I had a pretty busy Summer work-wise so when the weekends rolled around I’d pack my camera and a picnic and take my car for a spin out of the city.

Right off the A229 motorway in Maidstone is Tyland Barn -Kent Wildlife Trust’s HQ.  One Sunday I spied on Twitter that they were holding an open day I decided to head down to check it out.

Whether you have children or want to practise taking pictures of wee beasties Tyland Barn is a great place to start.  As soon as I pulled into the car park the motorway I’d been on moments before faded away and my soul was soothed by birdsong the minute my feet touched the ground.

In the Summer months the reserve is an oasis for bumblebees and I managed to get plenty of photography practice in with my very gracious models who posed patiently in between supping on nectar from the many blooms.

I’m often struck by how hectic city life can be and while I love the hustle and bustle there’s nothing better than getting outside and hitting the reset button.

As an outdoor space it’s relatively compact which is good for wee ones but it’s worth noting children ought to be supervised at all times as the ponds are disguised by tall reeds.

If you fancy a sit down there are benches dotted all around, bearing loving dedications to couples who whiled away many an afternoon here.  I couldn’t help but wonder about the view those couples would have had when they sat there all those years ago.

The site is tended to by a team of dedicated staff and volunteers with a wealth of knowledge about flora and fauna specific to the region so if you have a question about attracting wildlife to your garden I’d wage the team here are definitely worth approaching.

There’s a visitor centre with a cafe, shop and toilets indoors.  While the visitor centre seems wheelchair accessible some of the paths are rough and not necessarily wide enough to provide sufficient wheelchair access.

Entrance is free though you may wish to make a donation in support of Kent Wildlife Trust’s work across the region.

I’ll leave you with my favourite picture of the day, fuzzy as it is.  This beautiful female gatekeeper butterfly (*I think*  She didn’t stick around long enough to make sure,) rested on a low leaf in front of me just long enough for me to take a quick snap before disappearing to carry on her day of adventuring.

Until next time,

L X