Folkestone resident and globe-trotting travel writer Simon Richmond turns the spotlight on his home county of Kent in this brand-new title, part of Bradt's award-winning series of Slow Travel guides to UK regions.
Walkers, cyclists, families, food and art lovers, and wildlife enthusiasts are all catered for, with coverage of a wide range of attractions, as well as all the practical information you could need to plan and enjoy time spent in this delightful corner of England.
The diversity of Kent is striking, from awe-inspiring Canterbury Cathedral, part of a Unesco-listed World Heritage Site, to natural wonders such as Dungeness, Kent's southernmost point, a vast shingle headland that teams with plant and bird life. Superb hiking trails, including the North Downs Way and the English Coastal Path, provide access to some of the most beautiful parts of the county if not the UK. Along the way discover ancient monuments like the Medway Megaliths, more recent curios such as Margate's enigmatic Shell Grotto, and many of Kent's horticultural treasures, including lesser-known gems like the Pines Gardens in St Margaret's Bay and the remarkable grounds hidden behind Rochester's Restoration House.
This in-depth guide covers all the most popular places as well as many of the lesser-known ones, dividing the county into five easy-to-follow chapters. Explore Dover Castle and spend time at its iconic White Cliffs, saunter through Vita Sackville-West's gorgeous gardens at the National Trust’s Sissinghurst estate, visit the grave of Pocahontas in Gravesend, and contemplate the delightful and thought-provoking public art of the revitalised seaside town of Folkestone. History has been made in Kent, at locations such as Richborough Roman Fort which witnessed 400 years of Roman occupation of Britain; at Hever Castle, where Anne Boleyn spent her childhood and which was later restored by William Waldorf Astor; and at Chatham's Historic Dockyard, a treasure trove of British nautical prowess.
Kent's amazing food and drink offering is increasingly celebrated. This is a place where you can eat at high quality restaurants that celebrate locally grown produce, and sip award-winning wines in gorgeously located vineyards. Hops are an integral part of the Kent landscape, with Britain's oldest brewery and the country's largest collection of fruit trees located at Faversham.
From gardens, castles and art galleries to beaches, woodlands and wildlife, discover Kent with Bradt's unique Slow guide.
About the Author
UK -born writer, photographer and artist, Simon Richmond has been researching and writing global travel guidebooks and other non-fiction titles for major publishers including Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, DK Eyewitness and Time Out for over 25 years. Having lived overseas for nearly two decades, Simon first visited Folkestone in 2014, during the third edition of its arts triennial. He was so taken by the seaside town that, three weeks later, he had bought a flat and was planning his relocation from London. By switching the city for the seaside Simon, like many other DFLs (Down From Londoners) has benefited from an improved quality of life.
In his research for Slow Travel Kent he's travelled all over the county, revisiting favourite haunts such as Canterbury, Ramsgate, Margate and Dungeness; it's also been a treat to find good reasons to journey out to remote but sublime locations like the Isle of Grain and the Isle of Harty. He's particularly enjoyed tracking down Kent's horticultural treasures, particularly lesser-known gems like Pines Gardens in St Margaret's Bay and the gardens attached to Restoration House in Rochester.
