Oh my God it’s good to get away.

The calmness has arrived today, it is day 5 of Erbie and my annual visitation to Whitstable, a pretty seaside village on the Kent coast, famous for its oyster beds, great little shops, good restaurants and nice pubs. 

Whitstable in the sunshine 2019

Depending on who you speak to it’s referred to as North (or South) London-on-Sea. We house-sit for someone who moved here after starting a family. The price of their North London flat afforded them a large 4 bedroom house with vast garden in Whitstable, which has since seen their 3 children grow and blossom. 

Earbie and I rose at 8am this morning, straight to the huge trampoline in the garden for a bounce, and here I am.

The weather has been pretty meh, but are we bothered? No we are not.

We took a bus to the Wildwood Trust, in Herne Bay, on Monday, to see the wolves. Erbie was a wolf in his end of primary production, ‘Into The Woods’ and he wanted to meet his brethren – I’d say he was a method actor.

The Wildwood Trust is set in ancient woodland and keeps its animals in as natural a habitat as possible, there are wild horses, red squirrels, owls, pine martins, deer, otters, wild boar, a huge bison, a wonderful pair of bears which can be viewed from a giant treetop walkway. It is definitely worth a visit, especially as they are a charity and work on conservation of British mammals, they helped to save the water vole, Britain’s most endangered animal. 

Hello deers. Red deer at Wildwood Trust.

Bonus added - as we got the bus, on showing our ticket, our entry was half price making it even more reasonable than it already was. 

Red deer stag, Wildwood Trust

The red squirrels were hiding but we saw a pole cat and her brood of playful kittens and I glimpsed a pine martin. The larger animals were easier to see. There was an elk, and a bear, deer and horses.

Bear viewed from the walkway at Wildwood Trust

We saw the otters swimming and playing which was lovely.

Up to the bear walkway.

There are plenty of friendly informative staff around to point out animals and offer information. We saw an adder and a very large grass snake, the adder being the UK’s only venomous snake.

The walkway above the bears at Wildwood

Erbie saying hello to a red deer.

The adventure playground is excellent. Lots of climbing towers ans slides plus a drop slide whatever that may be. Erbie found out, it’s a high drop onto a polished surface that curves to catch you and turn your fall into a slide. You literally have to throw yourself off the edge, which Erbie did. Very ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’. 

Here are some rather bad pics of the rather fabulous playground.

Excellent climbing towers and slides

Wildwood Trust playground

Climbing wall at Wildwood

Wildwood playground interlinking towers and slides.

Erbie enjoying the playground.

I'm not too old to slide yet...

The Wildwood fort

Also for smaller children.

The very hungry slide at Wildwood

All in all it was a rather fantastic day out. There is also a nice cafe and a gift shop, plus you can book unique animal experiences on their website. 

Meanwhile as I type, here in the kitchen, there is a ginger cat, that Erbie named Smoky on a previous visit. He doesn’t belong to the house but is often in the garden. 

Erbie with Smoky in the garden

Smoky has just come in, walking over my laptop and turning Siri on - as is a cat’s want. 

When Smoky sits, I hear violins

Actually this was his want!

Thirsty cat.

Smoky was looking in an empty vase on the windowsill, so I determined he may be thirsty. He turned his nose up at the bowl of water I offered him, as some cats instinctively know running water is more likely to be fresh…I turned the tap on.

Today looks like being cloudy again, we might check out the local pool later.