Beautiful castle with nice gardens you can walk around. Lots of seating areas outside along with benches to sit on as you walk around. There are public toilets a book shop a souvenir shop and ice cream stall along with lots of parking and knowledgeable staff members in different rooms of the house to answer any questions.

Amost interesting place, so much to see...and lovely walks around estate. Walled garden in car park full of colour and some pumpkins. Hexagonal in shape and easy to walk around. Inside house reflective of being lived in and each room had costumes on display as worn by previous owners which reflects alot of achieved acquisitions not normally seen. Walk to ruin castle steep but rewarded by good views. Dont miss boat house if you are sandman fans as thus part of estate was cain and ables home! 40 min lake walk good path and easy 2 mile walk. Quarry quirky where stone for building house came from. Dont miss cat on fountain at back of house.... We thought grounds better than sissinghurst. Oh yes no toilets at bottom of hill by ruin. So make sure you go at top!! The painting in dining room of dwarves Hunting worth a muse and comment as so unusual in any old property . Volunteers most tolerant of me telling them about sandman as not many knew much about it!! Last tip house/ castle/ grounds all shut at different times so check if going for pist lunch visit.

​Scotney Castle is simply one of the most beautiful and unique National Trust properties in Kent, offering far more than a typical castle experience. It is a true triumph of landscape design, centered around two distinct periods of history. ​The absolute highlight is the romantic, 14th-century moated ruin of the Old Castle, which sits dramatically in the valley bottom. The views as you descend through the sloping gardens towards the moat, especially in autumn and spring, are breathtaking and perfectly exemplify the "Picturesque" style. It’s fascinating to learn that the ruin was deliberately created in the 1830s to serve as the ultimate centrepiece for the landscape. ​Overlooking the valley is the Victorian mansion (the "New Castle"), a warm and engaging family home filled with eclectic collections. Taking a tour gives you a real sense of the Hussey family's life, from their collection of objects to fun details like the secret door in the library. Beyond the buildings, the 780-acre estate offers wonderful woodland walks, a productive walled kitchen garden, and a fascinating Quarry Garden.

We love visiting Scotney Castle with its beautiful house and dramatic looking castle in the valley down below! First stop though of course is always the cafe for a lovely breakfast snack and drink. Upon entering the property, all staff members were excellent at telling us anything there was to know about each room with their vast knowledge. We then took a walk around the grounds enjoying the scenery and views of the castle. We would always return and recommend anyone to visit! It may be recommended to book parking, as we found out upon arrival that without prior arrangement you have to park in the additional parking section.

This a beautiful Victorian mansion house with views over an even more beautiful estate that leads down to a ruined medieval castle. There was a real bounty of flowers at this time of year and the flowers in the walled garden were spectacular. Nice cafe, shop and second hand bookstore. Well worth a visit.

Beautiful and incredibly well maintained gardens. We were lucky that we had free passes from the paper otherwise it would be very pricey. We used public transport and the bus service is hugely patchy, the access guide will say there are footpaths but there are several quite scary bits of 50mph country road. It is possible to do it via public transport but you must time everything around the bus. After 1pm the next one was at 5:15pm

A really excellent place to visit. The gardens are extensive and somehow very relaxing. We visited over the summer when there was a Summer of Play area for the kids. Perfect for play, picnics and chilling. The house was almost something out of an Agatha Christie novel. It actually had a very gentle, warm vibe. It was nice to see the drinks selection in the library! You felt it must’ve been a fun house once upon a time. Some of the rooms - particularly the bedrooms - almost felt too personal for comfort. I felt almost like I was snooping round some elderly relative’s house at times. Nonetheless, a very interesting place to visit.

I came here with my family for a sunny day outside and we thought it could have been nice spending it near a lake (or reservoir). Well, it was an amazing idea. The reservoir is huge and so the park. I guess we probably saw 2% of it. But it was already sufficient to have great fun and enjoy the playground, the million of bluebells all around, the picnic. My kids loved it, too. There's a big car park to pay with ring go. Then you get to the main facility with a wide area to buy food with tables indoors and outdoors and a beautiful view on the lake. There's even a mini golf and a climbing wall. Then you have this green slope towards the lake with a big wooden boat as entrance to the playground. The main attraction was the huge slide. I think my kids spent an hour there! I don't know what the rest of the park can offer, but I saw you can hire some boats or board to get into the lake. It totally deserves a visit!

