Buckhurst Shepherd's Hut

Hunt down the historical… there’s plenty to go around, whether it’s the Royal Military Canal, medieval high street and steam train railway in Hythe (15 minutes’ drive) or the citadel, the Grade II-listed Mermaid Inn, Ypres Tower and 900-year-old St Mary’s Church in Rye (35 minutes, for particularly fab views from the latter). While it’s easy to spend a while exploring all the historic places, Canterbury’s cathedral and Canterbury Tales museum included (35 minutes), there’s a lot to root you in the present too. Wildlife’s great at this, so map out the way to Wingham Wildlife Park (35 minutes), Howletts Wild Animal Park ltd (half an hour) and South of England Rare Breeds Centre (25 minutes). In Tenterden (35 minutes), there are breweries, vineyards and arts, crafts and antique shops. There are plenty more of these types of places about, but for a drink by the sea or a beach day, options include Dymchurch beach (20 minutes), Dungeness (40 minutes) or Folkestone’s Sunny Sands (25 minutes)… and for more of that coastal wishlist, the White Cliffs of Dover (half an hour) or The Historic Dockyard in Chatham (50 minutes).