Tag: explore kent

Whitstable Castle and Castle Gardens 

Whitstable Castle and Gardens are nestled to the side of the main town and are a fantastic free to visit morning or afternoon out.

The Castle Gardens had a renovation completed in September 2010 when extensive work was undertaken on the grounds to achieve a stunning tranquil setting. The gardens have won numerous Green Flag awards with the latest in 2020 and I’m sure they will be awarded another one soon. 

The Orangery Tearoom is open daily from 10 am until 5 pm with a great selection of food and drinks. They also offer afternoon tea, but you will need to book at least 24 hours before you visit. 

There is a lovely pirate ship play area and the paths in the gardens are easy for pushchairs and wheelchairs to use. A great place to visit all year around with the scenery constantly changing as the plants and trees change with the seasons. The castle gardens and play area is open 8am until 6pm daily, there is a car park but note the gate is locked at 6pm.

They have a calendar packed with events on all year round, some highlights coming up in August include nature detective week and mummy mania. The castle can be hired for weddings, business events and more.

Monday, the 1st of August to Friday, the 5th of August 11:00 – 15:00

Mummy Mania – Wednesday, the 10th of August 10:30 till 12:00

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Exploring Ham Fen with Kent Wildlife Trust on their Dusk Wilder Kent Safari

I was lucky to be invited to take the Kent Wildlife Dusk Wilder Kent Safari Tour to learn about the beavers re-introduction project.

Based at Ham Fen near Deal in Kent the beaver project is a hidden gem. Not open to the public you will need to book one of their experiences to enjoy and learn about the amazing work they do at the fen. I can’t tell you how many times I have driven past and known nothing about the work they have done. And I’m not going to spoil it by telling you everything so you can all go and enjoy one of their experiences too.

The project started in 2001 and has grown from 100 acres to 130 acres of beautiful wild land inhabiting not just the beavers but, birds, insects, cattle and water buffaloes.

I had a fantastic evening and although I hoped we would see a beaver I know these are wild animals and we are not guaranteed to see any. I saw so many other animals and learnt so much about something that is right on my door step.

I would recommend to anyone interested in nature and wanting the chance to explore somewhere not many can to take a look at Kent Wildlife’s Experiences here.

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Recluver Towers and Roman Fort

Sitting on the Kent coastline are the iconic Reculver Towers, the towers were a part of the remodelling of the church in the 12th century. Reculver was one of the earliest Roman Forts built to defend Saxon raids. Later becoming a Anglo Saxon monastery and then the parish church for Reculver.

The site can be viewed from the outside all year and has wonderful coastal walks both ways from the towers. One from Reculver to Birchington along the sea wall and the opposite direction will take you to Herne Bay.

There is a chargeable car park, this does get busy especially at weekends and holidays.

Located by the car park is Hat Hats Coffee shop, they have a variety of drinks, ice creams, cakes and more which is all very delicious.

Useful Links:

Reculver Towers and Roman Fort | English Heritage (english-heritage.org.uk)

History of Reculver Towers and Roman Fort | English Heritage (english-heritage.org.uk)

Home – Visit Reculver

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Half Term Ideas – Go for a Walk

Why not explore one of the fabulous walks in Kent, a few lovely ones are:

Samphire Hoe created by the Eurotunnel in 1997 is a lovely place to explore with the sea one side and the grassland the other often grazed by animals. With 200 species of plants and more than 200 species of birds it’s a haven for many and made from the discarded waste land material from the Eurotunnel; a total of forty five hectares of land was reclaimed from the English Channel utilising five million tons of spoil from creating the tunnels in the cliffs.

Brockhill Country Park with a lake, meadow, play area and picnic site its a great place for a walk. There is also a café if you would rather someone else take care of the refreshments.

Grove Ferry Picnic Site is nestled along the banks of the River Stour and the great location to start a walk. You can either explore the river banks or head to the Stodmarsh Nature Reserve which is just over the road. And if you’re  looking for some additional fun you could look to enjoy one of Canoe Wilds half term paddles.

Shorne Woods Country Park has a vast 292 acres of beautiful woodland, wetlands and meadows waiting to be explored. With trails to suit all levels it’s a great place for many to visit and boasting an eco-friendly visitor centre and restaurant you will be kept busy all day. There is also picnic and play areas to be enjoyed.

If your looking for a seaside walk Deal to Kingsdown is a lovely beach walk with space for cycling and walkers so you could even bring your bikes. Maybe you could enjoy a refreshing drink at the Zetland Arms Pub and there is often the ice cream van to be found along the way and some great fish and chip shops. The walk is easy to follow and parking is available at various places along the front at Deal and along to Kingsdown. Walk towards the beach and then follow the wide footpath/cycle path  along the beach.

So I’m going to wrap the walk ideas up as I could go on and on however I will add more places to walk in coming months. The ones above are ones that I enjoy going to over and over at different times of the year. If you follow my Instagram account I am always sharing places to walk.

If you would like some inspiration Explore Kent have some great mapped walks so take a look.

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