DAYSOUT
Folklore and Fairytales cont... ground. To make a day of the adventure, at the nearby Eynsford Castle, you’ ll also be able to see the walls of a Norman enclosure stood within the village. Home to the Lullingstone Roman Villa, visitors can gain a unique perspective into domestic life in Roman times or pick up a souvenir of the day from their gift shop. An area rife with history, you’ ll likely hear whispered myths of guardian spirits and ancient kings when exploring these Kentish long barrows.
Blean Woods Nature Reserve, Canterbury rspb. org. uk
Part of a stretch of ancient Kentish woodlands that can be traced back to around 1600, Blean’ s woodlands are a popular spot for birdwatchers in the county. A patchwork of high forest, glades and heathland, birds such as nightingales and woodpeckers tend to dwell in the dense thickets of the woods. With flat conditions across a variety of walking routes, Blean Woods are best enjoyed in the summer months when the sunlight dances through the leaves of its birch, oak, hornbeam and hazel.
In particular, English oak has a long history within European folklore and was sacred to the ancient Greeks, Celts and the Norse. A sacred wood burnt by the druids for their midsummer sacrifices and often associated with Thor, the god of thunder, lightning and storms, oak woodland is as majestic to walk through as the storybooks suggest. For those on the lookout for evidence of fairies, it’ s said that tying a ribbon to a tree and making a wish will grant you their good favour. For an option a little more friendly to the forest, why not build a little house out of twigs and leaves for the fairies to enjoy instead?
Scotney Castle, Tunbridge Wells nationaltrust. org. uk
A ruined medieval castle with a Victorian mansion house and picturesque garden, Scotney Castle is one of Kent’ s most popular spots in which to embrace the magic of the summer season. Perfect for families and those with four-legged friends, Scotney Castle’ s 780-acre estate has plenty of exhilarating walks to enjoy, as well as a shop and tearoom for refreshments on warm summer days. For those intrigued by the folklorian history of the castle, visitors have reported seeing ghostly, weed-covered figures climb out of the moat before vanishing.
By the visitor entrance, you’ ll also find a secondhand bookshop filled with pre-loved titles from just 50p each. With shelves of fiction, non-fiction and collectable editions, younger ones can head over to the children’ s corner and search for books about all manner of mystical creatures. Storybooks in hand, visitors can wander through the estate to find a place to rest and read. From the quarry garden and woodland glade to the heather-thatched icehouse and hidden walkways, the edges between wild and manicured nature are blurred into a magical outdoor display.
The Fairy Elf Village at Jeskyns Community Woodland, Gravesend forestryengland. uk
Home to 360 acres of newly planted woodlands, orchards and meadows, Jeskyns Community Woodland is a former farm that has been transformed into a mixture of traditional and modern landscapes. Fit with children’ s play areas, a cafe and a network of surfaced walking trails, a visit to Jeskyns is an exciting day out for all ages- a lovely place for children to explore, it’ s said a community of elves and fairies have recently moved into their own village within the woodland!
Just 500m from the cafe on a surfaced trail, folklore enthusiasts will discover their tiny new residences which include the Acorn Apartments, Mushroom Manor, Tree Top Village and The Old Boot Inn. From mischievous pixies to helpful brownies and swift little sprites, this little village is home to all manner of fantastic fairies. Though it’ s unlikely they’ ll be fluttering outside of their houses in the daytime, if you look closely enough at the canopy above the trail, you might even spot some tree-dwelling dryads or tiny elves running across the woodland’ s carpet of grass, brambles and buttercups.
Pluckley Village Hall, Ashford pluckley. net
Lauded as the most haunted village in Britain, Pluckley is a beautiful and historic location that boasts panoramic views across the Weald. And with a tapestry of blanketed woodland, ancient churches and meandering pathways, it’ s no wonder that tales of the supernatural blossom there. Within its paranormal portfolio, visitors will be sure to learn about The Screaming Man who can apparently be heard on foggy nights, The Red Lady seen wandering amongst the graves at St. Nicholas’ s churchyard and the echoes of a ghostly horse and carriage that trots through the village’ s main street. Another series of iconic sightings have been of The White Lady, an apparition that wanders over the grounds of the now-destroyed Dering family house’ s library. According to a Mr Walter Winan, one Christmas Eve she vanished through a panelled wall that allegedly led to a tunnel between the house and St. Nicholas’ s Church.
Some attribute this heightened supernatural activity to Pluckley’ s connection with ley lines; invisible, mystical lines of energy that connect sacred landmarks across the country. To others, the local legends have simply become more intricate over time. But for those brave enough to explore, they might get to discover the why for themselves …
THE FAIRY ELF VILLAGE
BLEAN WOODS
38 • www. insidekent. co. uk