Canterbury Tales gives Our Kent Family a holiday story

When your children aren't adverse to a whinge about walking back from the corner shop - a pilgrimage from London to Canterbury could be a (very) big ask.

But thanks to the Canterbury Tales - the small matter of time travel and a mere 60-plus mile walk can be undertaken in just 45 minutes.

Five of Chaucer's most entertaining tales are brought to life by the medieval sights, sounds and smells of 14th century England where both costumed and audio guides accompany you on a trek between the two cities.

Now I'll be honest... our pilgrimage didn't get off to the best of starts. And given the choice, five minutes in, I'd have quite happily returned to London's Tabbard Inn where our colourful journey began for a stiff drink.

The semi-darkness, the figures and brilliant sound effects which, although amazingly atmospheric, took both Oscar and Liv some time to get used to and both began their walk to the shrine of St Thomas Beckett dragging their heels with a few tears thrown in for good measure. (At ages three and six they are perhaps at the lower end of the attraction's ideal visiting age.)

That said - as every parent knows - having given you the impression they dislike it one minute it didn't take long for the little turncoats to find their brave bones and pick up the pace and their enthusiasm. And by the time we met our final costumed guide both were utterly captivated with their time travelling journey.

But it was definitely the attraction's unmissable and picturesque story garden behind the Canterbury Tales, our post-pilgrimage pit stop, which brought this time period to life for them.

A knight's school quest, medieval medicine making - which included a very colourful guide to urine and the state of your health to satisfy Oscar's current desire for toilet humour - story telling and maypole dancing (where even us adults got in on the act) were all absolutely brilliant.

Thanks to Arthur - our costumed and captivating guide to medieval England and who left I think having been declared my little tribe's new bff - we were taken on a journey through the life and times of knights and fair maidens.

It was something akin to an episode of Horrible Histories.

From sword fighting and the best way to use a shield, a skip around the maypole and some good ole story telling under canvas, we continued our time travelling adventure in the glorious Canterbury sunshine.

And while the Easter holidays signalled the opening of the story garden - running until Good Friday - it will return next month for Mystical Beasts on May 1 and Magical Patterns during the half term break from Saturday, May 27 until Sunday, June 4.

It will be swiftly followed by further events in the July and August summer holidays.

All are included in the Canterbury Tales' admission price and I can't recommend it enough.

My little knights are still talking about that afternoon a week on.

Everything they learnt, took part in and of course their time with erm...King Arthur?

For further details and ticket information visit the Canterbury Tales website.