4 Amazing Experiences in Kent
I recently worked with Visit Kent to showcase some amazing experiences right on your doorstep here in Kent. It’s often said that there’s something for everyone in Kent and it’s true! With the surrounding coast, miles of countryside, cultural hotspots, a vast history and easy transport there’s so much that makes Kent a top destination in the UK.
With a huge array of tourism experiences across the county, Kent is the perfect place to visit for people of all ages and backgrounds, great for families, friends, couples and solo travellers. I was lucky enough to try out four of these experiences; two in Thanet and two in Dover, proving that show Kent is a great place to visit all year round.
Here are four unique experiences in Kent that I really recommend you give a go:
Margate Cookery School
There are many workshops offered by Margate Cookery School including pasta workshops and flaky pastry classes. I quite fancied them all but I opted for the gyoza and wonton workshop as this was something I’d not had a go at making myself. I started out quite nervous – I tend to be a bit slapdash in the kitchen and stick to recipes I know – but Kate was a great teacher and the set-up is intimate and friendly. We were warmly welcomed and offered wine and snacks and I instantly felt at ease.
During the class, we learned how to make our own dough and we did a lot and I mean A LOT of kneading. We were taught how to make different fillings, including veggie options and then we learned how to cook them. The gyozas were quite tricky to get right (mine looked a little more like pasties!) but I was told practice makes perfect and luckily we had the dough we made earlier to take home. Kate showed us how to cook them and then came the all-important taste test, they tasted delicious, even if I do say so myself!
You can book yourself a cooking class by heading to the website
The Escapement
Until now I’d not done an escape room – I’m not one for pressure and I’m not exactly a logical thinker however I’d always thought they looked fun. I took along my husband which I wasn’t sure was a good idea, he’s probably the most logical person I know but rather lacking in patience when it comes to these things! However, without too many spoilers, we did save the world and we are still happily married.
We took part in a game called the Captcha Code, unlike other escape games this took us out onto the streets on Broadstairs. We had to solve clues based on what was around us ie different landmarks, what was in shop windows etc. We had been given a device into which we had to input codes before working out the final code. Having finally worked out the last code we were able to return to base to input it into the machine and save the world.
We really enjoyed this activity and it was a great way of also exploring Broadstairs. It would be a great activity for kids to do and if you’re a bit better at it than us you’ll also have time to grab an ice cream!
Head to the Escapement website to see their full range of Escape Rooms.
Visit Dover
England Plus Tours
We started our day meeting Tanya of England Plus Tours, a small family-run company offering private tours in South East England. Our original plan was to have a guided tour of the White Cliffs but unfortunately, it was a rather wet and windy day and Tanya instead opted for a driven scenic tour of the coast. We started in Dover, heading along to Folkestone, around St Margaret’s Bay and back to where we started.
The Dover coastline is stunning and Tanya had such in-depth knowledge of the area, giving us a great history. We’ve visited these towns many times before but there was so much we didn’t know ibncluding links with Shakespeare and Ian Flemming.
There was a break in the weather and we were able to take make a quick stop at the Battle of Britain Memorial set on the clifftops offering us stunning views across the Channel.
Tanya offers a variety of tours on the South Coast, further details can be found on the website.
Samphire Hoe
Samphire Hoe is the answer to a rather odd question; what do you do with the spoil from the creation of the Channel Tunnel? The most environmentally friendly option was to create a nature reserve at the base of Shakespeare Cliff and Samphire Hoe was born and opened to the public in 1997.
We met with Paul a ranger at Samphire Hoe, who took us on a tour of the site which is stunning. It’s a great place for a walk and is accessible for buggies and wheelchairs. The site offers a unique perspective of the White Cliffs and is home to a vast amount of wildlife. On our tour Paul pointed out lots of different birds in the area which we were able to spot through our binoculars; it’s a great spot for bird watching. Paul was clearly passionate about where he works and had a wealth of knowledge about it answering all our questions.
Paul offers guided tours which he can tailor to different age groups and interests. You can find out more information on the website or keep an eye out on their Instagram page for upcoming events.
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