Bewl Water is a beautiful and peaceful place to spend the day. It’s perfect for family picnics with kids as well as couples looking for a quiet outing. The lake views are stunning, the fresh air is refreshing, and there’s plenty of space to relax or take a walk. A wonderful spot to unwind, enjoy nature, and create special memories together.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A magical spot to connect with nature Bewl Water is absolutely beautiful! The lake is stunning 😍 surrounded by breathtaking natural scenery that made me fall in love instantly. Everything was clean and well maintained, which made the whole experience even more enjoyable. The car park is very spacious, including lots of disabled bays, and it only costs around £8 for the whole day (paid via Ringo) very reasonable. There are clean toilets on site and a lovely cafe with gorgeous views over the lake, perfect for a little break. One of the best surprises of the day was discovering the dog wash station! I was able to give my pup Santiago 🐾 a proper bath for just £7 😁 it costs £3.50 for 3 minutes and it's totally worth it 💷 I highly recommend this place if you’re looking for a peaceful escape with beautiful views, great facilities, and a dog friendly atmosphere. Can’t wait to go back!

Had a wonderful few hours riding the circular route around Bewl Water country park. Despite dam relief work ongoing, it doesn’t affect the experience. The trail is through woodland and open meadow, giving views across the water and occasionally taking to quiet country roads. The footpath is around 13 miles of effort. As I was cycling my trip meter registered around 16 mile due to not being able to follow the footpath. Some areas are cycle free. The route was well maintained and dry with only a couple of wet patches with streams, run off from fields etc. But after a tiring ride I was glad that the Coffee shop was open. I went on a quiet midweek day but I can see Bewl Water getting busy on bank holidays. There’s plenty of nature to see as well. Plants, birds, insects, a whole spectrum of wildlife.

Very nice experience with good quality bikes. I got lost once or twice but it just made the adventure more rememberable. The bikes were very easy to work with and the gears changed with a click of a button. Very nice scenery 10/10 would recommend

Bewl Water is a nice location for a decent walk. Whenever I've gone I've always done the full loop, which is about 13 miles. A small part of the walk leaves the reservoir edge and diverts through some country lanes. These can be quite steep if you're not used to hills, but overall the rest of the walk is nice and flat. Some parts could do with additional signposts, but generally it's easy to stay on track. There is a centre with cafe and play park, mini golf etc. And there is also an inflatable water park too. There is plenty of parking, although it's a little expensive for the day, (£8.50 at time of writing). This is a lovely walk and one I always enjoy.

Great place to visit, nice cafe, good toilet facilities, and a dog washing station! Play area for the kids and of course lots of trails for walking or biking. One warning is even if parking with a disabled badge you need to get a parking ticket! I didn't and just paid £60

Visited here with family for my birthday and what a fantastic experience this was. On arrival we were greeted and offered drinks which were served promptly. We started our time with a tour, being shown the produce grown on site which was both interesting and informative. I definitely recommend doing this if you’re interested in what this restaurant is trying to achieve in becoming sustainable and self sufficient. Following on we were shown to our table for lunch in which we opted for the full acre menu. 3 of us had the meat option whilst my partner had the vegetarian. Having had the tour first allowed to fully appreciate all of the ingredients used in the dishes. The food was simply amazing. Each bite was delicious and the menu in my opinion was curated very nicely. 2 of us had the wine pairing whilst the other 2 had the soft drinks pairing, both of which complemented the courses very nicely. The staff were very friendly and engaging and displayed very good knowledge in all areas. Their passion really showed. There’s so much more I could say but to put it simply you just have to visit this place for yourself. I cannot wait to return to sample new additions to the menu. Thank you for a fantastic birthday meal

The Small Holding is a truly special dining experience. The food is beautiful and carefully crafted, with delicate dishes that showcase real attention to detail and seasonality. The staff are warm and welcoming—special mention goes to Max, whose attentive service really elevated the evening. The atmosphere is wonderful, making it a perfect setting for a memorable meal. The wine pairing, however, felt a little average compared to the standard of the food, and the pricing is on the higher side. That said, the overall experience makes it worth considering for a treat or special occasion.

We were at the 5:30 sitting on Saturday night and had a wonderful experience from beginning to end. Went for the full acre, with the wine pairing, and the soft drink pairing for the driver. Been to restaurants and had wine pairings before but never seen a soft drink pairing option, this was a really nice touch and as much of an experience as the wine pairing. The food was just superb, so well presented, tasty and unique, I've never had beef from a spoon before! The care that has gone into every single dish was evident, as was the passion from the staff, we were very well looked after by Tiffany. The sea bream was exquisite, as was the beef, and the squash. We also appreciated all the nice little touches like our name label on the vase, the cosy sheepskin seat, the flower infused ice cubes, the venison knives in the leather pouch and the complimentary treats at the end. We will definitely be back.

