Leeds Castle

Leeds Castle sits 70km southeast of London near Maidstone in Kent, reached in about 1 hour by Southeastern train from Charing Cross or Victoria to Bearsted, followed by a seasonal shuttle bus of around 15 minutes to the castle grounds; on selected summer dates, Leeds Castle also runs a direct coach from Victoria Coach Station. Set on two islands within a lake, the castle is one of England's most photographed historic buildings, and mornings are best spent touring its state rooms and medieval great hall, followed by the castle's maze, whose hedges conceal an underground grotto decorated with mythological figures at its centre. By midday, the extensive parkland surrounding the castle offers space for a picnic or a visit to the falconry centre and aviary, home to a collection of birds of prey with scheduled flying displays in the warmer months. The unusual Dog Collar Museum, housed in the castle's former gatehouse, displays a centuries-spanning collection of ornate dog collars and makes for a short, distinctive afternoon stop. Because the grounds are extensive and largely open parkland, visitors typically spend more time walking between attractions here than at a single historic building; comfortable shoes are worth packing. Summer is the castle's peak season, bringing open-air concerts and firework events on selected evenings, though this also means the shuttle bus and coach services run more frequently to handle demand; a spring or early autumn visit trades some of these seasonal events for a quieter, less crowded grounds visit.