Royal Tunbridge Wells lies in the heart of the beautiful High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The High Weald has many picturesque towns and villages amid rolling hills, ancient woods and open heaths, all to be enjoyed when riding on the steam train at Spa Valley Railway, presenting a unique destination at every station.
The pretty medieval town of Cranbrook, once known as the Capital of the Weald, was the centre of the region’s cloth industry. Visit the Union Mill, a bright-white, weatherboarded, sail-topped Regency smock mill. Enjoy the great selection of independent shops, cafés and restaurants, including The Small Holding.
Village highlights include Benenden, with the nearby gardens at Hole Park, one of the area’s hidden gems. Accommodation can be found across the area in beautiful village and rural settings.
The area is well known for its world-famous gardens, fairy-tale moated castles and mellow country manors. Don’t miss the romantic moat-ringed Scotney Castle or the enchanting Sissinghurst Castle Garden, former home of Vita Sackville-West and an inspiration to gardeners worldwide. Children love the delightful enchanted forest at Groombridge Place, where Conan Doyle created mysteries for Sherlock Holmes.
There is plenty to do in the beautiful countryside of the Weald, including walking, cycling and horse riding. At Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest, explore one of the world’s finest collections of conifers, head out for a walk or mountain bike ride, or fly through the treetops on the Go Ape high ropes adventure trail. For more family fun, a visit to nearby Bewl Water offers fishing, watersports and cycling.
For updated event listings and to discover more about the whole area of Tunbridge Wells, visit www.visittunbridgewells.com to plan your trip and be inspired with guides and itineraries.