Visiting Kent - Garden of England

Although the county of Essex, directly to the north, is widely known as one of the the driest part of the UK, the same cannot unfortunately be said of Kent.

Kent does, however, hold the record for the hottest temperature ever logged in the UK, an impressive 101.3F (38.5°C) recorded in August 2003 at the market town of Faversham.

Being England, it's adviseable to pack quick wet weather gear like a rain mac - even during the summer months, you never know when a shower will catch you out.

(Photo: Ivan Prole sxc.hu)

Kent is quite often referred to as "The Garden of England", due to its many hop gardens, orchards, and the beauty of the North Downs.

There are also four National Trust-owned gardens in Kent (Emmetts Garden, Sissinghurst, Scotney Castle and Smallhythe), as well as gardens at Mount Ephraim, Yalding, and Goodnestone Park, where Jane Austen was a regular guest of her sister-in-law Elizabeth.

(Photo: Dariusz Dembinski sxc.hu)

Kent has a number of excellent historic castles to visit, including Hever Castle where Anne Boleyn, where second wife of Henry VIII, spent time as a child.

Other highlights include the coastal fortress Deal Castle, the beautiful, elegant and antique-stuffed Leeds Castle (pictured), and Dover Castle, known as the "Key to England" due to it's location perched atop the White Cliffs of Dover.

(Photo: Eva Halsdorfer sxc.hu)

The location of Kent, directly between England's capital city and the continent, meant it's always been at the forefront of conflict with European neighbours. The Battle of Hastings in 1066 was one of the country's defining moments, and the Battle of Britain in the skies above Kent during World War II led to the eastern part of thr county being nicknamed "Hell Fire Corner" for the duration of the latter conflict.

As a large portion of Kent is bordered by the sea, there are plenty of opportunities for some coastal sightseeing and other activities like watersports, hiking, birdwatching and much more. You may even be lucky enough to find hot tubs in kent and swimming pools in Kent as I know of a couple of really great showrooms. (ed: excuse the plug!)

It's even easy to see France from Folkestone, and from the iconic White Cliffs of Dover, when the weather is fine and clear - the distance at the shortest point is just 21 miles (34km).

The towns of Sandwich and Hythe are well worth a visit, as is romantic Herne Bay where you can stroll along the promenade with somebody special. A traditional British seaside experience can also be found at Margate and smaller neighbour Ramsgate, although both of these towns are looking increasingly run down in recent years.

(Photo: Copta sxc.hu)

The cathedral city of Canterbury has a vibrant history which dates back to the Iron age, and many historical buildings and structures can still be visited, including the Roman city wall, the ruins of a Norman castle, and what is possibly England's oldest school, The King's School, which is located .near Canterbury Christ Church University.

Perhaps the highlight of Canterbury is Canterbury Cathedral, which forms a World Heritage Site with the ruins of St Augustine's Abbey, and St Martin's Church which was founded in the 6th century AD.

(Photo: Anika vB sxc.hu)