Travel Talk: A Weekend Escape to the Kentish Countryside

Happy Monday. How was your weekend? We had a relaxing one: we visited friends in Tunbridge Wells and took an impromptu trip to the Kentish countryside for a short stay at a B&B.

We stayed at the beautifully restored Woodpecker Barn in Lamberhurst, a former barn owned by retired professional violinist Martin and his Icelandic wife, Halla. It had the most incredible garden and two pretty suites upstairs for guests to stay in, each with its own living room and bathroom.

In the morning, we'd have these delicious breakfasts, accompanied by fresh pear and apple juice from the pear and apple trees in Martin's garden, plus herbs also freshly plucked from the garden.

I loved the fig jam that Martin and Halla made from the figs found just outside their house. Everything tasted so fresh and delicious and every so often, Halla would pop her head around the door to ask if we'd like another round of toast (the answer was always a resounding, "yes, please!").

On Saturday morning, we decided to take a walk through the neighboring fields to the closest pub (despite Martin warning us that it might be a bit "squelchy squelchy" and neither of us had brought wellies).

Sure enough, about half an hour into the walk, while I tried to navigate sinkholes of sticky mud, I made an error and my foot sank ankle-deep into a puddle of mud! I panicked and shrieked, stepping into other mud-holes in the process while John laughed at me some distance ahead. The advantage of sinking your feet ankle-deep into mud, I discovered, is that you don't quite care where you step next, so I just trekked on - mud and all.

I joked about getting trench foot, but after an hour or so, we found our destination: a friendly pub with a roaring fire.

I squeezed next to John near the fire and devoured a bowl of French onion soup and a thick-cut BLT sandwich while locals trickled in and sought shelter from the blustery cold (it had snowed a few hours before!). It felt so cozy and wintery!

Back at Woodpecker Barn, we took our muddy, wet shoes off outside the door while Halla rushed to put them by the Aga to dry. After a hot shower, we were ready to see our friends Joe and Jodi (plus their sweet babies!) and spent a wonderful afternoon and evening catching up.

It was so nice to take a short break; sometimes, I forget how important it is to have a change of scenery.

Have you taken a weekend break recently or are you planning one anytime soon? I'd love to know!