Tunbridge Wells

Steam trains once carried Victorian gentry to take the waters at this spa town that still carries an air of refined elegance. Tunbridge Wells proper retains much of its Georgian grandeur, particularly around the famous Pantiles with its colonnaded walkway where Jane Austen herself once strolled.

The surrounding High Weald countryside rolls away in all directions, a landscape of ancient woodlands and gentle hills that feels properly rural despite being within an hour of London. Carroty Wood and Alders Wood offer excellent walking, while the peaks at One Tree Hill and Wilmot Hill provide cracking views across the Kent countryside on clear days.

Tonbridge sits just to the north and makes for an interesting day out - the medieval castle ruins are worth a look, and Tonbridge School has educated everyone from politicians to poets since 1553. The town feels less touristy than its royal namesake, with a more workaday atmosphere along the high street.

Getting here is dead easy by rail - Tonbridge station sits on the main London to Hastings line with regular services from Charing Cross and Cannon Street. By car, the A21 sweeps you down from the M25 in about 45 minutes, though it can get busy during summer weekends.

Staying at one of the nearby parks makes perfect sense for exploring this corner of Kent. You're ideally placed for day trips to Canterbury, the Kent coast, or even a quick dash into London when the countryside becomes too peaceful. The area feels genuinely rural once you're out of the towns, with proper country lanes threading through hop gardens and orchards.