Forests, Fortresses, and Spies: Unforgettable Day Trips From London

Unforgettable Day Trips From London
Not far from London is an oft-overlooked paradise for history (and WWII) buffs: Rochester.|©iStock/Wirestock

What’s the connection between a medieval castle, an ancient forest, and a little-known historic site where WWII secret codes were cracked? I found out during my many day trips outside London’s city limits…

London has become my second home—it’s easily one of my favorite cities, especially given its proximity to small historic destinations for weekend getaways. When I get tired of the crowds and frenzy, I head outside the city to explore England’s rich past.

Ancient wonders, Neolithic and Roman sites, medieval cathedrals, and several royal palaces are all within a few hours of central London via public transport. One of my favorite things to do is choose a few places and make a historic connection between them.

Today, I’ll tell you about three special day trips most American visitors tend to overlook: a vast forest, a medieval castle, and a secret hideout for spies—all with a connection World War II history buffs will appreciate.

Rochester Castle

Rochester Castle’s soaring Norman keep overlooks a historic town full of cathedrals, cobblestones, and Dickensian charm.
Rochester Castle’s soaring Norman keep overlooks a historic town full of cathedrals, cobblestones, and Dickensian charm.|©iStock/mbtaichi

When I think of England, I think castles, cathedrals, and great literature… all of which I found in Rochester.

Situated on the banks of the Medway River, just a 40-minute train ride from London, Rochester Castle is one of Britain’s most impressive surviving medieval structures. Standing 125 feet high, it’s the tallest square keep to survive in Europe, and a magnificent example of 11th-century Norman architecture.

The castle was besieged many times, but in 1215, King John devised an ingenious plan to attack the rebel Barons who’d seized it. He tunneled under the southeast tower of the keep, lined the tunnel with pig fat (used as an "explosive" before the days of gunpowder), stuffed it with hay, and lit everything on fire… collapsing the southwest tower of the keep.

After almost 900 years, Rochester Castle is a shell of what it once was. But you can still admire the mighty square keep and fairs and festivals on the castle green… and if you climb the spiral staircases that run the outer walls, you can marvel at the view of River Medway and the surrounding towns beyond Rochester.

Almost directly across from the castle is Rochester Cathedral. The second-oldest cathedral in England (after Canterbury), it was founded in AD 604 and personally consecrated by Saint Augustine. King Henry VIII met his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, in the cloisters there.

On the choir wall is a painting that should never have survived Henry VIII’s Protestant Reformation, when many religious paintings and objects were destroyed. One of the best-preserved paintings in the cathedral, Wheel of Fortune, an allegory of money, power, and the sin of ambition, was half obscured by a pulpit; the reformers only destroyed the half they could see.

You’ll also find the wonderfully preserved "Book of Rochester" on display. Written by a single scribe in the 12th century, it contains the only copy of the oldest set of English laws, predating the Magna Carta by about 100 years.

Between the castle and the cathedral, you’ll be in historical heaven. But don’t miss Rochester’s picturesque cobblestone High Street, with independent shops, cafes, art galleries, and Elizabethan architecture. What I loved most were the quirky half-timbered houses, the centuries-old alms, the pilgrims’ houses, and the pubs and hotels Charles Dickens was known to haunt. His experiences in this area inspired many of his novels, including Great Expectations.

Rochester checks all the boxes for a superb, fun-filled day trip (or two). It’s a unique town with a local spirit, where cute shops and tearooms have kept most of the chain stores out. In less than an hour on Southeastern trains, you’re in the land of castles, cathedrals, and a literary icon.

Bletchley Park

Step inside the secret WWII codebreaking center where Alan Turing and his team cracked the Enigma machine.
Step inside the secret WWII codebreaking center where Alan Turing and his team cracked the Enigma machine.|©iStock/Tyler Black

Stepping onto Bletchley’s hallowed grounds feels like going back in time, where the air is thick with the cigarette smoke and burdens of the past.

Imagine this: Britain was losing the war and desperate to break the notoriously complex German codes sent by their Enigma machine. The Germans were so confident in Enigma that they transmitted messages freely over the radio airwaves as Morse code. These codes were changed daily with 59 million, million, million possibilities and were considered unbreakable.

Bletchley Park was set up to do just that, with hundreds of staff (over 75% were women) working around the clock trying to break the codes by hand. Everyone who worked there had to sign the Official Secrets Act, which required them to keep their work secret for decades, even from their families.

