| CELEBRATING FAVERSHAM'S HOP-PICKING HISTORY
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More than 20,000 people are expected to descend on Faversham to celebrate the annual Hop Festival on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 September.
With a carnival-like atmosphere, there will be plenty on offer for the whole family; from street entertainers, the finest local fare and live music to the ever-popular Spitfire steam train.
The festival recalls the days when hop-pickers would travel from London by train to take their annual working holiday in the fields of Kent, bringing in the harvest and ending their stay with huge parties.
The Spitfire steam train retraces the route taken by hop-pickers leaving London Bridge on Sunday 5 September, travelling through Bexleyheath, Dartford and the Medway Towns before arriving in Faversham. The return trip includes a scenic tour through Ramsgate, Dover, Ashford and Tonbridge.
The Spitfire train will also make a shorter return trip from Faversham to Dover on Sunday afternoon for festival-goers wishing to take a nostalgic journey by steam.
Shepherd Neame brewery will be open for tours and tutored beer tastings throughout the weekend, allowing visitors to see the whole brewing process from hop to hand pump. A hoppers' lunch will be served in the brewery's magnificent 15th function room, consisting of local Spitfire sausages and mash followed by a traditional Kentish apple pie. Pre-booking is strongly advised.
Return train fares are £59 in Hoppers Class or £87.50 in Spitfire Class from London Bridge with concessions for children. It's also possible to reserve tables for two or complete carriages for large groups.
The afternoon round trip from Faversham to Dover costs between £16 and £24, with concessions for children.
The train, made up of historic carriages from the 1950s and 1960s, will carry a real ale bar, serving a range of Shepherd Neame ales, and a buffet car serving soft drinks and snacks.
Train tickets are on sale now. For detailed information and bookings call 01795 542285 or book online at www.shepherdneame.co.uk. As last year's trains were sold out, passengers are advised to book their seats early.
