A few weeks ago, on a cloudy rainy day, Emily and I met with my friend Emma and her two boys, Elliot & Adam, and visited Blean Woods in Canterbury. Just a 15 minute drive from Ramsgate, Blean Woods is an enchanting forest and nature reserve. If you’re looking for somewhere to go for a quiet walk in a beautiful and ancient woodland, Blean Woods is the place to go.
There are five trials to explore, the longest of which takes you on an 8 mile wander through mature Oaks where you can if you’re lucky spot woodpeckers amongst many other gorgeous woodland creatures.
Of course, we didn’t take that route. To be honest we didn’t take any routes along those trials, not until towards the end of our walk. Not that it mattered. Although we took a different route, at times getting rained on, the walk itself was stunning.
It was so quiet, peaceful. You couldn’t hear anything beyond the birds singing.
If you’re really into bird spotting, there are some of the rarest breeds of woodpecker species in plain words if you’re really into bird spotting, there are some of the rarest breeds of woodpecker here too. Other species of birds include Nightingales, Sparrow-hawk, garden warblers, blackcaps, blackbirds, woodcocks, ‘chuffing’ nightjars and many more.
It’s an ideal place to go and think. But if drinking amongst peace and quiet isn’t your thing, this is also a great spot for dog walkers, adventure explorers or those who just like to go for long quiet walks. The nature reserve offers parking, dog waste bins, a rest point, a picnic area and is wheelchair friendly.
Depending on the season, you can find many amazing creatures. In the summer you can look out for dragonflies and butterflies. It’s just one of those places where you can stumble on anything and it doesn’t even matter if you see anything or not. The place is absolutely stunning. We were there for a few hours, even taking a picnic with us much to the delight of our children. Although we didn’t take any particular route, got lost on a few occasions, it didn’t really matter. It was just nice to do something different on a Saturday afternoon but didn’t involve going to a soft play area, or sitting in front of the TV. Our children enjoyed it and it’s definitely somewhere I’d like to go again.
Things you should know:
- The carpark at Blean Woods is open from 8am – 8pm all year round.
- Entrance is free to RSPB members, adults and children but donations are welcome.
For more information on how to get there including public transport and toilets, visit https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/blean-woods/
Missy, Me & Him 