Shorne Woods Country Park: Get Into Nature With Your Family

Shorne Woods Country Park is one of Kent's outdoor gems with much to see, and plenty of space to ride, play and enjoy the day.

Surrounded by beautiful Kent countryside, Shorne Woods Country Park is of the nine country parks in Kent, South East England, boasting 292 acres of stunning woodlands, wetlands and meadows to get lost in. Free to visit, this is an award-winning park with a Green Flag award, as well as a Gold Medal in the Country Parks category of South and Southeast in Bloom.

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Where Is It? Shorne Woods Country Park, Brewers Road, Shorne, Kent, DA12 3HX.

Getting There: By car, follow the signs on the A2 between Rochester and Gravesend. There is pay and display car park in the area near Brewers Road, as well as disabled pay and display parking available at the country park. The nearest train station to Shorne Woods Country Park are Sole Street and Higham, roughly three miles away.

Opening Times: 9am to 9pm or dusk (whichever is earlier), every day.

Facilities: There are toilet facilities at the country park, including accessible facilities. Baby changing facilities are also available at the country park.

Food: At the Shorne Woods Café, you can choose from hot meals, snacks, homemade soups and baguettes. Beside the Volunteer Garden is the park's official picnic site, should you want to have a picnic instead. Between April and September, the kiosk also offers locally-produced ice cream! Please bear in mind that the café will stop selling hot food an hour before closing time. Also, barbecues are not permitted.

Image © Jatocreate

Are Dogs Allowed? Absolutely! Feel free to bring your dog along on this family day out. According to the Shorne Woods Country Park website, dogs must be on leads in all of the meadows next to the café, the play areas, car park, trim trails, fishing lakes, and play areas. Outside of these areas, they can roam free in the park. Also, the pond in which dogs can swim is indicated from the picnic area.

Go Orienteering: The park has its own permanent course, available for all. You simply need to purchase an orienteering map from the park shop for £1, or download one from the Dartford Orienteering Klubb website.

Play! There are three fabulous areas for kids to play in. While they are currently closed as a safety precaution, we think it's still good to know for future reference.

Go Fishing: The park has two lakes for fishing. Please note that, according to the website, you'll need to have a fishing rod license that is valid in order to fish in either of the two lakes. In addition to this, to fish, you'll also need a valid Thameside Works Angling Preservation Society membership, or a day ticket can be purchased on the day from the bailiff there.

Image © Brian Toward

Adventure: Take walking, running and dog walking in the area to a new level. Each trim trail is marked to help you make the most of the beautiful outdoor space around you. See if you can spot the unusual birds in the trees when you visit, as well as the dragonflies on the lake. If visiting in the Summer, why not join their Summer Holiday Trail? At £3 a ticket, drop in between 10am and 4pm, pick up a trail sheet and go on a self-led trail of the gorgeous woods to see what you can find! If you complete a trail, you'll get a prize.

Learn: Visit the delightful Volunteer Garden for some excellent educational experiences for those who are less able. The Volunteer Garden has sculptures and plants that allow for some lovely sensory experiences. Some of the flower beds there serve the purpose of encouraging pollinators, like bees. Here, you can feel, smell, listen, and look out!

Explore: For some bonus exploration, why not try Geocaching? All you'll need is a smartphone to take part in this epic, worldwide treasure hunt.

Useful Information For Parents To Know: There are over two miles of easy-access routes, perfect for wheelchair users and buggies. Alternatively, visitors can hire one of the park's 'Trampers', mobility scooters that allow exploration with even greater convenience. They cost £2 for a two-hour session, and an induction is required for first-time users.

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