As you amble your way along St. George's Street on your way to Canterbury Cathedral, it would…read morebehoove to stop and drink in glorious St. George's Tower. It has storied and surprising history, most interesting being the fact that it is the last remaining vestige of the medieval church of St George the Martyr. The church, documented as far back as 1122 (!), is best known as the place where playwright Christopher Marlowe (Doctor Faustus) was baptized. It survived more than EIGHT centuries, but couldn't survive those damned Germans and their "Baedecker Blitz" bombing raid of Canterbury on June 1, 1942. If what remains is any indication, the church must have been a site to see. If you like Gothic architecture, you've come to the right place: There's a pointed archway (ogival), crenellated parapet (defensive structure at the roof-level), and two-light windows of the Gothic "perpendicular" style. Another great feature is the Clock Tower. While most clock towers are centerpieces near the top and inside a church, St. George's clock juts out over St. George's Street. Make sure to look closely, as you'll see a gargoyle on the underside. Also go underneath the tower to see its fascinating underside! When I've been there (always in the summer), Caffè Nero has had tables out in the small plaza right by the Tower. It's a great place to stop, check out the tower, and have a snack and drink before taking on Canterbury's grand Cathedral.

Reculver Towers is the remains of a 12th century church, which is located on the remains of Roman…read moreand Saxon buildings. The Towers themselves are perched on the top of a large cliff, which has been heavily eroded in the past and is the reason why there are only partial remains of the church left standing. Due to its location on the north coast, the towers lend themselves to some lovely photographs with the sunset to their rear and the sea to one side. There is a large stony beach at the base of the cliffs, which is ideal for dog walking rather than bathing, as the Thames Estuary leaves it somewhat muddy. Also be aware that the tide can come rather far in at certain times of the year, partially cutting off some areas at the base of the cliffs!! There are reputed to be a decent number of fossils to be found along the beach, especially following storms, though me and the dog have never found anything exciting. There is ample parking in the vicinity of the towers, good paths suitable for wheelchairs and buggies along the cliff top. There is also a pub very close by and a small shop/amusements arcade associated with the nearby caravan park. All in all, a nice place for a picnic or for a stroll.

A beautiful area to have a picnic on a sunny day. About 3k walk from Herne Bay. Not easily…read moreaccessible by public transport. Very good toilet facilities though, which is important on a picnic! Worth a visit if you're in the area, as it really is a beautiful spot.

Quick historical tour and history of the Westgate and its defense technology from 1400 years agoread more

One of the iconic landmarks of Canterbury, the old West Gate stands at the west end of the High…read moreStreet, beside the River Stour. Generations of medieval pilgrims passed under the gatehouse arch on their way to the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. Road traffic now flows through the arch-it's a bit of an eye-opener to see a modern coach navigate the narrow opening. The West Gate was built by Archbishop Sudbury to replace an earlier Roman gate through the city walls. The west Gate was finished in 1380, but in the following year, Sudbury himself met a violent end at the hands of rebellious peasants during Wat Tyler's Peasant's Revolt. For many years the West Gate served as the town prison, connected by a walkway to the police station next door. Above the portcullis slot is a condemned cell', where prisoners awaiting execution were held. A bronze 18th-century medallion was found beneath the floorboards of the prison floor during recent repairs. The upper floor of the gatehouse is given over to a small West Gate Museum. Here will find armor and weapons used by defenders of Canterbury from the medieval period to World War 2 . Children can dress up in replica armor, and see the old prison cells within the gatehouse tower.

