This place is quite lovely! Paired with a walk along the coast and then a quick cup of tea and…read morecake, this adds to the perfect afternoon. My boyfriend and I made a stop here during our wander in the town and thoroughly enjoyed yourselves. Unfortunately we couldn't get a tour of the place. It turns out that whether you can tour depends on whether they're too busy or not. During our particular visit they apparently had too many meetings. But the gardens were very relaxing the solarium was a great place for tea. The tea brands are decent quality and their carrot cake was perfect. My bf had the latte, which was quite tasty. Don't expect to spend an entire day there, but certainly it's a great spot to chill out at for an hour or two.

Located on Tower Hill, Whitstable Castle is a small but beautiful landmark, equally stunning in…read moreboth the summer months and under the snow blankets of winter. The Castle's Gardens are lovely to walk through and a great place for children. Whitstables various fetes and festivals have been held here in the past but currently the castle is being re-furbished after securing much needed funded. When in full working order the castle is available for weddings and parties and I have had the pleasure of hiring this venue twice.

Located deep inside Priority Park, this museum is nothing compared to what it used to be now…read moreseeming like nothing more than an old building that you can walk around and look at the furniture. This museum needs to be publicised more and get in some of the larger exhibits, and perhaps form some form of collaboration with other local museums in the area such as the Central Museum near the Southend Town Centre, and perhaps share exhibits and information, perhaps offer some sort of buy-out. The museum itself is decently laid out with some small exhibits from (very) Old Leigh, and provide information on the local area over the past centuries, as well as the museum itself, of which the staff are very educated on. It's not a day out, but if you're spending some time in the park and the museum is open, it's well worth a peek inside for 15-20 minutes.

The museum has recently been completely refurbished and renewed now telling the story of the…read morerestored Priory. Old reviews before 2012 are out of dated now. Lovely building with very interesting story told of monks and their lives in a fascinating building. Well worth seeing.

If you're after something different to do for a night out, look no further than Crayford Greyhound…read moreTrack. It combines fun and excitement and provides entertainment for a whole night. It does not have to cost the Earth either. Entry is quite cheap, ranging from free for some race events up to £6 (which also includes a free race program to help you select your dogs). Once inside you are free to bet as much or as little as you want. Who knows, you may even walk out from the night with more than you started with. Most people only bet as little as a pound at a time. With plenty of betting outlets, you don't have to queue for long to place your bet. Everything is displayed clearly on the screen so that you know what is going on at all times. Once you have placed your bet you are able to watch the race outside by the track or if it's a little too cold and wet, then you can watch the race inside or on the screens. There is no need to be intimidated by the atmosphere. It is really relaxed and you don't have to be an experienced gambler to fit in. Children and families are welcome too. Food, mainly snacks like burgers, chips and hot dogs, and drink are available from he bar in the main area which are all available at very reasonable prices. If you wish there is also the facility to hire a private room with three course meals if you wish to eat too. All information regarding booking and menus are available on their website. Getting to and from the venue is easy. Crayford station is a short walk away or there is plenty of parking available in the carp park which it shares with Sainsbury's nearby.

Having visited Crayford Dogs numerous times, I can say I have always had a good night. I'm not a…read morebetting person and have never been really understood the odds. this doesn't take away from it being a good night. It is a cheap night and enjoyable. Having been to the upstairs area on a stag do again this was an enjoyable night. The food was good, the fact you don't have to leave your table as the bets are taken at the table so your not queuing for ages. All in all a great night and definitely worth a visit

If you like railways here's a little place to visit. It's just plain eccentric though, 3/4 a mile…read moreof track, buildings, trains & carriages just brought into an old farm, there was never any connection to or from this place, makes you proud to be British. At Christmas they have a Santa Train and other special day in the year.

If you've never been to a Railway Museum before and you live in Essex, then it's on your doorstep…read moreand well worth a few visits. If you live further away then I suggest you make plans to be there a while because it's not just a Museum but a working Railway and a restoration yard. It is all privately owned and features a 1 mile long standard gauge line with restored stations, signal boxes and ancillary equipment removed from various sites throughout East Anglia. Six Steam and 10 Diesel locomotives are currently on site, ranging from a (and this is for those who know what I'm talking about) 48hp Ruston & Hornsby shunter, to a BR Class 47, a 120 ton 2750hp monster. There is so much to say about Mangapps Railway Museum that it would take a day to say it so, visit soon. Find out more at http://mangapps.co.uk Allthough this Railway Museum has nothing to do with me, I visit it regularly and hold it dear to my heart.

I remember watching a movie a while back about how King John, after signing, and then ripping up,…read morethe Magna Carta, laid siege to this castle. I don't think it has been repaired since (though I think there are other reasons it is in the state it is in). It is one of William's castles, namely because they all pretty much look the same. It is still cool to go in and explore, and even though it is ruined, there is still a lot to check out here.

One of my favorite castle ruins, the imposing Rochester Castle, a mighty Norman tower-keep of…read moreKentish ragstone standing 113 feet, was built c. 1127 by William of Corbeil, Archbishop of Canterbury. It stands on the east bank of the River Medway. Rochester is the tallest keep (central tower) in England and has been the commanding presence of the city and river crossing for over nine centuries. The castle and keep take up half of the Roman-built walled city. From the 12th into the 14th centuries Rochester Castle played an important role in defending against invasion and uprising threats. After falling into disrepair, King Edward III reconstructed the castle and it was fully functional by 1400. Over the next three centuries it was, once again, neglected and vandalized until the city took command of the property. Though the castle's center wooden flooring no longer exists there are passageways and stairs that carry visitors to the top of the keep, offering impressive views in all directions. The English Heritage now has responsibility for preservation and its doors are open to the public. This castle is a must see when visting the South of England.

