Tonbridge - a mixed experience

We went to Tonbridge and expected to find it difficult to park and like many towns not that easy to see the sights. But we were wrong. Our taster trip to Tonbridge was a pleasant voyage of discovery. I suppose that straddling the Medway and being North West Kent steeped in history that relates Tunbridge Wells and London the place was likely to be busy and alive. We parked, paid and displayed and strolled into town looking for historical content and realised that we were adding to our river strolls. In fact water seemed to be the dominating feature. Tonbridge is a town of bridges where the Medway is joined by other rivers and the local country park features water and wildlife.






The stroll first along the river to Town Lock revealed new building grandly named with Wharf at the end to designate a river location that were in fact high rise apartments. The style was pleasant and for those who like that sort of thing I suspect quite comfortable with electronic locks and resident only car parks reminiscent of castles - the Motte the underneath car park and the bailey the forecourts and road with the river as a moat created the Englishman's ideal. to me they were high rise cells designed to isolate the incumbents from the outside world. The genteel houses across the river seemed much more in tune with the river.



And talking of castles we walked up to the gatehouse and then on to the motte where once was a castle with its wonderful command of the town and surrounding countryside that also utilised the river. We spent a little time walking the town and wandered past the castle chatting briefly with a friendly squirrel along the eden vale walk to the Haysden Country Park and on to walk beside the waters of Barden Lake.











We took a quick diversion along the way to another stretch of water and there we saw geese on the opposite shore and a Heron fishing. We were fascinated by its stately gait and the concentration of the creature as it searched for its poor unsuspecting victim. At least it was searching for food which I think I may say for the fishermen along the lake edge did not seem to be their main aim. I think they call it sport. I plump for the Heron.




We walked out of the main entrance and back into town stopping at Jenny's Cafe for a tasty sandwich or two and a cup of hot coffee. the owner told us a little of Tonbridge so we whave decided to visit the place again. We need to do the intrepid explorer bit and find out what the place has to offer. With the hills above the town and the clouds coming down on the day the place was reminscent of Whangarei in the North Island of New Zealand. That town is a mixture of culture, marine activity, industry and colonial history. Tonbridge has a touch of all these - maybe not the colonial history - but history mixed with the modern demands of urban living rooted in the past.