Terrible night’s sleep…dunno why. Hauled myself out of bed to cook breakfast, put a packed lunch together, then we packed our bags and stuck them in the car boot. Bit late getting away, though. Headed through the Blackwall Tunnel, having paid the £4 toll online. Then drove down the A21 to Balham Abbey. The ruins became a tourist hotspot for early 19th Century gentlefolk, having been bought by the Pratt family, the Earls of Camden. We found a bench and had our late lunch.
Drove on to Tunbridge Wells and checked in at the Mount Edgcumbe, a small boutique hotel I’d stayed in a few years ago when working in the vicinity. It is now looking a little tired around the edges. We took a walk down to the Pantiles. Came across the spring that lead to the founding of Tinbridge Wells…there is a vending machine adjoining from which to purchase bottles of the mineral water that had royalty flocking this way back in the 18th Century. Strolled back through the town…happened upon a plaque that marked the site of the Subbuteo factory of yore.
Sat out in the beer garden at the hotel enjoying the view of Edgcumbe Rocks. Dined at 1845…lovely spacious dining room with generous glazed doors giving onto a pleasant tree filled vista. The food wasn’t bad…I went for steak and chips. Retired to our room too full and exhausted to venture out for an after dinner walk. Took turns in the bath, and caught some Rilling Stones coverage on BBC4 before flaking out!
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