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moat where visitors can gaze, entranced, upon the beautiful scene.
The reflections cast in the moat are captivating.
When Edward Hussey III bought Scotney Estate in 1778, rather than demolish the castle, he decided to transform the building into a picturesque romantic ruin.
Part of the old castle remained occupied by the head gardener until the early 20th century.
From the moated castle, Poppy and I are off to make a splash at nearby Bewl Water, a wonderful aquatic adventure playground for intrepid water babies.
The south-east’s biggest reservoir is just as rewarding for those who prefer to take a more laid-back approach.
We are greeted by the site of Lycra-clad cyclists who are saddling up for the 12-plus-mile circuit of the lake.
Poppy and I have valiantly yomped round it in the past. Take care! It’s a serious hike.
Canoeists are enjoying the waterscape with a gentle breeze in their faces.
Rookie paddle-boarders are determinedly trying not to wobble.
Despite all the activity, I’m happily mesmerised watching a pair of grebes, whilst Poppy relishes a cooling paddle and a frolic through the shoreside bluebell woods.
The Waterside Café is popular, and there are plenty of people enjoying a bite to eat at the wooden picnic tables and benches scattered by the water’s edge.
It’s always fascinating to pick up snippets of information.
The surface area of Bewl Water is the equivalent of 436 Wembley Stadium football pitches.
Astonishingly, the capacity of the reservoir is sufficient to provide a gallon of water to everyone on the planet.
And don’t even think of diving to the bottom of the reservoir – if six double-decker buses were stacked one of top of each other, they’d all be submerged.
Not too far away, tucked away down a long driveway, lies Bayham Old Abbey, which is in the custodianship of English Heritage.
This free-to-enter site enjoys a picturesque setting, nestled deep in the Kentish countryside.
It remains a tranquil, contemplative sanctuary amidst the ruins – it’s so quiet, as we are the only ones here.
There’s enough of the bare bones of the ruins soaring skywards to realise this was once a significant structure.
It’s fascinating to stroll through the Old Abbey in the footsteps of where monks once strode in quiet contemplation.
The cloister, which dates back to the 13th century, would have been at the heart of the monastery, providing hub-like access to the most important buildings.
At its centre was an open space, or garth,which was most likely planted with fruit trees.
Around this area would have been covered walkways, where canons could to read or study.
Fragments of fine stained glass, dating back to the 13th century, have been discovered on-site, giving an idea of the magnificence of the windows.
The abbey church was the most important building in any monastery, where the canons gathered for their daily services.
It was also where wealthy benefactors would have been buried.
Eagle-eyed visitors can even discover faint traces of medieval doodling, possibly etched by a canon distracted by boredom from his studies.
With all these beautiful locations to explore, it is very easy to fall in love with the heart of the Kentish countryside.
• Scotney Castle, Lamberhurst, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 8JN. Website: nationaltrust.org.uk.
• For information about Bewl Water, call 01892 890000 or go to the website at bewlwater.co.uk.
• To learn more about Bayham Old Abbey, go to english-heritage.org.uk.