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That should be an interesting tour. How many are there? I rode the "Castle 100 Ride" a few years ago, which went thru the grounds of 5 castles. Tonbridge, Upnor, Rochester, Scotney and one other I can't remember (Leeds?).
Apart from castles, Lullingstone Roman Villa is worth a stop.
Apart from castles, Lullingstone Roman Villa is worth a stop.
OP
OP
Oldhippy
Cynical idealist
A great deal more than you'd think. I am trying to decide on where to draw a line at present. For example should I go the whole hog and include mounds of earth that were once a Mott and Bailey or stick to clear stone remains and still standing. Like I say, early stages of the plan at present.
BoldonLad
Not part of the Elite
- Location
- South Tyneside
According to the Kent County Website, there are about 30 "significant" castles, not sure how they define "significant".
I always believed that Northumberland (with 70 castles) was the "County of Castles", but, have no idea if that is true.
I always believed that Northumberland (with 70 castles) was the "County of Castles", but, have no idea if that is true.
- Location
- London
Can you cycle through the grounds of Leeds castle without paying sharky?
Tail End Charlie
Well, write it down boy ......
- Location
- In green and pleasant hills.
Great idea! It's the sort of thing I do. If you're interested in castles then http://www.castlewales.com/home.html is a great site.
Can't help with Kent though, I've never been there.
Can't help with Kent though, I've never been there.
When I rode the first time, the route went very close to the castles, Upnor, Rochester, Scotney, but not necessarily thru the grounds.
There were definitely food stops at Upnor and rochester
If Leeds was one of the castles we probably just rode past the front entrance. Can't really remember, but I do remember riding up Hollingbourne and a stop at the Dirty Habit.
In later years, they changed the routes so you didn't get very close to the castles. I think the national trust got fed up with hundreds of cyclists passing thru without buying anything.
Re Leeds, don't know if they would let you in the main entrance, but a public footpath runs thru the grounds. We have driven past the main entrance and parked at the church. From there, you can take the footpath thru the grounds. You can also enter via the footpath from the other side of the estate and walk across the golf pitch. Not sure if you can cycle thru on the footpath. There will be loads of people on the paths, so not that good for cycling
- Location
- London
Sounds like the national trust. They don't like you cycling through Knole in sevenoaks either, though welcome cars. Luckily you can get in if you know how* And i have even cycled through the main entrance - not much chance of the person in the box taking chase.
Thanks for the info on Leeds - will explore sometime.
* Couldn't possibly tell you on a family forum how I came by this inside information.
I was referring to them generically. Some are English Heritage. Actually, Leeds Castle is neither, separate ownership. Their tickets last 12 months and as our daughter us special needs, she gets in at disabled rates and we get two zero cost carer tickets. If you enter on foot, via the footpaths as I mentioned above, you bypass the ticket booth and get in free.
- Location
- London
thanks for the correction - I had forgotten that it wasn't national trust.
(I will continue to cycle through Knole when I want - by the by was an NT member for a few years)
of course it is
- Wikipedia says so (actually a book by Long, B. (1967). Castles of Northumberland) 
