After having to re-schedule our visit to Hever Castle several times thanks to the rain and some minor illnesses over the last few weeks, we finally made it to The Jousting Tournament last Sunday to see what this much talked about event is all about!
The Jousting, which is also running this Bank Holiday Weekend starts at 2.15pm and we decided to make a day of it by getting there early and taking advantage of everything else Hever Castle has to offer.
Our first port of call was the fountain by the Italian Garden and lake where the kids got to throw a coin in and make a wish. Let’s hope they come true! We continued on to where the Knight’s School and Archery were taking place. We arrived while the Knight’s School session was already taking place, and although we intended to go back later, there was so much to see and do that we didn’t get the chance! Several friends have gone along to it and promise that it’s great fun.
Any trip to Hever Castle needs to include a visit to the Adventure Playground – The older two children loved running around the Tower Maize, climbing up and down ladders and slides and running through the tunnels named after each of King Henry VIII’s wives.
Next up was lunch at The Moat Restaurant. The children chose to have a ‘pick a mix’ lunch which is 5 items for £5. Top tip – It’s possible to get two rolls (ham or cheese) as part of this so I ended up just getting one lunch between my boys (cheap-skate, I know!) as I also had a few extra bits and pieces for them to eat afterwards. I had a homemade sausage roll with some salad on the side while my friend had a toasted chicken sandwich. Teamed with some sweet potato fries for all of us to share – this meal definitely hit the spot. Ooh and if you are really treating yourself – try the chocolate brownie with nuts. It’s divine!
At the jousting, we contemplated purchasing tickets for the covered seating (which goes on sale at 1pm where the Jousting takes place) but as it was fairly sunny, we decided against it and sat quite close to the entrance where the horses and riders come through. We got there at around 1.45pm and the event started at 2.15pm. There is a procession with the King and Queen from the Castle up to the field, however with three young kids between us at the event, we thought it would be better to get settled and wait for the Royals’ grand arrival. We forgot our picnic blanket so if you are thinking of going – try to remember yours!
King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn made their way into the arena and we were then introduced to the Knights and their Horses who put on a thrilling and action packed display throughout the show. Some of the falls were slightly alarming but they seemed to pick themselves up and get on with the joust, so I think they may have been seemed more dramatic than they were! We were told we are on the blue team and got to cheer on our blue knight who did a stellar job at defending his side and should surely be on his way to becoming this season’s champion knight.
All of the children were invited to take part in a procession around the arena and Ben insisted on joining in with me in tow too! It was actually a really lolvely thing to do and my eldest son, who was dressed in his Knight’s Costume, enjoyed parading around with his sword and shield.
The competition which involved riding to spear enemy ‘heads’ from the ground was certainly an eye-opener for the four year olds, especially since we were sitting near where they dropped the heads after spearing them! A definite highlight of the competition was the duel on horseback between two knights who were armed with a 4-metre lance and shield!
All-in-all, the Jousting at Hever Castle is a super day out for any aspiring knight or princess. It takes place on most weekends throughout the summer, with the last sessions for 2016 taking place from now until Monday (29th August). Find out more on the Hever Castle website HERE.