Very good lunch today using home grown produce. Plating a lot more precise than on earlier visits and service was very good. Michelin will be awarding a red star pretty soon Im sure.

We came here after our wedding on our way to our minimoon and wow what a special meal it was. Coming on a Sunday for lunch, we opted for the full acre menu with soft drinks and a glass of champagne. Every dish was spectacular - they kindly accommodated no red meat as a preference, replacing with vegetables and fresh fish - the food was sensational, so fresh and not pretentious. Scallops were standout! Such wonderful staff and we can’t wait to come back again one day, this has to be one of the best restaurants in the country easily.

We had the half acre 5 courses for lunch for our 10th anniversary and everything was just amazing. We took our 4 month old and the staff were so lovely and accommodating. We had dessert and coffee on the terrace to get our little one to sleep, it was so peaceful and relaxing. Will def be returning again to treat my sister 🤩

Such a treat from beginning to end. Each course was delicious. Wonderful local wine. Friendly, knowledgable and accommodating team. We’re just about to book again!

Picked a good weather day which made all the difference, parking was quick and easy and there was lots of it, though it is expensive at £14.50 for a half day. The people in the information place were very helpful and friendly with maps to give out and good advice. The place is huge and we took the dogs to the main forest where they could go off the lead and run around, be careful though as you're sharing space with mountain bikers. Then we went around the Pinetum, dogs on the lead this time, and it was lovely. Leaves on some the Acers were turning a gorgeous red, the reflections in the lake were great and in general it's a lovely place for a walk, take some photos and get some exercise.

Stunning forest walk with rich history and educational signs to read about the habitats. The diverse collection of trees is fun to explore and interesting to learn what grows across the world. Great for walking, cycling and kids. Dogs are permitted. Some routes are restricted to walking only, but there are dedicated cycle routes. The routes are exceptionally well maintained. The visitor centre overlooks a small lake, perfectly situated for a coffee break.

We went during the week around 2.30pm. We enjoyed went straight in to the cafe and had coffee, a sausage roll and a slice of cake( the cake was delicious) then we enjoyed a walk around the trails and the different play areas with my son. We left around 6pm. We love bedgebury park so much. It's not our first visit and its my happy place ☺️ just such a beautiful place with all the different plants and trees and some are from different countries. We love reading all the little information boards. Definitely worth going and we are excited to visit at Christmas as we have not been at Christmas and we have been told its amazing 😀 we were there 3hours plus and paid just under £15 for the car park .

An interesting forest to visit, lots of Pine varieties unsurprisingly!! There was a nice lake, seating area, facilities were good, and variety of walks. We did Go Ape, there's some good children's play areas too. Great place to visit, car parking feels steep, but supports the Forestry commission, so not a bad thing. We enjoyed the art instillation too, interesting to see.

I really hope I'll be able to return at some point. A huge park with large variety of plants and great views. Big car park. Cyclists are welcome. Mind you can explore until late evening but facilties close earlier.

Been a long time since I was last at bedgebury pinetum and not quite how I recall it. Think alot has changed in 20 years. On arrival I liked the fact that you pay for the the ticket on with your parking ticket, so the more of you that go in one car the cheaper the entry effective is. So for us a full day worked out at just over £7 each, also you pay on exit so you don't have to estimate how long you are going to be. The various walks around are well signposted and for the most part hard surfaced. Plenty of benches around to stop and take in the views. A couple of the loop paths are on grass tracks but still easily walkable. On a hot day the shade of those trees was most welcome. They had a centenary map showing the trees that were planted 100 years ago, so that was a little extra something. The lakes were nice to sit by and wat the dragonflies skip between waterlilies. We managed to walk all of the main patches in a day which h was probably about 6miles , but they cross cross around the park so you can do as little or as much walking as you like . Just nice to see such a wide selection of pine trees as well a. Others . Thee is a big sequoia tree there which is awesome and we had to give it a treehug ! The cafe was nice with a good selection of food and reasonably priced. A good day out for all this family, maybe bring a picnic and sit by the lakes.

