Out and About section

from Families West Kent May/June 2019

Directory

OUT AND ABOUT

New museum honours wartime pilots

A new museum has opened it doors to pay tribute to WWII flying aces and tell the story of Biggin Hill airfield and the brave airmen and ground crews who served there

RAF Biggin Hill was originally founded in 1917 to be used by the Royal Flying Corps in WWI. It then played a pivotal role in the Battle of Britain which was fought over the skies of Kent and the South East.

Biggin Hill Memorial Museum opened on February 2 and brings this history to life through exhibitions, storytelling, film, collections of letters and wartime objects.

Spitfires and Hurricanes were based there and 454 pilots were killed flying from RAF Biggin Hill during WWII. It was part of a chain of airfields that protected the capital, described by Winston Churchill as ‘the strongest link’.

Because of its strategic importance, the airfield itself became a target for enemy attack, with 39 people killed on the ground.

The museum is built around the St. George’s RAF Chapel of Remembrance, grade-II listed and

built in 1951, very close to the modern day Biggin Hill Airport.

Items on display include a 50kg bomb (deactivated!), a table from a local pub with fighter pilots’ names carved into the wood, an escape crowbar for a Spitfire, fragments of pilots’

maps, compasses, uniforms and flying jackets.

Many of the objects are personal and have been donated by people who served or lived at Britain’s most famous fighter station. A child’s gas mask and box brings back the reality of a

child living through the threat of gas and enemy attack.

Historian Dan Snow provides the museum’s audio commentary, along with veterans including the late Geoffrey Wellum (the youngest Spitfire pilot to fly in the Battle of Britain at just 19 years old).

Biggin Hill Memorial Museum is at Main Road, Biggin Hill, Kent, TN16 3EJ. For more details visit www.bhmm.org.uk

WHERE CLIMBING MEETS THEME PARK

Tonbridge is home to the biggest Clip n Climb in the WORLD

Book your session now: www.clipnclimbtonbridge.co.uk | 01732 753330 UNIT 4 TON BUSINESS PARK, 2-8 MORLEY ROAD, TONBRIDGE, TN9 1RA

OUT AND ABOUT

Top Five outdoor events for May & June

4-6 May Weald of Kent Country Craft Show Penshurst Place, Penshurst, Tonbridge, TN11 8DG (SAT NAV TN11 8DH) A fun-packed family day in the grounds of Penshurst Place, featuring live music, street food stalls, a gin and Prosecco bar and 150+ stalls of crafts, jewellery, home and garden wares. Activities for children, petting zoo, adventure playground, vintage swing. To book tickets in advance go to www.ichfevents.co.uk

11 May The Little Welly Obstacle Course and Festival St Clere Estate, Sevenoaks, TN15 6FP This outdoor event for families and children has more than 30 challenges over a 3km route including the foam run and the big slide. Food and drink and music. Info at www.thelittlewelly.co.uk

7, 8 & 9 June Woodlands Festival Elm Wood, Off Risden Lane, Hawkhurst, Cranbrook, TN18 5DU An independent family friendly festival in a relaxing woodland setting with music, food and drink, outdoor cinema, silent disco, glamping and camping, kids activities, bushcraft, and more. Info at www.woodlandsfestival.co.uk

21, 22 & 23 June Black Deer Festival of Americana and Country Music Eridge Park, Eridge Green, Tunbridge Wells, TN3 9JT Family-friendly and awardwinning festival of Americana and Country Music with kids enjoying their own Young Folk festival. Huge range of activities, workshops and experiences for children, BBQ, music, glamping. Info at www.blackdeerfestival. com See this page for a chance to win tickets!

30 June Run or Dye Penshurst Place, Kent, TN11 8DG (SAT NAV TN11 8DH) Experience this most colourful fun run with friends and family. Now with new foam zone. Tickets include your race entry, bib number, t-shirt, goodie bag and entry to the post-race dye festival. For info and to book visit www.runordye.co.uk

WIN

tickets to the Black Deer Festival - Americana for families

Americana is a celebration of music, family and food – the three pillars of the award-winning, modern-day festival that is Black Deer.

Located on your doorstep at Eridge Park, Black Deer welcomes children of all ages and offers families the chance to create memories that will last forever. Kids can safely climb to the top of ancient oak trees, work together to help to build a Wild West town or listen to stories around the campfire.

The event near Tunbridge Wells runs from June 21 to 23 and offers a ‘festival within a festival’ just for the kids called Young Folk. Outdoor adventure activities include building a

town with Woodland Tribe, giant tree climbing, cowboy/cowgirl skills and Bucking bronco.

