Ashford is a railway town which grew up around the locomotive works of the South Eastern Railway. This close link with the railway continues today with the International Passenger Station opened in 1996. Ashford PlusBus tickets are valid within the urban area and to Hothfield, School Road.
TI 18 Church Yard. Tel. 01233 629165.
Accommodation
A varied collection illustrating Ashford's history, housed in the old Grammar School of 1635.
Open Apr-Oct, TWThFS 1100-1400.
www.ashfordmuseum.org.uk
A 400 acre park with elephants, tigers, lions, black rhinos and gorillas.
Safari trailer rides. Mansion and formal gardens. Restaurant.
Tel. 0844 842 4647.
Open Daily 0930-1800, last admission 1500 (1430 winter).
www.aspinallfoundation.org
Bus 10 from Rail Station to entrance, about 50 minutes journey.
M-S hourly, Sun & BH 2-hourly. Operated by Stagecoach.
Buses also operate from Sandling.
Godinton House is a country house with 600 years of history. The rooms contain collections
of furniture, art, porcelain and curios. Admission to the House is by guided tour. A yew hedge surrounds the formal gardens
with wild, Italian and walled gardens beyond. Tearoom. Events programme. Estate walks. Tel. 01233 643854.
Open House Apr-Sep, FSSu & BH 1300-1700. Gardens Mar-Oct, Daily 1300-1800.
www.godintonhouse.co.uk
Bus 10X and 123 from Rail Station to Potters Corner, Hare & Hounds, 14 minutes journey,
then 1 mile walk. M-S about hourly, Sun & BH infrequent.
Ashford PlusBus tickets are valid for this journey.
Operated by Stagecoach.
Buses also operate from Charing.
Hothfield Heathlands contain Kent's four remaining valley bogs and rare fragments of ancient heathland
surrounded by broadleaved trees. Wildlife includes warblers, dragonflies, gorse bushes and rare bog plants.
Waymarked circular trails (these may be wet in winter). Information board in car park.
Open at all times.
www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk
Bus 10X from Rail Station to Hothfield, School Road, 18 minutes journey.
M-S about hourly, Sun & BH infrequent. Note that buses use the Hothfield stop in both directions.
Ashford PlusBus tickets are valid for the journey to Hothfield, School Road (but not to The Woolpack).
Operated by Stagecoach.
Buses also operate from Charing.
Friendly farm animals, Play Barn and animal encounters, woodland walks, aerial runways and trailer rides.
Restaurant. Tel. 01233 861493.
Open Apr-Oct, Daily 1030-1730. Nov-Mar, please see website.
www.rarebreeds.org.uk
Bus 2A from Rail Station (stop D) to Rare Breeds Centre, about 35 minutes journey.
Sun & BH only, about 2-hourly. Operated by Stagecoach.
Tenterden is a traditional Kentish town with a picturesque wide High Street lined with weather-boarded shops. If you are happy to travel by bus (and steam railway) it makes a good base for exploring Kent and East Sussex.
TI Town Hall, tel. 01580 763572.
Bus 2/2A from Rail Station (stop D) to Tenterden.
M-S both routes 2-hourly, Sun & BH 2A only about every 2 hours, 40-50 minutes journey.
Operated by Stagecoach.
Buses to Tenterden also operate from Headcorn
and Rye.
Accomodation in Tenterden:
The White Lion The Woolpack Hotel The William Caxton Kent holidaycottages.co.uk
A 10½ mile preserved steam railway from Tenterden to Bodiam.
Tel. 01580 765155, timetable 01580 762943.
Open please see website for details.
www.kesr.org.uk
Bus see Tenterden above.
Buses to Bodiam (the other end of the Railway) operate from Hastings
and Wadhurst.
This museum at Tenterden station tells the story of the man who built and ran the K&ESR and
many other Light Railways. Admission free, donations welcome.
Open Apr-Oct, afternoons when K&ESR trains are running.
www.hfstephens-museum.org.uk
Bus see Tenterden above.
The Museum covers local history with maps, models and exhibits of Tenterden, local buildings, industries and agriculture.
The Museum is housed in a weather-boarded industrial building, a type once common in the area. Tel. 01580 764310.
Open Easter-Sep, Daily 1330-1630, opens 1100 Jul-Sep.
www.tenterdenmuseum.co.uk
Bus see Tenterden above.