Thatcher would be proud…read more Looking around Hever, many would be left with the impression that the owners are enormous fans of Anne Boleyn. The unfortunate wife of Henry VIII is, after all, the main focus of the exhibition and makes an appearance on much of the marketing material. But look a bit closer, and the more astute visitor may notice a different, more 'true blue', streak permeating the house. Yes, Labour voters clutch your pearls, but the proprietors appear to be worshippers of none other than Margaret Thatcher. (More so than Ms Boleyn, I would wager.) In the castle, visitors are treated to a near life-size oil painting of the union basher. And for those lucky enough to stay in the guest house for the price of £300 per night, they will find a letter written by the Iron Lady to thank the castle for her stay that has been framed and hung in one of the hallways. Among the owners personal possessions, I note Ms Boleyn has not received a similar dose of affection. Of interest is also the fact that this castle, its stunning gardens and water maze, owe their amazing condition to our friends across the Atlantic. Most stately homes in Britain are now virtually on their knees, with years of decline and underinvestment in the country reflected in their faded carpets, moth-eaten curtains and peeling paintwork. Hever, however, has avoided this fate for the good reason that it was bought by... gasp... an AMERICAN. Horrifying as it may sound, Mr Astor - who owes his astounding wealth to the rise of New York City - purchased the castle and injected nothing short of a fortune into it in order to create the attraction that we see today. Demonstrating an entrepreneurial spirit so often absent in Britain, he then had the vision to order the construction of a second moat, a lake, a walled Italian garden complete with artefacts from Pompeii, a 'wall waterfall' and to direct the gardeners to shape some bushes like a chess set. I don't think he was involved in the water maze, so loved locally, but its presence reflects Hever's enduring ambitious spirit. Perhaps it was this spirit that so inspired Margaret Thatcher to write of Hever: 'I have seen several castles and large country houses but none as perfect as Hever.'

If you are visiting London, Hever Castle is a must do. Only a 90 minute drive from London hotels,…read morethe trip is well worth the wait upon arrival. From its sprawling vistas to the castle itself this place is a real treat. There is a large lake on site that offers rowing, an area that allows you to try your hand at archery and even a place to see falconry. There are jousting exhibitions and plenty of food from the cafe or restaurant on site. The REAL gem is the castle. Home for Queen Anne Boleyn from 5 years old to 12 one can only imagine the wonder this place brought her. The castle provides an audio tour in several languages so there is no issue there. (The staff are marvelously kind and helpful in the castle and in the dining areas and gift shop.) It's small but chock full of informative history about Anne Boleyn as well as those who lived in the castle after her death. If you are looking for a respite from the concrete jungle and noisy planet that is London, Hever provides you with lots of peace and quiet Tour the rose garden or just sit and enjoy the views and shade from the trees. It's an idyllic setting and a trip that will make your visit to the UK complete.

Canterbury Cathedral is a truly awe-inspiring structure. It doesn't begin well with the entrance…read moresquashed into a market square of shops but once you're inside the beauty or the building is obvious. I don't know much about architecture so I can't tell you what style it is built in but even to an amateur eye it is spectacular. You are allowed to tour the entire building and usually there are guided tours by local residents. On Sundays there are no tours but audioguides are available in a selection of European languages. Things to watch out for is the plaque commemorating the volunteer fire wardens who kept watch over the cathedral during WW II, the extraordinary memorial to Thomas Becket, murdered Archbishop of Canterbury, and the inner sanctum where you can see the seats of the Cardinals. Though my personal favourite cathedral is Lincoln, Canterbury is well worth a visit.

Definitely can't miss this if you come to visit Canterbury! The cathedral is a very impressive…read morelandmark and you can see it all over the city.

I thought the Grand Shaft, was Grand. Built between 1806 and 1809. We got the local bus to drop us…read moreoff at the top, and we walked down. What a great piece of history. Not open every day, check out the Facebook site for up to date info.

The Grand shaft was built to allow easy access for soldiers in the Napoleonic times from the…read morebarracks to the seafront. It incorporates a triple staircases in one so that if you are going down and someone is climbing up you will not meet each other or even be aware that you have passed them. This well worth a visit as there are some lovely walk to be had at the top of the shaft. Although the old barracks have all gone you can still see where they stood.

