Leading the way

Nick Harding discovers Kent and Sussex are perfect for touring adventures – even more so if you have a canine companion!

Brighton’s iconic Royal Pavilion – dogs are welcome in the garden

Is the South of England the most canine-friendly corner of the UK? Our five-site tour of Kent and Sussex showed us that there’s a healthy respect for pet pooches in this part of the country: almost all the attractions we visited welcomed our dog with open arms.

Of course, it helps if your four-legged friend has a friendly nature… so, I should introduce you to the third and most important member of our touring trio – Bonnie, a seven-year-old sprocker spaniel and just possibly the most affectionate dog you’re ever going to meet. Her other specialist subjects beyond meeting and greeting? Finding and chasing tennis balls, beach time and snacking.

My partner, Lin, and I travelled during October’s half-term week. Ironically, our first stop, Slinfold Club Campsite, near Horsham in West Sussex, didn’t have a designated dog walk. But this was no great problem as the Downs Link is right on the doorstep – just head out of the site, turn right and you’re on a 37-mile footpath that connects the North Downs Way and South Downs Way.

There’s some interesting history to the area – Slinfold sits on the former site of a railway station, while the village of the same name is home to The Red Lyon, a proper pub that’s been here, the manager tells us, for some 500 years. A former coaching inn, it is said to be the oldest building in the village and it is still very much the focal point. And it’s dog-friendly, of course.

Brief paws

Bearsted village green by member Katie Dudley

Our second base was Bearsted Club Campsite, some 60 miles east and over the border in Kent. Again, the site and its surroundings are very much met with approval by Bonnie. Site Manager Andy tells us that all the taverns in the village are pet-friendly, with the Oak on the Green – a large pub that allows dogs into half of its space and offers doggie treats on the bar – top of the list. There are two ways to walk to it: along the main road and into the village, or via a bridlepath.

We were pleased we had booked a table, as it was very busy for a Monday night. The food was excellent – we dined on fajitas and a chef’s special of wild boar ravioli.

Back on site, Andy tells us of potential upgrades to the site’s small dog walk this winter: “We’ve got plans to get it wider and actually enclose it, so it becomes a dog run,” he says. Of more interest to Bonnie is the 28 acres of Bearsted Woodland Trust about a mile and a half away.

Leeds Castle is perhaps the premier attraction nearby – although unfortunately dogs (other than assistance dogs) are not permitted due to the large numbers of wildfowl roaming the estate. There is doggy interest here though, in the form of the fascinating Dog Collar Museum, which houses rare and valuable examples spanning five centuries.

A 40-minute drive from Bearsted took us to our first dog-friendly attraction – would you believe, an historic car museum?

History lesson

Illustration by Louise Turpin

The village of Rolvenden has been home to the CM Booth Collection/Morgan Motor Museum since 1972. Meanwhile, Falstaff Antiques, which occupies the same building, was established about 10 years before that. Morgan expert Chris Booth tells us that the car collection is all his own work – he used to collect the Morgan 3 Wheelers that form the backbone of the museum in his Mini Pickup, returning home with his next project, body parts in the back and engine on the passenger seat. You can expect to see around a dozen 3 Wheelers on display, and he tells us that he’s working on six or seven others.

There are other vehicles on show, including bikes, as well as a huge selection of automobile memorabilia – from models of cars to keyrings, signs, oil cans and petrol pumps. Everything is packed in but organised in the way that typifies collections like this.

There’s a liveried 1929 Morris Light Van, originally a GPO Royal Mail vehicle – again, restored by Chris in his own workshops. And there’s a caravan: a 1936 Bampton expanding model with hinged sides. “Have you ever holidayed in it?” I ask. “Not recently,” he replies, telling me that he once towed it with his Morgan 4/4. His parents were Club members, too – which explains the metal badge among the displays.

No visit would be complete without a spot of bargain-hunting at Falstaff Antiques. The shop, founded by Chris’ grandparents, sells lots of automobilia as well as household items, from coal scuttles and plates to a vintage Dutch push bike (it had a ticket price of £20 – we were sorely tempted).

