The High Rocks, where it really was third time lucky!

You left Matthew and I departing from the rather upmarket Beacon, after failing for the second time that afternoon to obtain a beer. The Beacon was the second of three pubs that we visited on that particular Sunday, but with the first one closed and the second pub focussing almost exclusively on wine, would it be a case of third time lucky? Earlier that afternoon, we had tried to locate the High Rocks, a popular pub, restaurant, and wedding venue to the west of Tunbridge Wells. The complex is named after the adjacent outcrops of sandstone rocks, which are a popular tourist attraction.

We initially failed in that endeavour, as we were actually much further south than I thought we were, but after our experience at the Beacon, I surmised that we were now a lot closer to the High Rocks than we were when driving towards Groombridge. The thought came to me whilst sitting on the terrace, at the Beacon, overlooking the feature known locally as "Happy Valley". We heard the whistle of a steam locomotive, belonging to the Spa Valley Railway, as it passed along the valley and one of the stops on that line is the halt adjacent to the High Rocks complex.

The Beacon is situated a third of the way down Tea Garden Lane, so armed with what we’d seen and heard earlier, I assumed that if we followed the lane to the bottom of the valley, we would be close to the High Rocks, and the prospect of a beer. Not wishing to get lost a second time, I programmed the destination into my phone, and let Google Maps do the rest. My assumption was correct, and after driving with care, along the rather narrow lane, we reached a T junction. The sign indicated that a right turn would lead us to the High Rocks, and a short while later, we reached our destination.

After leaving the car in the substantial car park, adjacent to the High Rocks themselves, we crossed the road and made our way towards the pub and restaurant. Despite it being a Sunday, a wedding was taking place, which seemed strange, as back in my day such ceremonies were never held on a Sunday. Times change though, and we followed the steps down into the terrace garden, to the left of the High Rocks pub, before entering, to see what beers were on offer.

As well as a beer from Tonbridge Brewery, I was surprised to see one from the Nelson Brewery, who are based in the Historic Naval Dockyard at Chatham. Admiral IPA was the beer, and the pump clip showing the silhouette of an Admiral, dressed in early 19th century garb, was obviously supposed to be Admiral Nelson himself. This was the first time in a decade and a half that I had seen Nelson beers on sale, and seeing the pump clip it was quite a poignant moment, because a couple of weeks ago we learned of the sad death of the brewery owner, Piers MacDonald.

Piers had single handedly, turned the Nelson Brewery’s fortune around, after buying the business in 2006, and from what I remember of the brewery, following a visit in 2009 the place was certainly in need of improvement. That was my only visit to the brewery, but Piers was obviously successful in his endeavours, otherwise the company would have ceased trading a long time ago. The beer too was a dramatic improvement, as the sourness, spoiling the taste of Nelson beers, which was probably due to a yeast infection, had gone. The 4.0% Admiral IPA was certainly very drinkable.

After a brief chat with the pleasant girl behind the bar, we took our drinks outside, joining several other groups of drinkers enjoying the afternoon sunshine. From our seats, we could see back across the Happy Valley, and down to the High Rocks Halt, which is where the SVR trains call at, as they travel back and forth along the line between Tunbridge Wells West and Eridge. We witnessed one of the trains pulling away, from the platform, and I managed to snap a quick photo.

The High Rocks will be the venue for the wedding of Eileen’s’ niece Heidi, and her fiancé in just over a year's time, and there is another family connection with the complex too, because the magnificent, oak-beamed barn, which is used to host larger functions, was constructed by Heidi’s father, Brian. It began life as an old farm building, before being acquired by the owner of the High Rocks owner and being taken apart, transported to its new site, and then reassembled. It was quite a project, and Brian was rightly very proud of it. Brian died three years ago, right at the beginning of the pandemic, although his death was not COVID related, so sadly he will not be there to give his youngest daughter away.

The High Rocks themselves, occupy a geological Site of Special Scientific Interest to the west of Tunbridge Wells Spread over several acres the impressive sandstone rocks are interlinked with eleven bridges, to provide a scenic walk in a tranquil woodland setting. Once a Stone Age encampment, these ancient rocks are now a National Monument. Along with the nearby Harrison’s Rocks, these rocky crags form a world-renowned location for rock climbing. The attraction is open daily from 10:00 until dusk except Boxing Day, apparently. Admission is £5 per person, and tickets are available from the High Rocks Pub.

As with several other places of interest locally - Penshurst Place, Hever Castle, Chartwell and Ightham Mote, all spring to mind, I have never visited the High Rocks themselves, but with such a reasonable admission charge there is no real excuse. I have visited the High Rocks pub several times, the last time being back in 2016, when a group of us, walked from Tunbridge Wells West station, to Groombridge, following one of the Link Routes of the Tunbridge Wells Circular Walk. I also remember a firm’s Christmas party being held there, many years ago.

So, leaving the joys of the pub aside for a moment, I definitely feel that an hour or two spent exploring the High Rocks National Monument, would be £5 well spent, and I could always slake my thirst in the bar, afterwards. Thinking further outside the box, it would be good to travel either there, or back, by means of the Spa Valley Railway.