Family Experiences with The Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)

Bonjour lecteurs! Our très belle région is a vast area. And even though we have been living in Kent for nearly five years now, there are still some parts we are yet to visit. My followers regularly ask me for recommendations for days out in Kent. Well, you are in for a treat. We have recently tried some local Family Experiences in The Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Let me show you what fun adventures you can have with your famille.

Kent Downs AONB

England is a stunning country with diverse landscapes, but the Kent Downs AONB is definitely our préférés. Indeed, the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) certainly stands out!

It’s one of the most iconic parts of England to see and I invite you to come down and enjoy its treasures with your family.

We are very lucky to live in Kent. En plus, I am always very keen to support local businesses, as well as protected landscapes.

I feel c’est très important to show Stanley all the beautiful aspects nature has to offer.

And this year, the AONB organisation has teamed up with local businesses and partners to develop more than 30 new experiences for you to try.

This Art of Mine

For our first family experience, we attended a class at This Art of Mine. Kate’s studio is situated on top of a hill.

After driving along the narrow roads in the stunning Kentish country, we arrived at the beautiful studio.

You can learn all about pottery, with the same traditional techniques that have been used for centuries.

Stanley eventually selected a bunny, while I was in charge of painting the house.

It was so relaxing to paint some pottery. I must say I am not really une personne créative, but somehow I found it very therapeutic.

And Kate answered all my questions regarding pottery painting with little tips for our creations to be as parfaites as possible.

As for Stanley, he was truly in his élément. He is always so much more focused when he does something creative like that.

This Art Of  Mine was l’introduction parfaite to pottery painting.

I painted my house with three layers to reach the right shade.

Once you are finished, the team collects your item and fires it for you.

I can’t wait to pick up our pieces next week. It will make a fabulous Christmas present.

Natural Pathways

For our second experience, we drove near Barham for a Family Mini Survival Adventure with Hannah from Natural Pathways.

That was well more adventurous. We arrived at the woods where a basic camp was set up.

First, we went around the area, learning about the wildlife, and looking for animal pints.

But also discovering more about plants and trees. Hannah has so much knowledge.

She actually lived in the wild in Australia for a year or so.

I must say I felt totally out of my comfort zone. You know me, I am very much a creature of comfort. I like nothing more than a good spa hotel!

But we learned so much. We carried on, looking at skulls trying to work out what animals they were from.

And we had so much fun building a fire from scratches. No matches! We only used fire steel, some branches, and hay.

We even cooked some marshmallows and sausages. And I enjoyed some chesnuts grilled.

You can even build your own den or learn bushcraft and survival skills.

I recommend doing this with some friends so that it can be even more fun for the children!

Is there anything better than sleeping under the stars in full nature and going back to basics?

We went for a basic Family Mini Survival Adventure, but Hannah also offers other survival courses to live in the wild such as a Family Bushcraft Camp.

Check her website here for more info.

Walks & More

The Kent Downs AONB has so many fabulous experiences for you.

Start exploring the area with #UptheKentDowns now.

And for more last-minute adventures, you can also see the Kent Downs AONB website for places to visit and local walks.

It’s easy and free. We always have some great family days out in the area. Plus, we make many memories along the way.

Some of our classic days out include the Wye National Nature Reserve, Chartham, or even the beautiful Elham Valley.

Par exemple, don’t miss Elham playground on the southeast side of the village!

But recently, we also enjoyed a walk around Lullingston Country Park. You see, the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is over 326 square miles, so there is so much to explore!

Family Experiences with The Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)

I am so glad we collaborated with The Kent Downs AONB over the last few weeks.

Our Family Experiences with The Kent Downs AONB were totally out of the ordinary. 

I literally expanded my horizons and it was so lovely to see Stanley getting involved in new activities.

If you follow my blog, you will know that we get to experience many days out. Yet, both This Art of Mine and Natural Pathways got us out of our comfort zones.

Not only we discovered some new areas in Kent we want to explore again in the future. But we also learned so many new skills while having fun.

What experience would you like to try with your children? What’s your favourite part of Kent Downs AONB? What place will you go and check out next? Go and have a look now at the large choice of Family Experiences with The Kent Downs AONB . 

 

I hope I inspired you to go on an adventure with your tribe very soon. Share now in the comments what you will do next.

Follow the hashtag #upthekentdowns for more inspiration on social media.

 

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with the Kent Downs AONB. Co-funded by the European Union European and Regional Development Fund.