Offy across the road with a large selection of local beers and ales. So plenty to try while enjoying your meal.

On our way back to the campsite we picked up some fresh Oysters from the Whitstable Oyster Company, we paid £10 for 6 super fresh Oysters. We took them away and had them for our evening meal. It was great to hear about the history of the Oysters in the area and it was interesting to learn that this farm has over 10 million Oysters just off the shoreline.

Day 5

After packing up and moving on, we had decided to head towards Hastings and we came across a sign for Bodiam Castle as a member of the National Trust and after seeing it in our book we decided to do a slight detour and visit the Medieval castle ruins, its a wonderful sight to see, surrounded by a motto. It is one of the most impressive picturesque castles to go and see.

Due to our impromptu visit, we decided to find a campsite in the Royal Tunbridge Wells area, this was partly due to the fact that there is a number of National Trust sites to visit in the area that we wanted to visit. We had a quick google and found what we thought was a campsite called Sunninglye Farm. On arrival down a small lane, we were met by a lovely lady called Jill, she explained that they are a working farm but also have 7 stunning camping lodges or safari tents as we would call them. Although they are not set up as a campsite, she was kind enough to offer us the opportunity to park up our motorhome on their bottom sheep field close by to the communal shower block. We excepted graciously because it seemed like such a lovely location and we were not disappointed. We had two fabulous nights here and will definitely return in the future to stay in their lodges, it's a wonderful site and has lots to offer for families or groups. On this afternoon we cycled just a few miles into Royal Tunbridge Wells, the town had a number of architecturally interesting buildings but you could also see that the town is having a huge amount of upgrading and investment.

We had the privilege of cooking some of Jill’s home-reared pork in their pizza oven and it was great to make new friends of the farm animals. The chickens are free-range and would often wander around by where you sit. Take a look at their fantastic lodges. I particularly liked that the lighting was by gas lamps and you use a log burner as a stove. They had 3 bedrooms, 2 double and one was bunk beds. I think 2 of the lodges had ensuite showers but all lodges had their own toilet. Each lodge had stunning views of the countryside.

Day 6

This was a final day so we headed out on our bikes to visit Scotney Castle which was approx 8 miles from our site, this stretch was a little hilly for novice cyclists but the effort is well worth it when you reach this National Trust site with a detour to the small village of Lamberhurst. This is by far my favorite NT site, there is so much to see here. The house which was lived in by Betty Hussey, right up to recent times 2006. Its a beautiful time capsule of how she used to live, but then you have the stunning old castle and folly which you can view from the library window and explore. It’s important to add that the cafe and walled garden are worth a visit too. We did want to visit Chatwell House the home of Winston Churchill while we were in the area but we just ran out of time. So great reason to return to the area. 

Day 7

Today we were heading home but on route, we decided to visit Waddesdon Manor in Aylesbury, which is a French-style Chateau, previously owned by the Rothchild Family. The restaurant was superior for this type of national trust site, but we chose a traditional English Cream Tea, which was a welcome snack before we explored the impressive interior rooms of this impressive building. Again this was a wonderful property with lots of magnificent artworks and sculptures. You could spend a full day at this site but we were heading home, so we could clean the van in readiness to return it in the morning.

This is our first time in the Kent area and we were blown away by the number of things to see and do and we know we only scratched the surface. The motorhome experience was one we would also do again without hesitation. We have had a fantastic holiday and we crammed lots in and we would say if you're considering a holiday to somewhere new this is an area of the UK that is definitely worth your consideration. The people we have met have been friendly and extremely helpful and the changing landscapes from Coastlines to woodlands have been a joy.  Right I'm off to plan our next journey, wild camping the southwest coast path in Cornwall in a few weeks.

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