Kent

Introduction

Kent sits in King County within the Seattle metropolitan area, connected to Seattle, Bellevue, and Tacoma by State Route 167, Interstate 5, Sounder commuter rail, and commuter buses. That makes it a practical base for exploring the wider Puget Sound region, whether you're heading into the city for the day or moving between the area's larger urban centers.

Before you go

Kent sits at England's closest point to continental Europe, and that geography has shaped it for centuries: it was one of the Jute kingdoms in the early medieval period, takes its name from the Cantiaci, a Celtic tribe of Britain, and has long been the traditional embarkation point for travel to mainland Europe. Expect a county of extensive agriculture, orchards and hop farms — the reason it is known as the "Garden of England", a nickname echoed in its car registration letter "G".

At the eastern extreme lies the Isle of Thanet, now joined to the mainland but still home to its three main seaside towns: Ramsgate, Broadstairs and Margate. Kent is generally safe, and you are unlikely to experience any trouble during your visit. Check the Kent Tourism website for visitor information before you set out.

Getting there

Kent is well connected to London by rail, with services running along the coast, through the major towns and into the capital. London terminus stations serving Kent include Victoria, Charing Cross, Cannon Street, Waterloo East, London Bridge, Blackfriars and St Pancras International. High-speed domestic trains from St Pancras reach Ebbsfleet in around a quarter of an hour and Ashford in about half an hour, and the high-speed network extends to Gravesend, the Medway towns, Sittingbourne, Faversham, Whitstable, Herne Bay and on to Margate and Ramsgate. An off-peak service also runs via Gravesend and the Medway towns, terminating at Faversham, while a high-speed service reaches the Thanet towns via Ashford and Canterbury West, putting the cathedral city within an hour of London.

For travel to Europe, Ebbsfleet and Ashford International stations are the rail gateways, with several trains an hour running direct to Ebbsfleet, Ashford and onward to Paris, Lille or Brussels; Ebbsfleet sits on purpose-developed land with extensive onsite car parking. By road, the M20 leads from the M25 to Dover and Folkestone via Maidstone and Ashford, the A2 runs from London or the M25 to Ebbsfleet, and from Junction 5 of the M25 the A21 heads to Hastings via Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells. Among the airports, Gatwick is the closest by road to Kent's western boundaries when traffic is good, though by rail you change in London, and all the London airports involve going into the capital and heading out again. Lydd Airport, also called "London Ashford Airport", no longer has its flights to Le Touquet and remains open to private aviation, and small airfields across the county serve private light aviation.

Getting around

Kent's transport network is built mainly to move people to and from London, so plan for cross-county trips to take longer than you might expect. Frequent National Rail services run by Southeastern link the county's towns, and a rover ticket bought at a station ticket office in Kent gives you three days of off-peak travel after the morning peak. High Speed 1 adds faster services through Ebbsfleet, Ashford, Folkestone, Dover and Canterbury. For timetables and journey planning, check the National Rail website.

• By car: Two main northwest-southeast motorways cross the county: the M2/A2, serving Dartford, the Medway towns, Canterbury and Dover, and the M20/A20, serving Sevenoaks, Maidstone, Ashford, Folkestone and Dover. Other routes usually mean smaller roads at a more sedate pace.
• By bus: Arriva runs most buses in West Kent, Maidstone and Medway, while Stagecoach covers the eastern half of the county. Both accept contactless payment, and some routes run into South East London from Bluewater and Dartford.
• By bicycle: National Cycle Route 1 connects London, the Medway Towns, Canterbury and Dover. It is signed throughout but varies in quality, mixing cycle tracks, quiet roads and a few off-road sections.

Food & drink

Kent's agriculture shows up on tables across the county. Apples and plums grown here are sold all over the UK, and if you want to take the fruit seriously, head to the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale Farm near Faversham.

For drink, Shepherd Neame in Faversham is the oldest brewing company in Britain. The climate and terrain resemble northern France, which has encouraged vineyards; well-regarded examples include Simpsons near Canterbury, Chapel Down in Tenterden and Balfour near Tonbridge. Cider is also made from Kentish apples, and Biddenden near Tenterden is known locally for its cider and wine.

What to see and do

Kent rewards slow travel: Dover Castle alone holds two thousand years of history within its walls, from a Roman lighthouse to a Saxon church and a Norman keep, while the White Cliffs of Dover rise nearby over the ground where the Battle of Britain was fought. Three more castles are worth your time: Hever Castle, where Henry VIII spent his honeymoons; Leeds Castle, built in 1119 and held by six medieval queens; and Scotney Castle, a very small castle with well-managed gardens. Sissinghurst Castle Gardens were designed by Vita Sackville-West around the ruin of an Elizabethan manor house, and the windows of All Saints Church at Tudeley were decorated by Marc Chagall.

Stately homes are scattered across the county: Knole House in Sevenoaks, one of England's largest country houses, sits within a thousand-acre deer park; Chartwell near Westerham was Sir Winston Churchill's home from 1922 until his death in 1965; and Penshurst Place near Tonbridge pairs a stately home with gardens. Near Royal Tunbridge Wells, Bedgebury National Pinetum offers outdoor activities and Finchcocks hosts a music museum in a Georgian manor house. Cathedrals stand at Canterbury and Rochester, and Chiddingstone is described as the most perfect surviving example of a Tudor village in the United Kingdom. For something different, ride the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, a historical light railway with steam and diesel locomotives running from Hythe to the nature reserve at Dungeness, or the Kent & East Sussex Railway between Tenterden and Bodiam, with a museum at Tenterden station and Bodiam Castle a short walk from the station. The East Kent Railway, built to serve the Kent Coalfield, has two miniature railways, a model railway and a woodland walk. To watch cricket, Kent CCC play at St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury.

When to go

Kent counts among the warmest parts of Britain, so summer is the season to plan around if you want the best odds of pleasant weather. August is when the county's heat has peaked historically, with the UK's hottest August day recorded near Faversham. Come in a typical August expecting the possibility of very warm conditions, but treat such extremes as exceptional rather than routine — most days will be comfortably warm rather than record-breaking.

Three days in Kent

Day one: Start in Kent itself, the Washington city that shares its name with the English county, and get your bearings in King County. Use State Route and Interstate connections to reach nearby Seattle and Bellevue, or head south to Tacoma. The Sounder commuter rail links the area around Puget Sound, so you can move between stops without a car. Expect a temperate climate that is often mild and damp, so pack a light rain layer.

Day two: Turn to the original Kent in England, in the county of the same name. The Jute, Cantiaci and Celtic peoples left their mark on Britain long before you arrive. Garden lovers should head to the Isle of Thanet, where the seaside towns of Ramsgate, Broadstairs and Margate sit along the coast. Check with Kent Tourism for local events before you set out.

Day three: Travel into London from Kent by rail. Services run from Victoria, Charing Cross, Cannon Street, Waterloo East, London Bridge, Blackfriars and St Pancras International, with High Speed services from St Pancras calling at Ebbsfleet and Ashford. You can also reach Gravesend and the Medway towns on the same network. Allow time for the journey and plan your day around the trains.