Broad Oak, East Sussex

Located around a crossroads offering quick access to Rye, Tenterden and Hastings, Broad Oak is a well-placed village that can serve as a useful and enjoyable stop-off en route to any of these three locations.

It boasts the essentials in a shop and a good pub (more on which below) but also has a playing field along the Rye road complete with large wooden pirate ship that younger children will enjoy clambering all over. It even, wonderfully, has a well-known independent bakery selling a wide variety of fare including their famous speciality sausages (hot chilli flavour, anyone?) and sausage rolls – there hot and ready for you to take away.

The village is well served by local buses making hourly trips to Tenterden, Northiam and Rye. These are taken advantage of by the walkers who either start or end their treks here – with the Brede Valley below offering several footpaths to and from the coast for those up for a challenge.

Many of those ending their walk at Broad Oak will take advantage of the well presented and friendly pub called – to avoid any confusion – The Broad Oak. There is a strong sense of community here, evident with the varied and sometimes unusual events being hosted. For example, on our visit posters advertised ticketed talks by a local historian and actor as well as ‘live but not loud’ music for you to enjoy with your evening meal.

Aside from this convenience as a rest stop and transport hub for walkers who’ve made it all the way up from Rye or further, Broad Oak is essentially a residential community in a good location for those needing a break in their journey.

And if you do have children, and they’ve already played on the pirate ship, we do wonder who can spot the huge wooden polar bear roaring over a fence in the vicinity of the bakery … ?