Today the Marine Conservation Society announced its list of clean beaches. Although the news isn’t great, there are still some lovely beaches near Elmfield to visit. A full list of can be found at http://www.goodbeachguide.co.uk/

We would recommend sandy beaches at Dymchurch 20 minutes away, or Joss Bay near Margate 45 minutes. Hythe just 10 minutes away has a lovely shingle beach with sandpit play areas, and a promanade all the way to Folkestone.

Visit Britain have produced a list of discounts available for visitor attractions in Kent.  These range from Credit Crunch Lunch offers with the National Trust to where to get 20% discount on entry to the two closest wildlife parks Port Lympne and Howletts.  Click here for more information.

Along the Royal Military canal today I saw lots of twitchers with cameras with the most enormous lenses. They told me that a Green Heron had been seen very near by. This is a very rare visitor to the country and indeed has not been recorded in Kent before.

Although I didn’t see the bird, here is a picture of what a Green Heron looks like.  BBC News release about Green Heron

We do encourage wild birds to visit the cottage gardens. We have many blue and great tits, gold and green finches, siskins, yellow hammers, spotted and green woodpeckers amongst others. We do have a Heron regularly visiting the duck pond – unfortunately it isn’t a green one!

Elmfield is only 10 minutes from the Royal Military Canal – where the green heron was seen.  The Dunganess Nature reserve is less than half an hour from here and has many unusual birds including 2 Marsh Harriers.  These fledged at the nature reserve where improvements to their wetland habitat has attracted these rare birds.

Dover castle is an amazing place to visit.  Along with the usual attractions from Saturday 25th  October until Friday 31st October you can enjoy a chilling fun day out.  Spooky characters will take you around the haunted castle.  Children are invited to turn up in fancy dress.

Alternatively you can visit Canterbury Environmental Centre on Friday 31st October to join a guided walk by lantern with gory games and freaky face painting.

With an amazing array of theatre, walks, music and events, the Canterbury festival runs from 11 – 25th October. There are children’s events, music concerts and workshops or even try your hand at Morris dancing – there really is something for everyone.   Every night of the Festival, Canterbury restaurants will be offering a 2 or 3 course meal for just £10  as part of the great ‘Eat Out’.  For more information visit the Canterbury Festival website.

Elmfield farm is set on top of the North Downs and is only 15 minutes from Canterbury town.

The Folkestone triennial starts today.  There are many sculptures, installation and activities for more information click here

Today the the Marine Conservation Society has published its latest guide to the state of the UK’s beaches.  They assess quality of the water and how sewage discharge is treated, recommending beaches in its Good Beach Guide only if it exceeds the guideline European water quality standard.

Although the news isnt good for all beaches, Kents beaches have faired comparatively well.

Our favourite beaches are all on the Conservation Society Recommended List.  They are:

Hythe – Pebbled beach with sandpit – 10 minutes from Elmfield

Joss, Stone and Botany Bays – picturesque sandy bays, some rock-pools and fossils with  varying levels of facilities – 50 minutes from Elmfield

Dymchurch, St Marys Bay- Sandy Beach (until high tide) 20 minutes from Elmfield

For a full list of beaches click here

Six new projects by Christian Boltanski, Tacita Dean, Sejla Kameric, Langlands & Bell, Pae White and Mark Wallinger have been announced for the inaugural Folkestone Triennial which will run from 14 June – 14 September 2008. One of the most ambitious public art projects to be presented in the UK, the Triennial is a three-yearly exhibition of works which will be specially created for public spaces throughout Folkestone.

Click here for more information about this exciting project.

Folkestone is just 20 minutes from Elmfield Farm Cottages.

The bluebells are in full bloom in the woods at the moment. Not only do they look lovely, the smell is wonderful too.

The bluebells also spread into Top Corner field where this Autumn we will be planting more trees to extend the woodland. The England Woodland Grant Scheme from the Forestry Commission is helping to fund these trees. We will be planting the same varieties as are in the existing woods. Hornbeam, Oak, Ash, birch and Field Maple.

The Kent County Cricket Club has announced the fixture dates for the forthcoming season.  The Canterbury Cricket ground is only 15 minutes from Elmfield Farm, and is playing host to some amazing matches.

There are a couple of pre-season friendlys in April, and then on the 28th April Kent play New Zealand.  The matches continue all season, until 24th September when the first XI play against Durham.

A full list of matches can be found at Kent County Cricket Club