Help plan "dream" break in south east

[theveg]

I am 40 next year and DH has asked me what I want to do.

Most of our holidays are planned to cater for interests of DC naturally but I was thinking of what I'd like to do for me.

I live in NE England and usually take UK holidays in Scotland, the Lakes, North York Moors. If we go south it is usually to London or Cornwall.

So I was thinking, there are areas of the SE I don't know at all and I'd like to discover. I'd especially like to go to historical sites namely

Bletchley Park
Sissinghurst
Hever Castle

Possibly the Suffolk coast- maybe Southwold?

And Lympne safari place in Kent

Would it be possible to combine these in a holiday? How long would be needed? Are there any other places I would like?

If anyone could suggest an itinerary or base that would be amazing!!

Sissinghurst, Hever and Port Lympne are not far apart so could be done over a few days. You could do Bletchley Park on your way down and Suffolk way back.

Great thank you, that is helpful.

Where might be a good base to stay in Kent to do all 3 places?

Between Tunbridge Wells and Ashford? Or you can stay at the safari park! www.aspinallfoundation.org/port-lympne/short-breaks/?_ga=2.193496613.922046173.1656088690-72300288.1656088690 Canterbury might be worth a stopover too.

if you are doing Hever Castle, go to Chartwell too (Churchills home, now National Trust) - about 5 miles away.

Bletchley's not in the SE, but it is worth a visit. It's off the M1 near Milton Keynes, so you could actually do it on your way down.

The others are Kent whch is beautiful. Hever Castle has a hotel, you can stay on site and it includes entry. I haven't been but my parents did and were very impressed. Leeds Castle (Maidstone) is also worth seeing and Rochester.

Ooh, are you going to swing by Great Dixter too - a wonderful garden. I think you could actually stay at Sissinghurst, they have a guest cottage I think or you could even stay in Rye, I hear good things about the Mermaid Hotel. There is a lovely vineyard down that way - Chapel Down where you could have lunch?

You can stay at port lympne. We did the glamping tents but they also have a variety of other accommodation including overlooking tigers....that ones a bit pricey though!

Ok great!

Would these places be best visited in the summer? Or would another time of year work?

I am a teacher so would need to be in a school holiday. Would Feb HT be potentially miserable?

Don’t bother to do Lympe safari it’s awful - my son went last year and saw about 2 animals all day . Howletts isn’t much better - the only thing you can guarantee you will see is a gorilla I’m pretty sure the rest of the enclosures are empty. Leeds Castle ( Maidstone ) is worth a visit and Walmer castle which is my particular favourite in Kent .

Some of the houses and gardens may be closed over winter until Easter. The gardens are best viewed spring/summer (Hever has an In Bloom event this week) although autumn colour can also be lovely. Agree with Walmer, it was lovely at end July last year.

Hever Castle has some rooms so you could stay there for a night or two. We stayed in 2016 and it was lovely. We got to walk round the grounds after hours when everyone else had left.

Went to Sissinghurst at end of April. Absolutely beautiful

Leeds castle is also worth considering and is quite near( 10-15 miles?) to Sissinghurst. You can also stay there.

I was also going to suggest visiting Bletchley on the way down. If you want another zoo, maybe you could incorporate Whipsnade zoo after Bletchley, or on your return trip up north.

if you’re coming to Kent, Whistable is another popular destination, and Ashford outlet centre for a bit of retail therapy.

If you're in Kent, I'd recommend visiting one of the vineyards, they do tasting tours and some offer stays too 👍

Sissinghurst, to tempt you.

Deal is a lovely town to stay in and not too far from most of these. If you want to be inland then sunshine like Goudhurst or Tenterden.

There’s a new Pig Hotel outside Canterbury and Canterbury is definitely worth a day trip.

The Fisherman’s Huts on the beach at Whitstable are fun to stay in and the breakfast at the hotel is good value

Vineyards is a good call.
If you like cathedrals even a little bit then Canterbury is stunning.
Maybe visit Whitstable too - pretty seaside town.

Personally I wouldn't come down in February, you really need to see the gardens in bloom.

You can stay at Port Lympne, and you will have your own golf buggy to go round the park.
I would say stay in the hotel rather than the cabins for a special experience. It's quite charming, beautiful country house atmosphere, stunning views, lovely artwork around the place.
It's about half an hour from Sissinghurst. And the same from the lovely Leeds Castle. Maybe an hour or so from Hever.

I stayed here once in Dungeness, it was great, such an otherworldly place. And handy to Rye, Sissinghurst, Great Dixter etc.
www.tripadvisor.co.uk/VacationRentalReview-g3318368-d23181949-Coastguard_Lookout-Dungeness_Kent_England.html

Oh wow!

That looks amazing! I have saved it for future reference.

We stayed here before at Leeds Castle:

www.leeds-castle.com/Accommodation/Knights+Glamping?sc-calendar-month=2021-4

It was really lovely-I would highly recommend.

Enjoy your trip

You could do a week in Suffolk and a week in Kent, but late spring early summer would be better, especially for the gardens.

Suffolk
Southwold, especially a walk along the harbour
Aldeburgh
Snape Maltings
Dunwich heath for the wildlife and birds
Framingham and its amazing castle
Beautiful Lavenham
Flatford Mill
Woodbridge

Thank you! Suffolk suggestions also great - seems like it could take 2 weeks to see everything!!