The Enchanted Forest

[squirmelia]

Just after noon, the adventurers reached Groombridge Place Gardens and Enchanted Forest and stopped for a picnic luncheon in the kitchen garden. As they ate thick slices of toffee cake, they noticed the peacocks on the roof, looking as if they were ready to pounce. It was then that they decided it was time to explore the formal gardens, some of which had appeared in mysterious circumstances for Sherlock Holmes.

First, they wandered into a garden of white roses and the girl wearing a blue hat stopped to kiss an old tree underneath the mistletoe. Soon after that, they found themselves in the Drunken Garden, where even the topiaries looked as if they had succumbed to the lures of alcohol.

Past the giant chess board, the explorers stumbled across the Secret Garden and watched the trickling streams for a while before heading through the Golden Yew Maze and starting the journey to the Enchanted Forest.

The Giant's Vineyard didn't seem so giant, and the zeedonk? The zeedonk's name was Adam.

It was dark underneath the trees as they scrambled through tyres and across nets to get to the swings that were attached to high branches. The girl with the blue hat held on tightly as she swung through the tall trees.

After that, they travelled through creepy gunnera to get to the Spring of Life, where the water was a gorgeous blue colour and surrounded by tree ferns.

They raced through the serpent's lair, past the giant teepee and wooden totem pole, and round and round the double spiral, feeling giddy, and then past the Romany camp, the mystic pool and finally the dragon's nest.

The girl wearing the blue hat pushed open the giant door in the woods, and tried to make sense of the mysterious letters on the trees seemed to spell out that it was enchanted. Side-by-side, the adventurers walked backwards three times around the standing stone, making a wish.

Comments

[killalla]

This place looks fantisatic! I must find a way to go there.

[squirmelia.livejournal.com]

I have to admit that I didn't actually make it to the Conan Doyle Museum that was there!

[athanasius.livejournal.com]

Your write-up certainly makes me want to go there :).

[squirmelia.livejournal.com]

It was cool, but mostly aimed at kids really. The swings were for people aged over 10 though, at least. :)

[hairyears.livejournal.com]

How did you get there?

Looking at a map (http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=553500&y=136960&z=4&sv=553500,136960&st=4&ar=Y&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf&ax=553500&ay=136960), taking the bicycle on on the train to Eridge could be a very good day out. Loads of woodland and quiet country lanes.

[squirmelia.livejournal.com]

I walked to Southampton Central and then got a train to Waterloo, and then walked to Waterloo East and then got a train to Sevenoaks, where my mum picked me up by car, so err.. that's not much help, sorry. I drove back from there to Eynsford and experienced many country lanes!