For £1 you get to walk 3miles before treating yourself to food. The other option is £3 to take the…read moretrain. I did the walk simply because the sights, sounds, and smells really brought back memories of my childhood. Plus I wasn't in a rush to get anywhere. The Pier is located right in between adventure Island. It's pretty hard to miss considering it's quite massive and usually attracts the eyes of many tourists. I didn't actually see the waking option until the day of. I saw the train from a distance and my curiosity peeked. I wasn't even sure where the train was going but it was on a bridge heading somewhere. It's a beautiful experience and often times it's the locals that's venture out more than tourists. At the end, there's a few restaurants that serve fish and chips, coffee shops, washrooms and a mini museum.

£2 per person just to walk the pier. £5 something to walk one way and to take the train back. It's…read morethe longest pier in the world, 1.33 miles. It goes out really far. It's not too wide, there's a few seats along the way. There's nothing along the way, you just walk. cafes, stalls and a venue are all at the very end of the pier. I'm more used to piers that gave rides and arcade on the pier itself. But this is really nice too. No fishing going on from this pier. Someone told me you can see seals from the pier, but I didn't see any myself.

Churchill Gardens are gorgeous. You can get to them from off the high street, by the Churchill…read moreTheatre, or from the entrance located near Bromley Parish Church. The gardens are basin shaped with a rabbit warren of paths leading you down to the ponds where you can find duck, geese and some tame but neurotic squirrels. I really enjoy the views from higher up near the entrances; you can see over into the Shortlands area of Bromley. There's a whole load of benches dotted around the gardens and a kind of roman patio area too. This isn't really a picnic place; more of a ramble around spot. Really quaint and pretty.

For a local theatre, this is a great venue. Although ticket prices aren't cheap, you can get a…read morecultured night out and save on train fares and the expense of drinks in London. A huge variety of shows play here, from Christmas pantomimes to the comedy to opera. The seats are comfortable and spacious and the quality of the performances is usually high. Unfortunately, shows aren't on all year round but the website is kept up to date so it's always worth a look when planning a night out. Get on the mailing list for regular updates. Discounts are available for friends of the theatre.

The Epping Ongar Railway is a small heritage line which runs between the Essex town of Chipping…read moreOngar (also known as just Ongar) to the village of Coopersale just outside Epping. For much of the post-war period, the line was well known as being a curiosity - part of the London underground system, yet running through an entirely rural area! A relative newcomer to the preservation scene, it is still at a fairly early stage in its life (and at the time of writing there are no train services as extensive track repairs are under way). History The line was opened in 1865 as an extension of the Eastern Counties Railway line from London Liverpool Street to Loughton. Operated as a steam line for most of its life, in the 1940s plans were drawn up to incorporate the line into the new extension to the Central Line of London Underground. Electric underground trains reached Laughton in 1948 and Epping in 1949. The line from Epping to Ongar, with intermediate stations at North Weald and Blake's Hall was incorporated into the London Underground network, but initially run by a steam shuttle from Epping. The line was finally electrified in 1957, albeit cheaply, so that only short trains could run. The service thereafter continued to be operated as a shuttle from Epping. Declining passenger usage caused the service to be reduced to peak hours only in 1976, and Blake Hall station closed in 1981. An improved all-day service was implemented to attempt to attract custom, but this failed and the line became one of the few sections of the underground network to close completely in modern times, in 1994. The line was then purchased by a private company, in order to run a service, but this did not materialise. A volunteer group was formed to help move things forward, and in 2004 a Sunday shuttle service was operated between Ongar and North Weald. Trains can run a little further to Coopersale, but there is no station there. The line now The main headquarters is at Ongar station, where a fairly ramshackle selection of railway vehicles is located, as well as a collection of London buses. The station also has a short section of broad gauge (5ft) track and two Finnish locomotives and carriages. The station building has a small cafe and shop selling souvenirs, open on some Sundays, but since 2008 the line has been closed for some major engineering works, scheduled for completion in 2010. They nevertheless still have open days when visitors can wander around Ongar station, and the cafe and shop are staffed by friendly and enthusiastic volunteers. Plans are under way to completely refurbish the station, which at present has a garden, oddly decorated with mannequins and ephemera with a 'goth' and science fiction theme. The station has a small car parking area, and toilets.

This is quite a unique--and probably largely unknown local treasure. The trains run only on…read moreweekends and there are often special events on so it's worth checking the calendar on the website. Tickets cost 13GBP and cover all travel for the day. From Epping station an old Route Master bus picks up passengers and ferries them to North Weald station. At North Weald station there is a very cute old-fashioned dinning car serving sandwiches, teas, coffees, and cakes that is worth checking out. The real highlight is the train--part steam part diesel. It's a very unique way to explore the local area. My father and mother-in-law, whom remember when the line was running, really enjoyed the day as it was a trip down memory lane for them. There were loads of kids on the train, whom all seemed to be enjoying themselves. The train only runs from North Weald to Ongar, but there are a few things in Ongar to check-out and this can easily take up the whole day. The last train back to Epping departs at 4pm from Ongar, which is worth remembering.