Day 24 starts with a very early morning wake up to see the Sissinghurst castle in the light of a tiny silvery crescent moon through our window. At a more sensible hour the breakfast part of our B&B is partaken in the farmhouse dining room with morning light streaming through the huge windows. The rest of our Sissinghurst day is spent exploring our beautiful surroundings on foot.

Climbing the castle tower is a little easier than the Giralda in Sevilla despite its narrow spiral steps, and it provides a very different, but equally impressive view – this time of natural architecture.

Sissinghurst is part of the National Trust’s Library restoration project with a team of cataloguers and conservators working on the ageing collection of past owners Vita Sackville-West and Sir Harold Nicolson.

Being in residence and having National Trust reciprocal membership makes for a very leisurely, relaxed getting to know Sissinghurst.

We take up our host’s second dining recommendation and get the car out for the first time today to go to The Bull at Benenden.