The kids will even have their very own stage, dedicated to inspiring the next generation of musicians. Arts and craft workshops, guitar lessons, face painting, dressing-up tent - you name it, your children will find it.

Adults will enjoy a line up on the main stage including Band of Horses, Jessie Buckley performing songs from the Wild Rose soundtrack, Kris Kristofferson & The Strangers, Billy Bragg and many more. The southern (American) style food, outdoor smokehouse cooking, drink and hospitality will be a treat for your family’s taste buds.

There’s a range of glamping and camping options for all budgets to help make a memorable weekend.

Black Deer Festival of Americana and Country Music is on 21-23 June 2019 at Eridge Park, Kent. For information and tickets go to www.blackdeerfestival.com

Black Deer is giving away 2xadult weekend camping tickets plus 2xkids weekend camping tickets – a family of four package. The face value of this prize is £460.

To enter, please tell us the name of the Black Deer artist who also plays the lead role in the new critically acclaimed film ‘Wild Rose’. Please email your answer to editor@familieswestkent.co.uk headed Black Deer Competition. Ts&Cs will be emailed to you. The competition closes at midnight on May 14. A winner will be selected at random and notified.

New attractions at Leeds Castle

Discover more about the Edwardian era with a host of fun half term activities at Hever Castle and Gardens from 25 May to 2 June.

Visitors can enjoy a traditional Punch and Judy show as well as try their hand at games from the period including hoopla, tin-can alley and boules or croquet on the lawn.

Join famous author and friend of the Astor family, Arthur Conan Doyle, as he investigates reports of fairy sightings around the

Leeds Castle has opened two fantastic new family attractions as part of its 900th anniversary celebrations.

The brand new Knights’ Stronghold Playground is a thrilling new adventure playground designed for full-on fun.

Children will love letting off steam by navigating through a wooden replica of Leeds Castle with spiralling slides, fireman’s poles, giant cargo nets and zip wires.

The fun doesn’t end there. This year families will be able to enjoy

For more information visit www.leeds-castle.com

another new attraction as Leeds Castle will become one of the only heritage destinations in the country to open its very own adventure golf course!

The course will be designed on Leeds Castle, with more challenging holes themed to daily attractions, such as falconry and the Maze. Using artificial grass, rocks, sand and planting by the gardening team, this beautiful and fully accessible new course will be open for visitors to enjoy, all year round, whatever the weather.

Edwardian Life at Hever Castle

gardens. And in the Castle young visitors can learn about Edwardian inventions.

In the grounds, children aged 7-14 can explore the Tudor Towers adventure playground with its own moat, drawbridge and three turrets. Under 7s can enjoy the natural play area, Acorn Dell, with its 2 metre high living willow structure and a giant sandpit.

And there’s the Yew Maze or the popular Water Maze (but don’t forget to bring a towel!)

For more information and to book visit www.hevercastle.co.uk

14 Families West Kent May/June 2019 www.familiesonline.co.uk

NEW FAMILY ATTRACTIONS AWAIT AT LEEDS CASTLE

KNIGHTS’ STRONGHOLD PLAYGROUND & LEEDS CASTLE ADVENTURE GOLF

OUT AND ABOUT

Racetrack thrills and a family day out - at Motorsport at the Palace

Under-fives go free at Motorsport at the Palace at the famous Crystal Palace track in south London over May Bank Holiday 26 and 27 May.

The event includes a motor cycle demonstration, sprint races and car show. And young visitors are made at home with children’s activities and attractions as well as the thrill of watching car and motorbike racing.

Held on parts of the old Crystal Palace motor racing track within the grounds of Crystal Palace Park, the show attracts cars from 1931 right up to the most modern vehicles including classic, historic, sports and single seater cars from every generation.

The iconic Crystal Palace track

This could be an early Father’s Day treat for many motor enthusiast dads!

Around 110 cars will take part on each day, split into 20 classes. Cars race against the clock in a timed competition. The sprint course is roughly 740 meters long

and uses a good percentage of the original Crystal Palace motor racing track.

Things on offer for children include activities organised by Diggerland and go-karts from KiddiKart. A nominal fee will be charged.

There will also be a small fun fair and Reptile Events will be there with some reptiles for children to see and touch.

There is plenty of parking onsite with a £1 charge going to charity.

Event organiser Karen Webber said: “We want to make this event a family day out for all ages, to enable everyone to view the cars in the paddock without restriction and enjoy all the other attractions on offer.”

This is an affordable day out with tickets priced at £25 for a family of four, or adults at £12, children under 16 £6. Under 5s are free. For full details and to book tickets, visit www.motorsportatthepalace.com

Two new thrilling attractions designed for full on fun!

CELEBRATING 900 YEARS