VISITKENT 2018 GROUP TRAVEL GUIDE KENT ON THE WHAT’S NEW THEMED IDEAS FRONTLINE FOR GROUPS? Suggestions for garden visits News from heritage attractions Updates for 2018 and a host of experiences The essential guide for Group Travel Organisers planning a visit to Kent Escape for a short break to the historic city of Canterbury Canterbury is home to a captivating mix of history, culture and architecture. Easily explored on foot, the city offers plenty of surprises. Winding lanes and cobbled streets enrich the imagination and transport visitors back to another age. The Canterbury district, in the heart of Kent, boasts a UNESCO World Heritage Site, award winning beaches and breath-taking countryside. For more information phone the Visitor Centre on 01227 862 162 For more information phone the Visitor Centre on 01227 862 162 www.canterburygroups.co.uk 002 KENT GUIDE 18.indd 1 04/10/2017 17:42 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Visit Kent, 28-30 St Peters Street, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2BQ EMAIL: [email protected] WEB: www.visitkent.co.uk/travel-trade COPYRIGHT: Landor Travel Publications Leeds Castle, Maidstone WHAT’S NEW.............5 WELCOME TO THE WILDLIFE & ANIMALS..............11 RAILWAYS...............11 GARDEN OF ENGLAND GARDENS................13 FIND LUXURY...........14 FOOD & DRINK.........16 MAP..........................20 ON THE FRONTLINE.............23 SHOPPING...............27 COASTAL DELIGHTS...............29 TOP EXPERIENCES...30 ACCOMMODATION...33 Viking Bay, Broadstairs. ©Thanet Tourism EVENTS & FESTIVALS...............34 elcome to Kent, the into Kent’s rich heritage as www.visitkent.co.uk/travel- Garden of England. attractions across the county trade, and sign up to our WThere are few continue to commemorate dedicated monthly groups’ PUBLISHED BY other places where London is the role the county has e-newsletter for lots of Landor Travel Publications in so near, and yet feels so far played in defending the information on special offers, association with Visit Kent away, making us one of the realm. Read on for a selection itineraries and news. EDITOR best destinations for a day of group options to help you See the ‘for further VAL BAYNTON val.baynton@ trip, or longer break in the UK. plan a visit in 2018. information’ box above for grouptravelorganiser.com In 2018 join in the Visit Kent is always available details on how to contact DESIGN celebrations of 400 years to answer your questions, and us, and make sure you’re KELLY BAYMAN kellybayman@ of the Historic Dockyard, offer recommendations or following Visit Kent on hotmail.co.uk Chatham, get on your bike at advice, so do get in touch with Twitter, Facebook and Betteshanger Country Park us and we’d be happy to assist. Instagram (@VisitKent). SALES and pay a visit to their brand Don’t forget to visit our We can’t wait to welcome SARAH JEFFERY sarah.jeffery@ new Visitor Centre and the dedicated groups and travel you to the Garden of England grouptravelorganiser.com Kent Mining Museum, or step trade website at in 2018. Cover image: Hever Castle & Gardens, Edenbridge © VisitBritain - Pete Seaward www.visitkent.co.uk/travel-trade 3 Welcome.indd 3 12/10/2017 21:12 Knole Past to Present Tour AddDiscover Knole'ssome fascinating colour 600-year topast and its historic residents on this tour exclusive to groups. Your yourknowledgeable weekend guide will welcome this you in the courtyards before ending at the conservation studio to KENT’S MINING autumnsee precious items at awaiting Gibside treatment. HERITAGE AT The tour lasts 45 minutes and costs £5 per person BETTESHANGER PARK (including NT members). After the tour, we invite you Built on the site of Kent’s last Goto explorecrunching the through rest of fallen Knole leaves at your and discover leisure (normala forest working coal mine close to Deal teeming with wildlife and autumn colours, with walking at Betteshanger Park, The Kent routesadmission for all applies). ages and Pleaseabilities. get in touch for further details and to book your group visit. Mining Museum aims to share and celebrate the story of energy in the nationaltrust.org.uk/gibsideCall 01732 462100 for details county – from coal mining through to nationaltrust.org.uk/knole sustainable energy. Opening within the new state-of-the-art Visitor Centre When you you visit, visit, donate, donate, volunteer volunteer or join the National or join Trust, the Nationalyour in 2018, the museum will include support helps us to look after special places <in the region> <like WHAT’S NEW? Trust, your support helps us to look after special places exciting, interactive displays telling propertylike Knole X, property for ever, Y and for Proeprty everyone. Z> in for ever, for everyone. visitors how coal was discovered, how © National National Trust Trust 2016. The 2017. National The Trust National is an independent Trust is an registeredindependent charity, numberregistered 205846. charity, Photography number © National 205846. Trust it was mined and about