"Knole Park tells the story of a time before man-made landscaped beauty became an obsession for wealthy landowners. The famous deer herd are its main guardians, maintaining the balance of nature with their careful grazing."
I've seen some lovely photos of people up close with the deer at Knole Park in Sevenoaks, Kent. Sunday was a lovely day to go and explore and do some Bambi watching.
It costs £4 to park at Knole Park (free for National Trust members). Once there - you are free to roam the 1,000 acre park.
Kent's last medieval deer park is home to a 350-strong wild deer herd. They're descendants of those hunted by Henry VIII and roam the 1,000 acres of parkland year-round. Knole's parkland is exceptional in its vast size and unmanaged landscape.
Here's an interesting fact - deer need salt year round, and their requirements vary depending on the season. A salt lick, also known as a mineral lick, is a location where animals can go lick much needed minerals and nutrients from salt deposits. They are either natural occurring or artificially made.
The kids loved being able to get pretty close to the deer. You are encouraged not to approach them. Although they appear friendly, obviously they are wild animals but this one came right over to us.
We had a good walk about through the bracken and the woodland.
There is a cafe on site and you are also welcome to enter the house for an extra charge (again National Trust members enter for free). Just under 20 rooms and courtyards are open to the public. These include the magnificent Great Hall, the heart of the medieval house, and Knole's three long galleries leading to their state bedrooms and attendant dressing rooms.
We will have to look inside next time we visit.
Knole is a beautiful place to visit and get some freash air. Check here for opening times.