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Home / Type of trip / Culture / Family days out: Hever Castle, Kent

Family days out: Hever Castle, Kent

July 6, 2015 by Gretta Schifano 23 Comments

Hever Castle, Kent. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Hever Castle, Kent. Copyright Gretta Schifano

We live just a few miles away from Hever Castle & Gardens in Kent in the South of England and I’ve been taking my kids there since they were toddlers. Hever Castle dates from the thirteenth century and is one of those places which both adults and kids love going to. We always used to buy an annual family ticket for Hever because we went there so often. The castle was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, second wife of King Henry VIII. The gardens were laid out after William Waldorf Astor, the richest man in America at the time, bought the castle and grounds in 1903.

Now that the kids are older we don’t have time to go to Hever as often as we used to but I was there with my 16 year-old daughter on a warm summer afternoon last week. As we strolled around the beautiful grounds I remembered why it used to be our default location for a family day out.

Adventure playground

Hever has a large, wooden adventure playground which is shaded by trees. Besides the usual swings and slides there’s a a zip wire and a fortress-like maze where children can spend hours climbing, chasing and hiding. There’s an area with smaller equipment for toddlers and there are also benches where you can sit and keep an eye on your kids while they play.

Hever Castle Adventure Playground. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Hever Castle Adventure Playground. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Water Maze

A few minutes’ walk from the playground is a water maze. This is a great place to cool down on a hot day as it consists of walkways over water which will shoot up and drench you if you tread on certain, concealed spots. The challenge is to make your way to the centre of the water maze and climb the rocky tower which sits there. Around the water maze there are picnic benches and grass with views of the nearby lake. Take dry clothes and towels if you’re planning on going here.

Gardens

There are 125 acres of grounds at Hever containing various beautiful gardens which were laid out in the early 1900s. My favourites are the Italian Garden and the Rose Garden. The Italian Garden was created to display William Waldorf Astor’s collection of classical Italian sculptures.  The Italian Garden has various archways and walkways which are perfect for playing hide-and-seek. The Rose Garden contains more than 4,000 rose bushes.

Italian Garden, Hever Castle. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Italian Garden, Hever Castle. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Lake

At one end of the Italian Garden is a lake where you can hire rowing boats or go out on a small steamboat. You can also walk around the lake. Overlooking the lake there’s a wide terrace  with a classical fountain where children like to throw a coin and make a wish. There are ducks around the lake and the rivers and streams in the grounds.

Yew Maze

Next to the castle itself is a yew maze with high hedges. Older children enjoy the adventure of exploring here but it’s best to accompany younger children in the maze as it can be quite difficult to find your way to the centre and out again.

Activities

There are always activities for children at Hever during the school holidays and often at the weekends during the summer. These include (depending on the time of year) story workshops, craft activities, archery and shield painting.

Hever Castle archery. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Hever Castle archery. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Picnics

Hever is a great place for a picnic. You can always find a quiet spot with a beautiful view to spread out your picnic blanket somewhere in the grounds.

Restaurant

There are two restaurants at Hever. Moat Restaurant is near to the adventure playground and the very swish (and in great demand for wedding receptions) Guthrie Pavilion is down by the lake. They offer decent dishes such as Kentish Beer Battered Cod & Chips for £9.75, Quinoa Burger for £8.50 and Kids’ Sausage and Mash for £5.00.

Ice-cream

Dotted at strategic locations around the grounds are kiosks selling many different flavours of ice-cream. One such kiosk is near to the adventure playground, another is next to the terrace by the lake and another is by the water maze. Sometimes when we had an annual pass we used to go to Hever just for a stroll and an ice-cream.

Jousting

During the summer months there are often jousting tournaments at Hever. There’s no extra charge for watching the jousting and it’s an exciting spectacle.

Hever Castle

You can go on a tour inside the castle itself, although my children have never been very interested in doing that again after the first time that I took them there. The rooms inside the castle contain fine antique furniture and there are some Tudor paintings and a couple of prayer books signed by Anne Boleyn. There’s also a four-poster bed which is believed to be the marriage bed of Kind Henry VII and Elizabeth of York.

Verdict

We love going to Hever Castle & Gardens and definitely recommend the gardens as a great place for a family day out.

Lowdown

Entry to Hever Castle and gardens costs £15.00 (£12.70 for gardens only) for adults, £8.45 (£8.00 for gardens only) for children of 5-15 years old and £39.95 (£34.80 for gardens only) for a family of two adults and two children or one adult and three children. There’s also some five star bed and breakfast accommodation at Hever Castle. We’ve not stayed there so I can’t recommend it but I’m just letting you know that it’s there.

If you’ve ever been to Hever Castle, what did you think of it? If you haven’t been there, is it the kind of place which you’d like to visit?

 

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Related

Categories: Culture, Kent
Tags: family days out, Hever Castle, Kent

About Gretta Schifano

I'm a freelance journalist and blogger specialising in family travel with teenagers, trips when parents manage to travel without their kids, and 50+ travel. I also write about vegetarian travel, parenting teenagers, adoption, SEN, ADHD and anxiety. My work's been published by the Financial Times, Guardian, Independent, National Geographic Traveller, Lonely Planet and others. I've lived and worked in Italy and Spain and am now based in rural south-east England with my husband, adoptive and birth kids and our dog. I previously worked as a social action radio producer for the BBC.

