Visit with Southeastern

Nearest station: Sevenoaks

Onward journey: 30 min walk through Sevenoaks town centre and uphill to Knole.

Show a valid train ticket for 2 for 1 entry and a 20% discount in the shop.

Knole is a 600-year-old estate set in Kent’s last medieval deer park, offering grand courtyards, tranquil gardens, and wild deer roaming its vast parkland. Once an archbishop’s palace and now home to the Sackville family, it features showrooms filled with artworks by Reynolds and Van Dyck, and rare 17th-century tapestries and furniture.

Visitors can climb the Gatehouse Tower for panoramic views, explore the life of Eddy Sackville-West, and watch conservation in action at the Royal Oak Foundation Studio (Wednesday to Saturday).

The nearest station to Knole is Sevenoaks, with direct trains every 15 minutes from London Bridge, Charing Cross, and many other stations. From there, you can reach Knole in about 30 minutes on foot, following an uphill route through Sevenoaks town centre, where you’ll find a mix of historic streets, independent shops, hidden alleyways, and weekend markets. Alternatively, a taxi from the station takes around 10 minutes. Book your travel.

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Nearest station: Dover Priory

Onward journey: 40 minute walk or catch the bus and follow signed pathways up to the cliffs.

The White Cliffs of Dover offer breathtaking views across the English Channel, with far-reaching vistas toward the French coast. The best way to experience their beauty is by walking the coastal path to South Foreland Lighthouse, where you’ll also encounter rare chalk grassland wildlife, including the chalkhill blue butterfly and pyramidal orchid and be rewarded with a visit to a Victorian lighthouse and the first to display an electric light anywhere in the world.

Steeped in national history, the cliffs played a vital defensive role during both World Wars. Hidden within the chalk is Fan Bay Deep Shelter, a network of Second World War tunnels, gun emplacements and sound mirrors that offers a fascinating glimpse into Britain’s wartime past.

The nearest station to the White Cliffs of Dover is Dover Priory, with high-speed trains every hour from London St Pancras, taking just over an hour. From there, it’s a 45-minute walk to the cliffs through Dover town centre, past the museum and seafront, with views of the medieval castle and the busy port. You can download a walking map of the route from Dover Priory station to the cliffs. Book your travel.

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Nearest station: Staplehurst

Onward journey: Taxi or bus or cycle to Sissinghurst village and then follow to footpath and quiet county lanes.

Sissinghurst Castle Garden, transformed in the 1930s by poet Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicolson, reflects the romance and intimacy of her writing through its beautifully planned garden rooms and vibrant planting. Once a prison and later home to the women’s land army, the estate has a rich and varied history, now being carefully restored to reflect Vita and Harold’s original vision.

Visitors can enjoy sweeping views from the Tower, explore the working farm, and wander the 450-acre estate. Changes across the garden highlight ongoing research and conservation efforts to honour its literary and horticultural legacy.

The nearest station to Sissinghurst Castle Garden is Staplehurst, with direct trains every 30 minutes from London terminals. From there, it’s a 12-minute taxi ride to the property. Headcorn is also nearby, with similar onward travel options. Book your travel.

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Nearest station: Borough Green & Wrotham or Sevenoaks

Onward Journey: 1 hour scenic walk on the Greensand Way, pre-ordered 'Go to Sevenoaks' bus or short taxi ride

Hidden in a peaceful Kent valley, Ightham Mote is a beautifully preserved medieval moated manor house built nearly 700 years ago from Kentish ragstone and Wealden oak. Its architecture traces the evolution of the English country house, while stories of its former residents evoke the warmth of a once-cherished family home.

Surrounded by tranquil gardens with natural springs, streams, and flower-filled borders, the estate also offers scenic walks through secret glades and countryside views, making it a perfect escape into history and nature.

The nearest station to Ightham Mote is Borough Green & Wrotham, with direct trains every hour from London Charing Cross, London Victoria, Ashford International and Maidstone East. From there, it's a 10-minute taxi ride to the property. Sevenoaks is also nearby and has frequent services from London Blackfriars, London Charing Cross, and several other stations. From there, it's a 15-minute taxi ride to the property. Book your travel.

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Nearest station: Etchingham

Onward journey: 30 minute bus journey

Bateman’s, nestled in the wooded Sussex Weald, was an instant love for Rudyard Kipling and his wife, Carrie, who called it “the only She.” This 17th-century house, with its mullioned windows and oak beams, became Kipling’s sanctuary and creative haven, inspiring works like Puck of Pook’s Hill and If. Awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907, Kipling filled the home with Indian artefacts, Persian rugs, and oak furniture, all still in place today.

Described by Kipling as “untouched and unfaked,” Bateman’s retains the warmth of a lived-in family home, as if the Kiplings have just stepped out. Visitors can explore rooms rich in literary history and soak in the atmosphere that shaped one of Britain’s most iconic writers.

The nearest station to Bateman’s is Etchingham, with direct trains every hour from London Charing Cross and Hastings. From there, a bus departs every hour and takes 7 minutes to reach Bateman’s Lane. It’s then an easy 12-minute walk to reach Bateman’s. Book your travel.

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Nearest station: Robertsbridge or Hastings

Onward journey: Pre-ordered taxi from Robertsbridge or 30 min bus from Hastings.

Set in the heart of a historic landscape, 14th-century Bodiam Castle is one of Britain’s most romantic and picturesque ancient monuments. Surrounded by a wide moat and featuring spiral staircases, battlements, and a rare original wooden portcullis, its dramatic exterior remains largely untouched.

Inside, visitors can explore arrow slits, lookout towers, and atmospheric ruins that evoke the lives of knights and castle dwellers. Bodiam invites you to relive childhood adventures and let your imagination roam through its storied walls and scenic courtyard.

The nearest station to Bodiam Castle is Robertsbridge, with direct trains every hour from London Charing Cross and Hastings. From there, it's a 10-minute taxi ride to reach Bodiam Castle. Pre-booking a taxi is recommended as there is no taxi rank. Book your travel.

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