Tag: visitkent

So it’s nearly time to head to Kenya with The Big Cat Sanctuary.
So to celebrate I am running a competition to for one of you and a guest to become a ranger for the day.

To win this fantastic prize all you have to do is make a donation to my just giving page by 24th September 2022, all proceeds go straight to The Big Cat Sanctuary. For every £1 donated one entry will be entered, a random winner will be selected and announced online whilst I am in Kenya. Please note the winner will be announced online with details of how to claim, please do not accept any emails or messages contact me directly if you have any questions. Please ensure you leave your name in the comments section of your donation so I ensure you are entered.

The voucher will give you and one guest the opportunity to work alongside one of the keepers and help them tend to their beautiful cats. You will possibly assist with the cat feeding routines, possibly help providing enrichment items and hopefully leave with some fabulous photos of the day spent with some of the most awesome cats on the planet.
A light buffet lunch will be included. Your day will finish with the opportunity to hand feed one of the big cats.
No travel or accommodation is provided in this prize.

Please share with friends and family so that we can raise as much money as we can.

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Canoe Wild

With many rivers and lakes in the UK exploring them safely whilst having fun is key. The excellent Canoe Wild in Grove Ferry Kent is a must if you are in the area. You can explore the River Stour using one of their canoes, SUPs or kayaks. Running from Grove Ferry and Fordwich or you could even take a trip down river to Plucks Gutter. They also do a raft building session at the Fordwich site so if there is a group of you this would be great fun activity.

They also have collaborated with ‘Euro cycle Adventures’ and ‘Cols Kent Bike Tours’ for a ‘Pedal and Paddle’ adventure break and day trips.

The River Stour

The second longest river in Kent originates as the Great Stour in Lenham and flows towards and through Canterbury where it becomes tidal and then finally enters the sea at Pegwell Bay.

The river drains many of the marshland areas with Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve being one. Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve hosts the largest reed bed in the Southeast making it an ideal place to bird watch. So, if you love nature your sure to be happy here.

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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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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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Sharing and Caring on the North Downs Way

Today I spent walking on the North Downs Way with a group of fellow ambassadors training and sharing knowledge.

It was such a lovely day with everyone really supporting each other in every way. So watch out as we are going to share with you some of the amazing hidden gems of the North Downs Way.

You can explore the North Downs Way yourself with many self guided walks available from Explore Kent or the National Trails website. If you’re looking for an ambassador guided walk I will share them as they become available across the whole North Downs Way network.

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Experience Kent

I am so excited to share some fantastic news that I am not only going to be offering experiences in Kent but that I am training to be a North Downs Way Ambassador.

The North Downs Way is 153 miles and one of the lesser know trails against those of its National Trail counterparts. It’s a true gem of the Kent and Surrey Areas and I’m going to be sharing with the world how great it is including offering my very own guided walks.

The North Downs Way travels mostly through the Kent Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty offering spectacular open spaces even though it runs in one of the most built up areas of Britain.

I’m looking forward to sharing more with you all about The North Downs way and hope to see you all exploring it too.

Check out my interview with the team at Kent Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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Summer Day Out Exploring Wingham Wildlife Park

Looking for a family fun day out? Then why not head to Wingham Wildlife Park. 

Wingham Wildlife Park is a fantastic family run park that house the largest number of animal species out of all wildlife parks and zoos in Kent. It is packed full of beautiful animals from Moon bears giraffes, chimps, meerkats, tigers and even some very exclusive dinosaurs.  

Choose to either picnic at one of the many picnic tables provided at the park or grab a treat in the café. With one café at the entrance to the park and the other located with the indoor play area.

It’s very hard to choose a favorite part but I do love the giraffes, they are just beautiful.

If you’re looking for that something extra special then you could book an animal experience or a VIP guided tour.

With an excellent indoor play area and an expanding outdoor play area, a season ticket is great for you to keep the children entertained all year round. 

It’s a wonderful place to take a visit on your own, with your family or maybe as a couple or with friends, no matter who you visit with you will not be disappointed. 

With the whole park having step free access it’s a great place for everyone to enjoy.

My top tip would be to go early and spend the whole day immersed in this truly brilliant wildlife park. 

Interesting note: The wildlife park had fantastic local support during COVID-19 from people purchasing off the Amazon wish list, they were really overwhelmed with the support from people. Keepers hosted many Facebook lives that were just truly wonderful when so many people could not leave their homes. Let’s remember people’s kindness during COVID-19 didn’t keep the money rolling in the bank and they will need support to keep their amazing wildlife Park going and I can tell you is worth every single penny for a visit or maybe two or three. 

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The Countryside Code

As we adventure and explore others are preserving and protecting so we can continue to enjoy. Do your bit and ensure you follow the countryside code when your exploring:

Respect everyone
✅ be considerate to those living in, working in and enjoying the countryside
✅ leave gates and property as you find them
✅ do not block access to gateways or driveways when parking
✅ be nice, say hello, share the space
✅ follow local signs and keep to marked paths unless wider access is available

Protect the environment
✅ take your litter home – leave no trace of your visit
✅ take care with BBQs and do not light fires
✅ always keep dogs under control and in sight
✅ dog poo –bag it and bin it – any public waste bin will do
✅ care for nature – do not cause damage or disturbance

Enjoy the outdoors
✅ check your route and local conditions
✅ plan your adventure – know what to expect and what you can do
✅ enjoy your visit, have fun, make a memory

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The beautiful ‘clock’ of the dandelion 💛

The seedhead is a large conspicuous ‘clock’ composed of cylindrical seeds with a long-stalked pappus or parachute to aid dispersal.

Dandelions have many uses including as a diuretic, the blanched leaves can be added to salads, roots are used to make dandelion ‘coffee’ and dandelion wine is made from the flowers.

Did you ever blow to tell the time or make a wish?

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