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Comments

  1. Nayna Kanabar says

    August 1, 2015 at 8:40 pm

    Hever castle looks such a lovely place to visit, there is so many activities to enjoy.
    Nayna Kanabar recently posted…Spinach and Potato ParathasMy Profile

    Reply
  2. Charly Dove says

    July 14, 2015 at 7:17 am

    Oh I love Hever Castle, such a great day out. We’ve not been for a while now, must get back there again. Sounds like you all had a great time and the photos are fabulous.

    Reply
  3. mama syder says

    July 13, 2015 at 6:18 pm

    I keep promising myself a trip to Hever Castle. It looks fab x
    mama syder recently posted…Active Family Adventure With BerghausMy Profile

    Reply
  4. VaiChin @RamblingThroughParenthood says

    July 9, 2015 at 8:39 pm

    This looks like an amazing place for a family day out. The garden looks especially fab.
    VaiChin @RamblingThroughParenthood recently posted…A Brewers Fayre Birthday PartyMy Profile

    Reply
  5. ninjacat says

    July 9, 2015 at 8:35 am

    I love Hever castle I haven’t been there in years
    ninjacat recently posted…Well Dressings in DerbyshireMy Profile

    Reply
  6. Nell@PigeonPairandMe.com says

    July 8, 2015 at 7:45 pm

    I haven’t been to Hever Castle but it’s the sort of place that we love visiting as a family. The idea of visiting over the years as the children grow up is appealing. Lots of family history tied up with the beautiful setting.
    Nell@PigeonPairandMe.com recently posted…46 reasons to visit London this SummerMy Profile

    Reply
  7. Kara says

    July 8, 2015 at 8:03 am

    I think the water maze would be the kids favourite although they do enjoy a spot of archery
    Kara recently posted…Plain Lazy for Men, Women and ChildrenMy Profile

    Reply
  8. Michelle Twin Mum says

    July 7, 2015 at 9:29 pm

    This is about an hour from me and we often wonder about visiting, it looks wnderful. So I think it must be a summer holidays visit. Thanks, Mich x
    Michelle Twin Mum recently posted…Dear So and So – I’m 1 in a Million!My Profile

    Reply
  9. Rachel says

    July 7, 2015 at 1:33 pm

    Ive never heard of Hever Castle but it looks absolutely stunning and perfect for a day out x
    Rachel recently posted…LookFantastic Beauty Box – JulyMy Profile

    Reply
  10. Joanne says

    July 7, 2015 at 8:24 am

    Wow! Hever looks like an amazing place with lots to do for all ages! I love the sound of the water maze!
    Joanne recently posted…5 ways to stay on track this summer holidayMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      July 7, 2015 at 9:24 am

      It’s really fun, my kids have spent hours there sometimes.

      Reply
  11. Bex @ The Mummy Adventure says

    July 6, 2015 at 9:33 pm

    I remember going on a school trip when I was younger, but we haven’t been back since. I will definitely be taking my boys in the future though
    Bex @ The Mummy Adventure recently posted…Sleeping Like a Baby – Even in SummerMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      July 7, 2015 at 9:24 am

      I’m sure they’d enjoy it, it’s a great place.

      Reply
  12. Jen aka Muminthemadhouse says

    July 6, 2015 at 5:56 pm

    This looks like a great place with something for kids of all ages. I have never been to Kent, well other than to drive through it on the way to France!
    Jen aka Muminthemadhouse recently posted…10 Tips for encouraging family mealtimesMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      July 7, 2015 at 9:25 am

      It’s worth stopping off in Kent if you have time, there are some beautiful places to visit in the county.

      Reply
  13. Sarah Ebner says

    July 6, 2015 at 2:04 pm

    We absolutely loved it when we went. I’d wanted to go for years, and it didn’t disappoint. So much to do there too!
    Sarah Ebner recently posted…Dos and Don’ts when going to Wimbledon: our trip to the tennisMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      July 6, 2015 at 5:54 pm

      Yes, it’s a wonderful place – we’re very lucky to live so close to it.

      Reply
  14. Foz says

    July 6, 2015 at 12:01 pm

    Oh looks like a lovely place to visit! Will have to see how far it is from me.
    Foz recently posted…Project 365 – Days 179 to 185My Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      July 7, 2015 at 9:26 am

      It’s definitely worth a visit.

      Reply
  15. Sonia says

    July 6, 2015 at 10:48 am

    We love visiting castles as a family, this one looks like it has so much to do, love the sound of the water maze xx
    Sonia recently posted…Instagram Weekly 29th June – 5th July 2015My Profile

    Reply
  16. Sarah Bailey says

    July 6, 2015 at 10:37 am

    What a stunning looking Castle, there is so much of the UK I have yet to explore. x
    Sarah Bailey recently posted…Super Cute Box #SCBClub: Subscription Box ReviewMy Profile

    Reply
  17. Shobha says

    July 6, 2015 at 10:17 am

    We love Hever castle! It’s actually the only water maze we have ever come across. They do really cool things for the kids for term breaks too. Definitely worth driving from London for!
    Shobha recently posted…The Eclectic World of Townhouse in SpitalfieldsMy Profile

    Reply

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This is a personal blog written and edited by me, Gretta Schifano. Sometimes I’m given products or sent on trips to review, but I always make this clear and give my honest opinion. See my About page for full details.

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