the day-to- Images.Photography © National Trust Images\John Miller. #nationaltrust#nationaltrust day lives of the miners who worked at the collieries and insights into the communities that surrounded Further Information No. 2 them. The unique collection includes photographic records, personal stories and memories, formal records and documents plus remarkable artefacts. The museum will provide a focus for the four Kent collieries of Betteshanger, Snowdown, Tilmanstone and Chislet and their nearby communities of Aylesham, Elvington and Hersden. Providing opportunities for formal and informal learning, the museum will enable a Celebrating Kent’s mining heritage on the site wide range of people to participate of the county’s last coal mine. in, and learn about, the largely untold ROYAL story of Kent’s rich mining heritage. Like the collieries and surrounding villages of Kent, © Thanet Tourism HARBOUR ready to people are at the heart of Betteshanger Park’s new HISTORY museum. Your group could be one of the first to visit FESTIVAL and discover the unique heritage of the East Kent EASTGATE HOUSE discover Coalfield. Opening spring 2018. The firstRoyal Harbour REFURBISHED Festival will take place our past Come and fi nd us In Rochester, the Grade I listed 16th and 17th in Ramsgate, Britain’s century Eastgate House has reopened following only Royal Harbour, betteshanger-park.co.uk a major restoration. Once the family home of Sir from 15th to 17th June #Betteshanger Peter Buck, a senior officer at the Royal Tudor 2018. Taking place in Dockyard, the house has also been a Victorian the harbour and at Sandwich Road, Deal, Kent boarding school, a hostel, a museum and an other nearby sites in inspiration to the author Charles Dickens. During the town, the event will the works, original features and decorative schemes showcase the town’s have been restored, new heating and lighting has extraordinary coastal been installed and access upgraded with a lift at the and maritime history Kent Mining back of the building. The second floor of the house and will raise money Museum is open to visitors for the first time in 40 years. for local charities Groups can combine a visit to Eastgate House © Medway Council supporting both with a trip to Rochester Cathedral. education and heritage regeneration projects. Further Information No. 3 www.visitkent.co.uk/travel-trade 5 4 28416 J1 Betteshanger Group Travel ad 190x130mm.indd 1 2018 Kent Group Travel25/07/2017 Guide 10:39 Whats New.indd 5 11/10/2017 18:40 004 KENT GUIDE 18.indd 1 11/10/2017 19:16 KENT’S MINING HERITAGE AT BETTESHANGER PARK Built on the site of Kent’s last working coal mine close to Deal at Betteshanger Park, The Kent Mining Museum aims to share and celebrate the story of energy in the county – from coal mining through to sustainable energy. Opening within the new state-of-the-art Visitor Centre in 2018, the museum will include WHAT’S NEW? exciting, interactive displays telling visitors how coal was discovered, how it was mined and about the day-to- day lives of the miners who worked at the collieries and insights into the communities that surrounded them. The unique collection includes photographic records, personal stories and memories, formal records and documents plus remarkable artefacts. The museum will provide a focus for the four Kent collieries of Betteshanger, Snowdown, Tilmanstone and Chislet and their nearby communities of Aylesham, Elvington and Hersden. Providing opportunities for formal and informal learning, the museum will enable a wide range of people to participate in, and learn about, the largely untold ROYAL story of Kent’s rich mining heritage. © Thanet Tourism HARBOUR HISTORY FESTIVAL EASTGATE HOUSE The firstRoyal Harbour REFURBISHED Festival will take place In Rochester, the Grade I listed 16th and 17th in Ramsgate, Britain’s century Eastgate House has reopened following only Royal Harbour, a major restoration. Once the family home of Sir from 15th to 17th June Peter Buck, a senior officer at the Royal Tudor 2018. Taking place in Dockyard, the house has also been a Victorian the harbour and at boarding school, a hostel, a museum and an other nearby sites in inspiration to the author Charles Dickens. During the town, the event will the works, original features and decorative schemes showcase the town’s have been restored, new heating and lighting has extraordinary coastal been installed and access upgraded with a lift at the and maritime history back of the building. The second floor of the house and will raise money is open to visitors for the first time in 40 years. for local charities Groups can combine a visit to Eastgate House © Medway Council supporting both with a trip to Rochester Cathedral. education and heritage regeneration projects. www.visitkent.co.uk/travel-trade 5 Whats New.indd 5 11/10/2017 18:40 COACH FRIENDLY DOCKYARD The Historic Dockyard, Chatham is the first Kent attraction to be awarded Coach Friendly Status by the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK.