Take Time Shepherds Huts

Take a stroll in the expansive grounds of Leeds Castle (15 minutes’ drive), where you might spot woodpeckers, as well as ducks, swans and peacocks. The castle itself is a moated structure from the 13th century, though it was refurbished in the 1920s, so it combines forbidding medieval features with Art Deco elegance. In Canterbury (35 minutes), the 11th-century cathedral was the site of the murder of archbishop Thomas Becket, which in turn inspired pilgrimages like the one narrated by Chaucer in his ‘Canterbury Tales’. Other attractions in this historic city include the Dane John Gardens, with the Simmons Memorial atop a conical hill. The Kentish coast can be reached in just over half an hour’s drive. Folkestone (35 minutes) has both sandy and pebbly beaches, plus a lively harbour arm lined with food stalls. After a swim at Dover Beach (40 minutes), you can check out Dover Castle, or hike past the ferry port up to the famed White Cliffs.