I took my husband here for a secret birthday adventure day out to the not so secret nuclear bunker…read more This place is like a quintessential English day out. It's fabulous. The bunker itself is hidden away on a huge stretch of land that also serves as an airsoft site, so we were able to take the dog and give her a good run before leaving her in the car. (The tour around takes about an hour and it wasn't even a vaguely warm day.. Before anyone worries...) You enter the bunker through the front; it was designed as a bungalow so not to arouse suspicions. It's a pretty ugly bungalow though.. ;) It's declared that you *have* to take one of the audio wands through and that you can't commit to the tour without one. I'm not entirely sure the reasoning behind that and the audio tour is.. Well, it's in depth. Perhaps a little too in depth and I found I was just standing in corners trying desperately to hear what was being said over the other people in the room. I gave up after 9/24.. You pay at the end of the tour aswell. £7.50 cash in the honesty box by the till at the canteen. The place is filled with what would have been high tech gear for the era and some fascinating communication devices as well as air filtration pump rooms, dorms, sick bay and some terrifying models of Margaret Thatcher. There is some defiantly British signage going on, honesty boxes and the canteen at the end selling rainbow rubbers and marbles, Mars bars, soup and tea and cakes. It's like it all the old trips I used to do as a kid over the holidays. Apparently guide/scout troops can even do sleep overs there. Pretty jealous of that to be honest. You are only allowed to take pictures on the inside if you buy a permit from the canteen first, before entering the bunker. They're £5. Bleurgh. Obviously the people who run this place as super passionate about it and it's very well kept and informative and totally worth while. It's only £7.50 (cash only) to enter and I will definitely be going back again!

I was in my friends car one night driving around quite randomly as we often do, and we were hoping…read moreto find something exciting, something unusual, something almost conspiratorial. Because that's what guys do - we drive around like we're in our own spy movie, or like we're police officers. We find life pretty boring and we want to find that something a bit...... special. A bit rare. So imagine our surprise when driving through middle of nowhereville when we saw.... you guessed it....... a sign for a SECRET NUCLEAR BUNKER!. This is what all guys dream of!. What could be better than finding a nuclear bunker!. We rushed over there, desperate to see it. It didn't occur to us that at 3am it might be closed. So we went back another time. This place is amazing. Right there, in the middle of a load of fields in Essex lies a disused nuclear bunker. This was built just after the war; in case of a Nuclear Attack. It was a place the government could go and continue their work, I imagine, while the rest of us got radioactive poisoning. Anyways, the place was decommissioned a few years ago and now it is open to the public. You have to go!. It's great. There are a load of levels, going deeper and deeper underground... and they used to do all sorts of stuff down here; and they have these little beds, and these hundreds of computers. It's just an endlessly fascinating place which is now privately owned. It is almost too strange to be true. Whoever you are, whatever your interests... check this place out, absolutely crazy. And the guy who now privately owns it is usually in the snack bar (which you reach at the end) and is happy to discuss the place whilst selling you a Pot Noodle and a Kit Kat.

Whitstable itself is a rather modestly attractive beach hovel (I wouldn't call it a town - if you…read morewant a more "bourgeois" atmosphere on the Kent coast, travel to Margate or Ramsgate instead). It also comes up short in the tourist attractions department - and indeed the smallish harbour area is its main claim to fame. Oyster/lobster bars, stalls & restaurants everywhere, plus the odd kebap stall. Prices for sea food vary quite a bit, so look out for less stylish but cheaper places that will give you the same quality of food. You can have fish and chips for UKP 9 or 17 - but it's still the same, locally caught cod. The harbour is one of the few active fishing ports in the area, and you can almost always get a nice glimpse of some boat entering or leaving. The promenade itself is fairly narrow, but extends for about a mile along the seafront. On its western end you can find The Old Neptune, one of the busier pubs and a nice place to sit outside and enjoy the view. On weekends the area gets rather busy indeed, with many punters from London and abroad. If you want a beachside experience in Kent on limited time, then go to Whitstable. It won't occupy you for longer than a couple of hours - at most! But with more time to spend and more opportunities for sightseeing (old town, museums, shops), I'd recommend Margate - which also offers a broad, sandy beach as opposed to the ocean of stones and mussels shells in Whitstable.