20 Attractions to Explore Near Scotney Castle

Bewl Water is the largest stretch of open water reservoir in the South East. The 800 acre site is set in an area of outstanding natural beauty, in the heart of the High Weald. Open all year, a visit to this stunning lake is fantastic family fun and great value. The reservoir was part of a project to increase supplies of water in the area. It supplies not only Southern Water’s customers in the Medway towns, Thanet and Hastings, but is also used by other water companies in the area.

Bedgebury National Pinetum is the most complete collection of coniferous trees anywhere in the world. It provides a beautiful setting for peaceful walks and picnics. The Bedgebury cafe also has wonderful views of the pinetum. It has miles of family cycling and mountain-biking, walking, and running trails, as well as Go Ape tree top adventure, and an adventure play trail.

One of the impressive English heritage property which makes a fascinating day out on the Kent Sussex border. The impressive ruins, built from golden local sandstone, include much of the 13th to the 15th-century church, the chapter house, and a picturesque 14th-century gatehouse. The ruins were partially modified in the late 18th century, to provide a better landscape feature during landscaping of the new Bayham Abbey mansion park, and were donated to the state in 1961.

Bedgebury is an award-winning visitor attraction with something for everyone. Open all year, Bedgebury is the perfect place for healthy outdoor activity. Its Forest has miles of family cycling and mountain-biking, walking, and running trails, as well as Go Ape treetop adventure, and an adventure play trail. It's National Pinetum is a world-class collection of dramatic conifers and a beautiful setting for a country walk in all seasons.

Pashley Manor is a house with Tudor front with 11 acres of award-winning gardens. A few hours in these immaculately maintained gardens is an ideal way to relax and reconnect with nature. There are also glimpses of beautiful sculptures which enhances this garden.

Dunorlan Park was originally a 78-acre landscape garden of a grand mansion built by the Yorkshire-born merchant Henry ReedIt was a special place where everyone can enjoy a richly varied Victorian garden, meadows, and wildlife, as well as the amenities of a modern park. There’s plenty to do besides admire the grounds, however – the park has a putting green, an events field, and a welcoming cafe, and, in the summer, boating takes place on the lake. There are also so many things to see and do here.

Take a steam train ride through the beautiful Wealden countryside from Tunbridge Wells to High Rocks, Groombridge and Eridge. The Spa Valley Railway is a standard gauge heritage railway that runs from Tunbridge Wells West railway station in Tunbridge Wells to High Rocks, Groombridge.

The Bateman's estate consists of 300 acres of beautiful High Weald Countryside. Set within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The house was built in 1634. Kipling's widow Caroline bequeathed the house to the National Trust on her death in 1939. The house is a Grade I listed building.

The Hop Farm Family Park is a 400-acre Country Park in Beltring, near East Peckham in Kent, England, is over 450 years old, and has the largest collection of oast houses in the world. The River Medway flows through the park – so you can arrive by canoe if you like, or stick around on site for fishing and kayaking. If you'd rather arrive by more conventional means, there's easy access from the A228 and Paddock Wood train station is a handy five minutes' drive away.

Sissinghurst Castle garden was created by Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson who transformed the ruins of this Elizabethan mansion and gardens in the 1930s. It is among the most famous gardens in England and is designated Grade I on Historic England's register of historic parks and gardens. The gardens contain an internationally respected plant collection, particularly the assemblage of old garden roses. The writer Anne Scott-James considered the roses at Sissinghurst to be "one of the fi

High Rocks is a 3.2-hectare geological Site of Special Scientific Interest west of Tunbridge Wells in East Sussex and Kent. It is a Geological Conservation Review site. The location was formed when a melting ice sheet at the end of the last ice age uncovered hardened silt deposited when the area was part of the Wealden Lake. There are traces of Middle Stone Age and Iron Age residents, including a 1st-century A.D. fort guarding against the Roman invasion.

Bodiam Castle is a 14th-century moated castle near Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge. It hosts one of the largest bat roosts in south-east England, and is home to five species of bats. The castle survives physically as a moated ruin within the Rother valley, but its spirit resides in its power to capture your imagination and allow you to ‘look into another world’.

This is one of the best known gardens in Kent, a worthy winner of Visit Kent's Garden of the Year award in 2016. It contains fine yew hedges, large lawns with specimen trees, walled gardens, pools and mixed borders combined with bulbs, rhododendrons and azaleas. The massed bluebells in the woodland walk make spring an especially good time to visit.

It was a simple fort of earth and timber, thrown up – like hundreds of others – by Norman invaders for self-protection soon after they arrived in 1066. The walls and magnificent gatehouse were added in the 13th century. The defences were badly damaged after the Civil War and it was further demolished in the 1730's although the lower part of the southern walls are still visible along the river. The site was purchased by the local council in 1900, who now use the mansion as offices, and who made t

The Groombridge Place estate is a truly historic moated castle that stood on the site in the 13th century with the house standing today built-in 1662 as its replacement. As well as the moated manor house, the estate boasts more than 200 acres featuring formal gardens, a canal, vineyard, farmland, and ancient woodland. It has become a tourist attraction, noted for its formal gardens and vineyards. The manor house has an associated Dower House.

Haysden Country Park is a six-time winner of the Green Flag Award, offering 64 hectares of beautiful countryside and a relaxing setting for a variety of leisure activities. With two lakes and a stretch of the River Medway running through the park, it is a popular venue for water activities and a great location for a family day out.

Biddenden Vineyards is Kent’s original commercial vineyard; a family run vineyard with the second and third generation of the Barnes family managing the estate. Here at Biddenden 11 different grape varieties are planted across 23 acres of gentle south facing slopes, on sandy loam over clay situated in a shallow sheltered valley.

Great Dixter is a historic house, a garden, a center of education, and a place of pilgrimage for horticulturists from across the world. The garden, widely known for its continuous tradition of sophisticated plantsmanship, is Grade I listed in the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.

The Forest Way is situated in the heart of the beautiful East Sussex countryside. It is approximately 10 miles long and is used for walking, cycling, horse riding and the quiet enjoyment of the countryside. This linear Country park providing walking, cycling, horse riding and the quiet enjoyment of the countryside. It runs for around 16 km from East Grinstead to Groombridge.

Sedlescombe Organic is proud to be the oldest organic and biodynamic certified vineyard in the UK, Est.1979. England's oldest organic wine estate comprising 22 acres organically certified vineyards. An independent business established in 1979 by Roy Cook producing 30,000 bottles of ‘Estate Bottled’ English wine annually.