What better way to spend a day than with a picnic under a cherry tree, admiring the blossoms overhead and, preferably, sipping on something bubbly? Well, at the end of April that’s exactly what I did, (exchanging the bubbles for coffee,) as I hit the motorway, Faversham-bound, for the Hanami Festival at Brogdale Orchards.
I’ve been a member of WWT – that’s the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust for those in the know – for a good 5 years but, as Northern Ireland only has one WWT Centre I’ve not explored as much as I’d like.
With this in mind, I recently blew the dust off my membership card and headed to Barnes in West London to see how the London Wetland Centre compares to NI’s Castle Espie.
Since moving to London I’ve been desperate to see the British bluebells that captured the hearts and quills of the Brontë sisters but, for one reason or another, I never quite managed it. That is, until last weekend.
After a quick check of the bluebell status on Twitter and with a full camera battery I headed South along the motorway to the National Trust’s Hatchlands Park Estate.
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.
Tales of adventure 