DELIGHT THEM ON THE BEACHES
We look at the charming coastlines of Kent and Sussex.
BENJAMIN, George and Gertrude are chatting away, oblivious to us eavesdropping on their conversation.
They come here every day to chill out in the East Sussex sunshine, waddling off every now and then to explore the area.
It’s a charmed life around here if you’re a duck. Or a human, come to that.
With a beach within walking distance, familyfriendly pubs and attractions every which way you turn, it’s safe to say holidaying in the UK’s south-east is a delight.
We’re here for a week of days out with the clan.
We stay in Winchelsea, a quiet seaside town near Rye, in a freshly-- decorated bungalow called Forget Me Not, available to rent via Kent & Sussex Holiday Cottages.
There’s a modern openplan living area, two bedrooms, a toasty sun room, and a little lawned garden with outdoor seating.
The decor is clean and zingy, and the home-made lemon drizzle cake is a nice touch, left by the owners who live next door. Nearby Rye has cute, cobbled streets and pretty buildings, such as the 12th Century pub The Mermaid Inn, where you can feast on scrummy food with a European flavour and sup pints beneath wooden beams threaded with hops.
If you’re happy getting in the car and driving for up to an hour, there’s masses of family fun to be had.
Over at Leeds Castle, you can spend a day amid the hulking trees, lush green lawns and sprawling lakes.
Our kids zip under shrubs shaped into archways and pose for pictures amid daffodils and giant daisies lining the woodland walk, as branches decorated with blossom wave in the wind.
Even if you don’t make it inside the castle to learn about its 900-year history, there’s so much to do here.
The adventure playground is a hit for kids, as is the maze and grotto, the Black Swan Boat ride and the falconry displays.
In Herne Bay – near Canterbury – is Wildwood, where you can explore 40 acres of ancient woodland, discovering all sorts of British
wildlife and great conservation work.
Among the 200-odd animals, our girls stare wideeyed at wild boar, black storks and bison, before seeking out Arctic foxes curled up around a tree and velvety feathered ravens, as black as the night.
High in the trees, my legs tremble as I wobble along a walkway bridge. Below, two brown bears – rescued by Wildwood in 2014 – pad around, all fit and healthy compared with the pictures of their former selves, when they were cooped up in tiny concrete cells, as part of a bear breeding station in Bulgaria.
There are squeals of excitement as we stumble across the massive adventure playground and the biggest drop slide I’ve ever seen.
Great fun for older children, though – and any daring big kids, too!
Just a 20-minute drive from Forget Me Not, along winding roads, takes us to Camber Sands.
There’s traditional beach fare for those who have brought their pocket money – a bulging bouncy castle, seesaw, swings and a big shop selling everything needed for hapless beachgoers like us, who turn up with only a cool bag of snacks.
The call of seagulls blends into the swoosh of the sea and the sound of happy families, and my seven-yearold declares this is “the best beach ever” due to its mix of soft sand, patches of pebbles and grassy mounds.
Back at the bungalow, we skip what’s become our regular routine of strolling to the beach and skimming stones into the sea as the sun goes down, and take a halfhour walk into Winchelsea centre, which is quainter than quaint.
This is the sort of place that makes you seriously consider jacking in the city in exchange for a life of calm.