The once-secret hub was the central site for British intelligence during World War II, where Alan Turing and a team of codebreakers successfully built "the Bombe," a machine that would crack thousands of daily Nazi messages.

The whole area has been meticulously preserved and transformed into a museum offering visitors an interactive experience in the world of clandestine codebreaking. A dramatic Victorian mansion welcomes visitors to explore its various rooms—the library, where codebreakers pored over intercepted messages, and the offices, where pivotal decisions were made, are just a few highlights. There are also small huts with exhibits of reconstructed codebreaking machines and personal items of those behind the deciphering efforts.

But the section I loved most was the Enigma exhibit, where I learned the mechanics of the legendary encryption device. The Enigma and the Bombe machines on interactive displays completely blew my mind. The trillions of combinations of code—cracked!

The intelligence produced at Bletchley is estimated to have shortened the war by two to four years. It’s not only the birthplace of modern computing, but also one of Britain’s best-kept secrets. Winston Churchill said Bletchley workers were the "geese that laid the golden eggs and never cackled."

Just 35 minutes by train from London, Bletchley Park makes an excellent day trip. Great Western Railway runs every hour from Euston Station for as little as $11.50 per person.

Epping Forest

Epping Forest’s ancient trails hide Iron Age forts, royal hunting lodges, and remnants of WWII bomb craters.
Epping Forest’s ancient trails hide Iron Age forts, royal hunting lodges, and remnants of WWII bomb craters.|©iStock/Aerial Essex

The largest open space in the London area, Epping Forest covers over 8,000 acres and is a perfect place to spend the day hiking, biking, or horseback riding. It’s a 30-minute Tube ride out of London.

The forest has been densely wooded since Neolithic times, with ancient trees dating back to Anglo-Saxon days and representing some of the oldest in Europe. The area was once common land for firewood until Henry I designated it a royal forest in the 12th century. Today three royal forests with lodges built for the Royal Hunt can be found within this expansive park. It is also the site of Iron Age hillforts built over 2,000 years ago to hold livestock and as a place of refuge for the tribe.

Epping Forest also contains Queen Elizabeth I’s 16th-century hunting lodge. The forest was returned to the people in the 19th century during the reign of Queen Victoria, who dedicated it "for the enjoyment of my people forever."

While hiking one of the many trails, I came across an obelisk built in the 18th century to honor Queen Boudicca (also spelled Boudica or Boadicea) of the Iceni Tribe in her last stand against the Romans in 60-61 CE. She’s famously known for her last words, "We must win this battle or die."

A great place to start your journey is at the Epping Forest Visitor Centre. And for a unique stay, select a room at the Royal Forest, a historic pub/hotel nestled in the heart of the forest, or choose from a variety of cabins at the Lee Valley Campsite, Sewardstone.

Uncovering the WWII Connection

During the "Blitz" (1940-1941), a nine-month German air attack, very few areas of England were left untouched. However, the London area was most affected; thus, all three day trips mentioned above have a World War II connection.

Because of its proximity to London, Epping Forest had temporary huts set up to house refugees from the London bombings; these later housed German POWs. Anti-aircraft gun sites were posted throughout, and a decoy air station to protect RAF North Weald was set up nearby to draw attention away from the actual airfield, complete with planes and landing strips made from canvas and cardboard (just like a Hollywood film set). Today, the ponds scattered among the Forest are the remains of V2 rocket bomb craters.

Rochester also played a pivotal role during WWII, including the Dunkirk evacuation, the Battle of Britain, and the preparations for D-Day. The town was indispensable to the war effort, manufacturing Stirling bombers, seaplanes, and the warship HMS Rochester. Concrete barges were built to carry fuel to support the invasion of Normandy. Many were used as a deception for the invasion of Calais (instead of Normandy). Because it was on the direct line to London and a major manufacturing town, it was bombed almost every night by the Luftwaffe.

Rochester has been rebuilt, and there is little damage to be seen from those bombs, but one can still find many of the concrete barges used as marina jetties and even a club boathouse.

Bletchley Park, nestled in the tranquil English countryside, is a testament to the ingenuity and perseverance of the Allies in the fight against Germany.

From castles and cathedrals to peaceful hikes and computers, you can find them all a short train ride away from London.

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