Beautiful place. Lots of walking trails and areas to explore. Additional cycling trails, too. Lots of things for children to do too, like the climbing and play areas, as well as Gruffalo characters dotted about to find. We brought our own lunch rather than using the cafe.

Very clean and tidy, lots of parking. Closes at 6PM, but we weren't rounded up and thrown out, nor were we the last ti leave at 6:30 There is a cafe and toilets inside the woods too

Fantastic place to visit with friends, family or with the dog. Even at peak times you can walk into the forest and not see anybody. There are multiple trails for walking, running or cycling with plenty of activities for children. Parking is expensive, but becoming a member can make visiting more cost effective.

Fantastic cycling routes, great Go ape courses and beautiful trails for walks on family days out.

Gorgeous Park with great walks and cycle trails and plenty for kids to do in the play trail.

Such a beautiful place,lovely walks through the woodland take a long or short walk or cycle ride or go for a run plenty of benches to have a sit and catch your breath

A really beautiful area that has a plethora of adventure play areas for kids of all ages. Lovely and well maintained bike paths and playgrounds. Lots of picnic tables near the play areas and a Go Ape outdoor adventure course for the brave at heart! I would wholeheartedly recommend. It also has a great cafe overlooking some lovely scenery.

Great walks very nice relaxing atmosphere. A must see

We had a blast! It was a bit more physically demanding than I've expected but I managed. Instructors were very supportive and present at all time which makes all the activities fell safe and well organised. I would recommend for all outdoorsy forests lovers!

Great tree top climbing experience in beautiful woods. There are different courses and difficulty levels available, and although it's not cheap it's very entertaining, sometimes demanding, but always exciting. Our favourites were the zip lines at the end of each section.

A super place to visit, great activities to do for the family. Friendly and helpful staff. The location Bedgebury Pinetum is also a good destination, great walk and parks nearby. The site isn't as extensive as others, but still enjoyable courses to do.

Excellent. Really enjoyed this venue. Plenty of nice long zip lines and there's also my favourite, a Tarzan swing. Lots of different awesome challenges to get you across the treetops. Absolutely loved it. If you're into having fun and challenging yourself, I highly recommend trying it out, you won't be disappointed. Would definitely go again.

Very helpful staff and kids were enjoyed a lot. There is medium and junior go ape for kids who are new to this. But kids over 1.4 meter can enjoy bigger go ape along with adult. Very nice, beautiful park with cycle ride options. Also sandy play area for kids. Lots of picnic benches and cafe to enjoy the park.

Second visit to the Go Ape here this year and a really great experience both times! The staff are always excellent - special shout out to Sam. Also we saw how much the team had to help scared participants yesterday which they did really effectively. Thanks and we will be back I’m sure!

A great couple of hours up in the trees with the family.

Autumn Paradise Somewhere between Goudhurst and the A21, is possibly the most beautiful forestry site that I've ever seen in the Southeast. Managed, splendidly, by Forestry England, this site covers more than 10 square kilometres. There are hard paths throughout, making it easy to access with wheelchairs, but of course, there's nothing to stop the more able-bodied and adventurous from straying off for a wander through the trees. Do keep in mind though,that if you lose your bearings, you could be in for quite a hike as you search for your car! We spent a couple of hours here. Unfortunately. rain put a stop to our day, long before we were ready to leave. It was clear during our short visit, that we will be returning here every season, and hopefully will get a dry day next time, as this place is just so vast, that for us, a couple of hours just wasn't enough. Bedgebury is a historical place, first mentioned in an Anglo-Saxon charter, towards the end of the first century.The forest has always been there, and is classed as Ancient Woodland. You can find out more about this magical place at Forestry England: unfortunately, Google won't allow me to post a link to their site, but it's easy enough to find. This is a beautiful way to spend a day. There are many benches, where you can just sit and take in the sites and birdsong. or why bot bring a picnic with you? There's also a cafe, serving a range of food and beverages.

Amazing place. So much to do, beautiful walks, great play area, Zog trail is brilliant. This place makes me feel so calm and relaxed. Lovely cafe with lots of vegan options. Can't wait to get our membership and visit more often.

Went last year to see their Christmas lights it was spectacular a beautiful display

Great venue. Good parking and cafe/shop area. Loads of playgrounds for all ages, and supervised hair-raising activities if it takes your fancy! Dog friendly and spotlessly clean ie no litter and inc the toilets! £10 parking for the day great value for what you’re contributing to ie the Forestry Commission maintenance of these great outdoor spaces!

