what's good to see in/near Tunbridge Wells?

[SCMocha]

The place always reminds me of those fake letters to the editor, with really middle class people complaining about things!

I'm sure it can't really be like that....?!

I have to drop something off vaguely near East Grinstead, and collect it the next day, and since I'll be driving a bit to get there, I thought maybe it would be interesting to just stay over and have a bit of a day out and not face the M25 twice in one day, and then again the next, though it would be doable if needed.

So looking at the map for towns and sights near there, and I saw Tunbridge Wells. I thought maybe in the afternoon, visit something nearby and then stay over and spend the morning looking around the town, or vice versa. I was looking at Scotney Castle as I'm an NT member, or Hever castle, which looks nice, for the things to do nearby. It will be after the restrictions ease, so not clear yet how much will be open, but hopefully everything.

Anything else recommended? And is the town worth spending a morning or afternoon in? Or any other nearby towns that might be better?

I was going to look for a Premier inn or something, somewhere cheap to stay that isn't town centre and has parking and there seem to be a couple of them dotted around, and I could always drive in and park nearer the town when I want to visit (if it's small enough to be easy parking - I'm not hugely confident at driving in new places, and the M25 may have finished me off for one day!). I'd love to find a nicer place to stay with a lovely breakfast or something, but everything seems pretty expensive on booking.com apart from the budget hotels!

any other ideas? It's just me, and I'm quite flexible. Less keen on places that are just gardens, but happy to see museums, historical buildings, nice shopping streets, good coffee, brunches, scenery, arts and crafts, whatever!

So.... this suggests to me that maybe I should choose somewhere else...!?

If you like walking and exploring, the Ashdown Forest is beautiful.

Scotney and Hever are definitely worth visits.

If you are going into Tunbridge Wells itself, the Pantiles are lovely for a stroll round, with independent shops and great places to find something to eat.

I lived in twells, currently live next to EGrinstead. Am currently sat in my garden wondering what to do with my day off! :-)

Tunbridge Wells is nice to have a mooch around. The Pantiles a lovely to have a wander on and get a coffee (lots of places to have cake) and the old high street has got some good shops to kill some time in.

Hever is great, as is Groombridge Place, which is ten minutes away from the Pantiles end of town.

If you fancy getting out and about in nature, driving from EG to Twells, you can divert to the Ashdown forest and stop off at Pooh Corner (Winnie the Pooh's homeland!) which can be nice. Knole Park in Sevenoaks is only 20 mins from twells too, nice for a wander, and some deer spotting.

Other option in this neck of the woods is Lewes, which is nice to spend a day in. Lots of antique shops, and general curios to explore.

thank you! So maybe it is a doable plan after all.

I don't mind walking as long as I know clearly where I'm going and the roads and where to park etc. - I need to plan a lot of that out carefully first.

I should be finished my errand by about 12 on the first day, and then it should be done and need collecting by about 12 the next, I hope. It's just me, so I figured a town would be easier to find cafes etc that I didn't mind going in on my own (pubs are harder), and I thought something like an outskirts premier inn/holiday inn might be cheapest and easiest to park, much as I'd like a quaint lovely hotel with fab breakfast! Rather just go into town and wander and have a nice breakfast in a cafe really.

So maybe Hever or Scotney castle or something the first afternoon, unless its hugely busy, and then find a budget place somewhere near, and drive into TW to a car park in the morning and wander for a while.

oh Pooh corner, I've heard about that! Maybe worth a little stop there too.

Lewes I have been to before, lovely and I wouldn't mind going back there. I went with someone else driving last time, and I remember it being really hair-raising with tight streets and hills and stuff, and after the M25, I want to keep the driving to a nice stress-free afternoon...

This is a lovely gastropub/hotel but it's quite expensive: www.themountedgcumbe.com/ Or there's a Hotel Du Vin www.hotelduvin.com/locations/tunbridge-wells/

The travelodge is not nice and regularly gets poor reviews.

Re things to do most have already been mentioned. The Deer Park cafe in Eridge Park is lovely for brunch and High Rocks is a nice walk.

Thanks! The first one looks lovely but expensive, and has no small rooms left in the right weeks. I'll check out the second, and avoid Travelodge!. There seem to be a choice of 3 premier inns, and I'll look up holiday inn as well.

There's a mercure just out of town as well, with lots of parking

www.mercuretunbridgewells.co.uk

oh thanks, I think I'm a member with them too from some holiday I took ages ago! And easy parking a definite plus.

Two of the premier inns are actually Tonbridge, but for Hever, that might be OK and they have easier parking/cheaper than Tunbridge Wells. The travelodge comes out cheapest by miles but it sounds like it's cheap for a reason, so am avoiding that!