A short visitor's guide to Appledore, Kent: things to do, places to eat and drink, and what's on through the year.
Appledore is a village on the northern edge of Romney Marsh in Kent, twelve miles south-west of Ashford. It sits on slightly higher ground above the flat marshland, with the Royal Military Canal threading its way south-west towards Rye and the B2080 connecting the village with Tenterden to the north-east.
The village centre has a quiet, unspoilt character: a church, a handful of historic buildings along The Street, and a recreation ground that makes a pleasant open space for a walk. The surrounding Romney Marsh countryside is good walking and cycling country, with the canal towpath offering a particularly easy, flat route in both directions.
Appledore Recreation Ground on The Street is the main open space in the village, rated well by locals and visitors alike. It makes a good starting point for a walk across the surrounding marshland or down to the Royal Military Canal, which runs along the south-western edge of the village and offers a flat, scenic towpath walk towards Rye.
Appledore has two well-regarded pubs for an evening out. The Black Lion on The Street is the village's main local, a traditional pub with over five hundred reviews and a strong reputation for food and atmosphere. A short drive away, The Ferry Inn on Tenterden Road in Stone in Oxney offers a classic country-inn feel: home-cooked food, a wide range of ales and wines, a garden for summer and a warm interior for colder months.
Miss Mollett's High Class Tea Room at 26 The Street is Appledore's much-loved tea room, serving homemade cakes, sandwiches and light lunches alongside tea and coffee, with outside seating when the weather allows. It also offers floristry for special occasions. With over 350 reviews and a 4.5-star rating, it is the natural choice for a mid-morning or afternoon stop in the village.
Appledore is most easily reached by car. By road, the B2080 links the village with Tenterden to the north-east and Brenzett to the south-west, where it meets the A259 South Coast Trunk Road. From the south-west, the Royal Military Road runs along the canal from Appledore towards Rye.
By train, Appledore station sits on the Marshlink Line between Ashford International and Hastings, with the station around one and a half miles from the village centre. The line runs from dual to single track west of the station towards Rye and Hastings. Ashford International, a short journey away, connects with high-speed services to London St Pancras.