Suggestions for short visit to Kent via rail pass

Posted by John on 04/03/15 01:53 AM

I will be in West Malling, Kent next month for some specific touring but then have a day to travel back to London on a BritRail Pass (hop on – hop off). Would like to loop back to London on rail going south and I'm a bit stumped on what to see and what to do for the day.

Am thinking about stopping at Rye for awhile but where else to go? Don't mind if I arrive in London a bit late in the evening.

Would appreciate suggestions about interesting towns, castles, etc. that are accessible (close) from rail stations since I will be on foot. Willing to take a short connecting bus or may be a taxi. Not up to hiking.

Thanks.

Posted by Robin Z

Troy, Oh, USA

04/03/15 02:27 AM

2775 posts

Leeds Castle is nice.

Posted by Sharon

Santa Rosa, CA, USA

04/03/15 03:46 AM

1446 posts

Since we always drive, I don't know what would be close to rail stations. As mentioned, Leeds is very nice and so is Hever. We liked Rochester - nice cathedral and castle ruin there and town is very nice. Knole House is good. Ightham Mote, medieval manor house. Royal Tunbridge Wells. These are some of the places I remember seeing that I liked. Rye is definitely worth a visit as you mention.

Posted by Nigel

Northamptonshire, England

04/03/15 03:49 PM

32709 posts

no luggage?

Posted by John OP

04/03/15 05:55 PM

44 posts

Plan to travel light, Nigel, for a couple days. Just a backpack.

Posted by Tim

Wyckoff, NJ, USA

04/03/15 07:52 PM

7270 posts

I'm no expert on this area, but I'd like to see Royal Tunbridge Wells. If you are interested in art, the quite important Dulwich Picture Gallery might be on your way back to London. It's walkable from a rail station, although I didn't have a backpack. However, it's close enough to London that you can also take a public bus back to the City.

Posted by Jennifer

Tunbridge Wells

04/05/15 08:53 PM

6113 posts

The trouble with most rail lines in Kent is that they run well into west London but are poor in a north - south direction. From West Malling, you can get into London or out to Ashford, so to get to Rye, you would have to go east to Ashford and change there before heading southwest to Rye. Rye is a great place to spend a few hours. From there, you could hop along the coast to Hastings before heading back into London.

The only problem with Hever and Leeds Castles is that they are not very handy for rail stations and you would need to take a taxi there. Neither of these places will have taxis there to return you to the rail station, so you would have to call the company that dropped you there. They will involve quite a bit of walking. Hever is not easy to reach by rail from West Malling.