Yorkshire Philosophical Society

Event Information

YPS Tour to Kent

Thursday 14th to Monday 18th May 2026

This 5 days, 4 nights’ stay with 3 choice, 3 course dinner and full English breakfast is based at The Mercure Great Danes Hotel, Maidstone (4*).  Well placed for our itinerary, this popular hotel is nestled in beautiful countryside, adjacent to Leeds Castle.

Cost from £599 per person (sharing) to include four dinners, four breakfasts, return travel by executive coach, and visits as shown in the Itinerary*.  Single occupancy supplement: £120.   YPS administration fee: £25 per person (to cover gratuities and other expenses).  Optional insurance: £18 per person.

*Visits as shown with guided tours at Down House, Chiselhurst Caves and St Ethelburga’s Church, Lyminge
All other entrances covered by National Trust/English Heritage card. Non members pay on arrival.

Itinerary

Day 1, Thursday 14th May: York to Maidstone

0800: Depart York Memorial Gardens and commence journey south to Belton Estate (National Trust)* for a visit and lunch stop. With a further refreshment break en-route we arrive at our hotel in the late afternoon. Time to settle into rooms before dinner.

Day 2, Friday 15th May: Down House with guided tour/Knole

Depart hotel after breakfast and travel to Down House, where a guided tour has been arranged. Following our tour we will continue to Knole, (National Trust)* where we spend the rest of the afternoon

Day 3, Saturday 16th May: Chartwell/Chiselhurst Caves

Morning visit to Sir Winston Churchill’s Chartwell (National Trust)*. Free flow tour of the House and Gardens. In the afternoon we proceed to Chiselhurst Caves, where a guided tour has been arranged.

Day 4: Sunday 17th May: Dover Castle/St Mary’s & Lyminge

Depart hotel and travel to Dover for our free flow visit to Dover Castle (English Heritage)*, a medieval fortress set high up on the White Cliffs of Dover. The ancient Anglo Saxon Church of St Mary in Castro is set within the castle grounds. In the afternoon we continue to Lyminge for a guided tour of the site of St Ethelburga’s 7th century Church.

Day 5, Monday 18th May: Maidstone to York

Depart Maidstone after breakfast and commence journey north to York, making a stop at National Trust’s Wimpole Estate near Cambridge en route. Arrival back at York Memorial Gardens in the early evening.

*Entrance to Belton Estate, Knole, Chartwell and Wimpole Estate free to National Trust members with card. Non members to pay on arrival.
Dover Castle free to English Heritage members with card. Non-members pay on arrival.
In some cases non member payments to be made in one single transaction to get group discount.

How to book

Print out and complete the booking form, insurance form and specific requirements form.  Even if you do not require the Just for Groups insurance, please indicate this on the insurance form and return it with your booking.  Paper copies of the forms are available at lectures or from the Lodge.

Kent 2026 booking form

JFG Insurance Policy Summary Conditions June 2025

Doc Ref 15 Specific Requirements Issue October 2019

Please return the forms to Dorothy Nott, Yorkshire Philosophical Society, The Lodge, Museum Gardens, York, YO1 7DR, together with two cheques as follows:

·       Deposit cheque (£60 per person plus £18 per person if Just for Groups insurance is required – made payable to Just for Groups)

·       YPS administration cheque (£25 per person – made payable to Yorkshire Philosophical Society)

These cheques will not be banked until we know the tour has the viable number of participants.

Closing date for bookings: 15 January 2026.

If the tour attracts enough participants to be viable, balance payments will be due 8 weeks before departure.

YPS and Just for Groups Terms and Conditions apply:

Doc Ref 12A Booking Terms Conditions – (GL) Issue October 2021 – current July 2024

YPS-Terms-and-Conditions-for-Multiday-Tours-Updated-October-2022