Hever, west Kent
Deep in the ancient woodlands at Hever Castle and Gardens, you smell the wild garlic before you see the pretty white flowers grouped beneath trees with fresh lime-coloured fringes signalling their new spring growth. Rare telamonius plenus daffodils (from the 17th century) surprise you as you walk deeper into the woodland, but come mid-April, the bluebells are the real stars of the trail that meanders across the estate near Edenbridge in west Kent, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn. Dogs are welcome and you can enjoy a picnic as you extend your walk by taking the path around the lake. Access to gardens from £17.50 adult, but there are also walks in the surrounding woods on the Eden Valley path towards more Tudor homes at Chiddingstone and Penshurst.
Vicki Rimmer
