SOUTHEAST ENGLAND ITINERARY
 

WE PLAN TO LEAVE LONDON MID MORNING TO HEAD FOR SOUTHEAST ENGLAND AND STAYOVER IN CATERBURY BEFORE CROSSING CHANNEL. ANY SUGGESTIONS ON BEST/MOST INTERESTING THINGS TO DO THAT OUR 15 YR OLD DAUGHTER AND 11 YEAR OLD SON WILL ENJOY? LEEDS OR DOVER CASTLES OR BOTH? READ ABOUT THE WINNIE THE POOH HOUSE(COTCHFORD FARM) IN EAST SUSSEX - IS IT WORTH A TRIP IN THAT DIRECTION? WHAT ELSE? THANKS FOR ANY INPUT.

Hever Castle has a couple of mazes - one is a a water maze and kids were having a great time in it when we were there last summer! <BR>

We also went to Hever Castle. Our daughter was about 12 at the time and she loved it! The maze was great fun! <BR> <BR>

We also went to Hever Castle. Our daughter was about 12 at the time and she loved it! The maze was great fun! <BR> <BR>

We also went to Hever Castle. Our daughter was about 12 at the time and she loved it! The maze was great fun! <BR> <BR>

We also went to Hever Castle. Our daughter was about 12 at the time and she loved it! The maze was great fun! <BR> <BR>

We also went to Hever Castle. Our daughter was about 12 at the time and she loved it! The maze was great fun! <BR> <BR>

We also went to Hever Castle. Our daughter was about 12 at the time and she loved it! The maze was great fun! <BR>Canterbury interested her also. <BR>

We also went to Hever Castle. Our daughter was about 12 at the time and she loved it! The maze was great fun! <BR>Canterbury interested her also. <BR>

We also went to Hever Castle. Our daughter was about 12 at the time and she loved it! The maze was great fun! <BR>Canterbury interested her also. <BR>

We also went to Hever Castle. Our daughter was about 12 at the time and she loved it! The maze was great fun! <BR>Canterbury interested her also. <BR>

We also went to Hever Castle. Our daughter was about 12 at the time and she loved it! The maze was great fun! <BR>Canterbury interested her also. <BR>

We visited the cathedral in Canterbury and enjoyed it, but missed Leeds. Took the train from London via Canturbury to Dover. The view from Dover castle was great; it was very windy that day but sunny. After touring the castle, the lady at the rail station mentioned that the castle is supposedly haunted; you're supposed to be able to feel a cold presence in parts of the castle and/or hear a child crying. <BR>Noticed that the B&Bs in Dover are less than 50% of cost of London hotels.

Dover Castle is a great castle to explore. Besides the castle itself, there is the Roman lighthouse (A.D.50), and also the miles of tunnels that were used during WWII, that are open for tour.

Cathy: Both Leeds and Dover Castles are well worth seeing. My son was 10 when we visited each. They are very different, but he enjoyed them both. Leeds is the prettiest, on an island, with black swans usually resident on the lake. There is a maze & grotto which is fun for kids and adults (although it is fairly recent, late 1980s?)and a large aviary. Within the Gate Tower is a Dog Collar Museum which my son found fascinating. We actually visited Dover Castle twice. Once to climb the tower in the Keep and visit The Princess of Wales'Royal Regiment exhibition. The second visit was to take the tour of Hellfire Corner which is an amazing complex of tunnels built in the time of Napoleon and used up until WWII. They were only recently taken off the top secret list and opened to the public in 1995. Just North of Dover is Walmer Castle, one of the forts built by Henry VIII. It is still used today (or until recently) by the Queen Mother. It was also the residence of the Duke of Wellington. It has some nice gardens. Just north of Walmer is Deal Castle, another fort built by Henry VIII. This one is a bit austere with long, dark passages (great for the imagination!) and a neat exhibit on England's coastal defense. Don't know about Winnie the Pooh's place. Enjoy your trip!