Kent Staycation 2020 | Page 60

COUNTRY: DAYS OUT Chartwell, Westerham Rare Breeds Centre, Woodchurch Bedgebury Pinetum, Flimwell A fun and enjoyable day out for all the family, meet creepy crawlies, birds of prey, encounter farm and pet animals, delight in the indoor and outdoor play areas and even race the pigs! www.rarebreeds.org.uk Award-winning visitor attraction surrounded by 10.5 sq kilometres of forest. A beautiful setting for peaceful walks and picnics with wonderful views across the Pinetum, or enjoy events all year from summer concerts to winter light extravaganzas. www.bedgeburypinetum.org.uk Howletts Wild Animal Park, nr Canterbury Chiddingstone Castle, Chiddingstone Over 450 animals and 50 individual species, plus plenty of births and arrivals. Visitors have the opportunity to see real animals up close and to be part of conservation in action. www.aspinallfoundation.org/howletts Fascinating historic house with breathtaking views of the North Downs, complemented by its large lawns. Perfect for picnics, fishing in the beautiful lake, or marvelling at the daffodils in the springtime. www.chiddingstonecastle.org.uk Wingham WIldlife Park, nr Canterbury Maison Dieu, nr Faversham See mandrills, penguins, aldabra giant tortoises and smooth-coated otters, which you cannot see in any other wildlife park in the world! Or, take a walk on the wild side in the dinosaur exhibit. www.winghamwildlifepark.co.uk Fascinating medieval building dating to 1234. Formally a royal lodge, hospital, and an almshouse for royal servants, it is now a museum, showcasing Roman and medieval artefacts found nearby. www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/maison- dieu The Hop Farm, Paddock Wood Ideal family day out with outdoor and indoor play areas, farm animals, live entertainment and regular school holiday activities. www.thehopfarm.co.uk Ightham Mote, Ivy Hatch nr Sevenoaks Picture-perfect, 14th-century timber-framed manor house, on its own little island surrounded by water. Take in the lakes, ancient bluebell woodland and the scented garden as well as the house dating back nearly 700 years. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ightham-mote Lullingstone Castle, nr Dartford One of England’s oldest family estates, dating back to the time of Domesday. The World Garden combines plant heritage with cutting-edge horticulture containing some 8,000 unusual plants. www.lullingstonecastle.co.uk 60