It’s all truly the work of a lifetime, and an absolute treasure trove to visit if you have any interest in vehicles of yesteryear. Dogs are allowed in the museum and the shop (but be careful, especially in the latter), and we found it easy to park on the street directly outside.

Dog heaven

Bonnie’s opinions were key during this tour

Fairlight Wood Club Campsite on the coast, an hour or so to the south, is “dog heaven” – or so Site Manager Cheryl tells us as we check in. She’s not wrong. Across the road is the Woodland Trust’s Guestling Wood, where we spend a good hour exploring both its main peripheral route as well as lots of little offshoot trails.

Another time, we walk in the opposite direction from site, going through the gate and following white markings on the trees down to a large clearing. Across from here are the dog-friendly Two Sawyers pub and the village of (appropriately enough) Pett. From here you could walk all the way to the sea about two-and-a-half miles away.

While in the area, we had excursions to Penshurst Place and Hever Castle on our itinerary, both of which can also be reached from the first two sites mentioned.

Penshurst Place has been described as “the grandest and most perfectly preserved example of a fortified manor house in all England”. The parkland surrounding the estate offers a 4km loop walk boasting glorious views. Please note that only registered assistance dogs are permitted into Penshurst Place and Gardens themselves, but you can take your pooch into the gift shop and café.

Just 15 minutes’ drive away, Hever Castle was in full swing celebrating Halloween during our visit. We were struck by the beauty of the estate (dogs on leads are welcome within the grounds – but not in the castle, cafes, restaurants or adventure playground), and had time to enjoy the Italian garden, yew maze, rhododendron walk, lake and more.

It was then on to a more obscure dog-friendly attraction: the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway. As well as offering easy parking, its New Romney station is home to a café – the Heywood Buffet – where dogs are allowed in the conservatory.

Because this is a smaller-scale railway (it’s all about a third of the size of a normal set-up), dogs are allowed in the closed carriages – but not the open ones. Hopping aboard, we journeyed out to Dungeness – an otherworldly shingle landscape offering characterful lighthouses, a mix of housing styles and a powerful feeling of being on the outer, wilder edges of England.

Brighton bound

Fox at Brighton Club Campsite by member Brian Jackson

On our return to New Romney, we hopped in the van and drove forty miles or so westward to Brighton Club Campsite, just in time for Halloween. Open all year round, this popular site is situated only two miles outside the city. Dogs go free on Brighton & Hove’s excellent buses, and the £2 price cap made it an easy and convenient way to get between the site and the city centre.

Of course, there was plenty of beach for Bonnie to explore – dogs get pretty much a free run here between October and the end of April, with a few restrictions at other times (check brighton-hove.gov.uk for more information).

We later enjoyed a brief walk through the Royal Pavilion’s garden (which is dog-friendly) and the North Laine area’s seemingly endless array of independent shops. Antiques are particularly bountiful here (check out the dog-friendly Snooper’s Paradise in Kensington Gardens); if you would like more, you could build in a stay at Choller Farm Certificated Location, about 30 miles further west along the coast – it’s just a 10-minute drive from another antiques hot-spot: the historic town of Arundel.

During our stay in Brighton we managed to eat out on consecutive evenings, taking advantage of the city’s excellent dining options. On the seafront Shelter Hall (dogs welcome on the outdoor terrace as well as the indoor ground floor of the main hall) is home to seven different kitchens, offering a wide range of cuisines in a characterful seafront building that dates back to the 1880s. Meanwhile, the Dishoom Permit Room on East Street served up a different – and delicious – take on Indian food.

Brighton was where we broke our ‘dog-friendly-only’ rule. Brighton Toy and Model Museum is located under the train station and it’s simply amazing (Bonnie was only admitted as far as the lobby) – we were also lucky enough to chat to founder Chris Littledale, who still comes to work here every day. As well as a vast central model railway layout, the museum is home to displays covering everything from dolls and bears to lead figures and diecast vehicles as well as a number of charming old-school slot machines. It’s a real treat.

Despite Brighton’s innumerable attractions, we didn’t need to leave the site for one particular highlight. Chef Philippe was set up at the site barrier with pastries, pizzas, fresh coffee and more. And yes, he had a couple of snacks for Bonnie.