Another great afternoon at Bedgebury Forest. The red single track is as challenging as ever!! I can't help but wish the forestry commission would build some wooden features and maybe some low level skinnies for the bikes to use, considering the other wooden built features for kids to climb over. Surely the height of the wooden climbing frame is just as dangerous as a wooden feature out on the trail!!

A great Place to visit & the walking is great to & lot for the Children to do as well

We loved the Christmas Light Trail Amazing.

We had a wonderful circular day hike in Eridge in the beginning of Spring and our group really enjoyed it.

Nice and lovely to visit especially this time of year when the flowers are about to bloom and people are on Easter break just walking about it's the simple things in life that keep everyone happy. There is a big playground swings etc a castle toilets and a cafe very good prices and a big nature walk to keep you going. Car park free by gate toilets facilities free by cafe lots of disabled access available around the park and bins for your litter lots of benches for picnics a real gem 💎 of a place 😀

Wakehurst Place is such a beautiful place to visit, any time of year. The house is now open and the walled garden has been extended. Quite a few other changes but on the other hand, all the favourites are there. Including the wild bird feeding spot by the Himalayan Glade.

Beautiful, just beautiful ❤️ You can't say much else about it other than that!

Absolutely amazing place to hike, camp in, and complete your Duke of Edinburgh Award. This place makes climbing steep hills so worth it, and although it’s really difficult to walk for a long time in a hilly area, the views at the top are wonderful. Recommended for those who live in the city and countryside.

TJ'S American Diner fantastic food,great friendly staff and lovely atmosphere

The Weald is one of the loveliest corners of south east England - a real gem well worth exploring. Highly recommended.

Fantastic experience at Birchwood. The food was sublime; three different Sunday roasts and everything was amazing. The quality of meat is undeniable, the gravy was rich and decadent, and the accompanying vegetables were cooked near perfection. Only the cabbage could have been a bit more tender! Even the Yorkshire pudding was light and crispy!

Great little gem of a restaurant! Fantastic for alfresco dining with a pretty view over a meadow. Food is delicious and service is welcoming and attentive. We’ll definitely be back soon!

Loved this restaurant, we visited for Sunday roast and it was delicious, staff is very friendly and food is super yummy. Lemonades are great. For me, best roast I ve had in a while. We are fans of the Small holding too so thought this was great !!

Very disappointed with this mornings breakfast at Birchwood. We were not greeted very well, we said “Good morning” and were responded to with a grumpy “Do you have a booking?”. We said no and there was a glower followed swiftly with a sigh. The restaurant continued to be half empty for the entire time we were there. We both have gluten intolerance, but we are open about it and we do expect this to limit our options somewhat. However, we had to mention this on ordering and were not asked. To be safe we opted for the English breakfast, our server had to go and check what we could and could not have from it, and we agreed some substitutions. Drinks came and they were the highlight of our meal, the wellness shot was nicely balanced and the coffee reasonable. We waited 40 minutes for the food. Given that the restaurant was half empty this was not a good indication. For ease we had agreed that for anything we couldn’t eat (black pudding, sausages etc) we would substitute with bacon, usually can’t go wrong with bacon… We each had two rashers of cold tasteless back bacon, the fat had not been rendered on either of our plates. Three pieces of very poor streaky bacon with matching fat issues and a similar lack of flavour. Two dry, luke warm overcooked mushrooms. A cold, solitary, teaspoon sized hash brown that might have been the most disappointing element on the plate (closely contested by the bacon). Giving a balanced review - the single fried egg was cooked… And an awful piece of gluten free toast which I only ate because I was still very hungry after the £15 plate of disappointment we had just suffered through. We were not asked how the meal was, we witnessed an argument between two staff whilst paying and all for the low price of £47.96. This was a good example of style over substance, the place looks super but apparently they cannot get the basics right.

Outstanding place..the breakfast is in a word divine.the Space is Bright and airy..staff are top tier and im planning to my next visit soon 😍

Delicious food, wine and atmosphere. Lovely waitress (young, blonde) whose name I didn’t catch even arranged for a little birthday cake for my husband

Food was absolutely amazing, unfortunately the staff serving the food let the kitchen team down. They didn’t know anything about the menu when asked about what was on it, or how to deliver and speak to customers on a hospitality level. We paid nearly £200 for lunch for our anniversary which the staff would have known about and wasn’t even told “happy anniversary guys”. But if you are going just for the food then it was outstanding