General information
The walks are free of charge and they take about two hours. All start by the Cobtree Cabin cafeteria near the car park. Booking is recommended for all the walks and essential for the High-tech Easter Trail and for Gert and Daisy – the Story of Maidstone Zoo. The walks are led by highly-knowledgeable guides, both amateur and professional. The terrain is sloping and paths are ‘natural’ i.e. grass/dirt. Events may be cancelled due to bad weather, without prior notice. The park is entered from Forstal Road and not from A 229 (access to the Golf Course).
| 2012 DIARY OF EVENTS AT COBTREE MANOR PARK | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DATE | TIME | TITLE | WHAT TO EXPECT | BOOKING |
| APRIL | ||||
| Wednesday, 4th April | 10am-12pm | Wildlife Wander for all the Family | Join Medway Valley Countryside Partnership for a guided walk looking out for the wildlife that lives at the park | 01622 683 695 |
| Saturday, 7th April | 10am-2pm | Nature Detectives - High Tech Easter Trail | A treasure hunt with a difference, using global positioning system (GPS) to find clues hidden around the park | 01622 683 695 (booking essential) |
| Thursday, 26th April | 10am-12pm | Ramble with Ranger | A guided walk with the Park Ranger, looking at nature and discovering the remnants of the park's past | 07870 988 128 or ParksandLeisure@maidstone.gov.uk |
| Sunday, 28 April | 10am-12pm | Ramble with Ranger | A guided walk with the Park Ranger, looking at nature and discovering the remnants of the park's past | 07870 988 128 or ParksandLeisure@maidstone.gov.uk |
| MAY | ||||
| Sunday, 6th May | 5:30-7:30am | Early Birds | A walk around the park with a local bird enthusiast, listening to the dawn chorus and identifying the singers | 07870 988 128 or ParksandLeisure@maidstone.gov.uk |
| Thursday, 10th May | 10am-12:30 | Spring Tucker in the Countryside NEW | With the Ranger, venture into the countryside looking for edible leaves and flowers. Walk 2.5 miles long, wear comfy shoes! | 07870 988 128 or ParksandLeisure@maidstone.gov.uk |
| Sunday, 13th May | 10am-12:30 | Spring Tucker in the Countryside NEW | With the Ranger, venture into the countryside looking for edible leaves and flowers. Walk 2.5 miles long, wear comfy shoes! | 07870 988 128 or ParksandLeisure@maidstone.gov.uk |
| Sunday, 20th May | 10am-12pm | Basic Birds | An introduction to the birds that visit or live in the park - a morning of bird facts and bird identification | 01622 683 695 |
| Sunday, 27th May | 10am-12pm | Gert and Daisy - the Story of Maidstone Zoo | A guided walk with a local historian, finding traces of Sir Garrard's Zoo Park and listening to fascinating stories and anecdotes about it | ParksandLeisure@maidstone.gov.uk or 07870 988 128 (booking essential) |
| JUNE | ||||
| Friday, 8th June | 10am-12pm | Minibeast Safari | Searching wild habitats for butterflies, beetles, caterpillars, and having a closer look at these amazing creatures | 01622 683 695 |
| Saturday, 16th June | 10am-12pm | Gert and Daisy - the Story of Maidstone Zoo | A guided walk with a local historian, finding traces of Sir Garrard's Zoo Park and listening to fascinating stories and anecdotes about it | ParksandLeisure@maidstone.gov.uk or 07870 988 128 (booking essential) |
| Thursday, 21st June | 10am-12pm | Trees of the British Isles | With the help of the Ranger, try to identify our native trees and learn what they do for wildlife and for us | 07870 988 128 or ParksandLeisure@maidstone.gov.uk |
| Sunday, 24th June | 10am-12pm | Trees of the British Isles | With the help of the Ranger, try to identify our native trees and learn what they do for wildlife and for us | 07870 988 128 or ParksandLeisure@maidstone.gov.uk |
| JULY | ||||
| Sunday, 1st July | 10am-12pm | Minibeast Safari | Searching wild habitats for butterflies, beetles, caterpillars, and having a closer look at these amazing creatures | 01622 683 695 |
| Thursday, 5th July | 10am-12pm | Gert and Daisy - the Story of Maidstone Zoo | A guided walk with a local historian, finding traces of Sir Garrard's Zoo Park and listening to fascinating stories and anecdotes about it | ParksandLeisure@maidstone.gov.uk or 07870 988 128 (booking essential) |
| Thursday, 19th July | 10am-12pm | Trees from Around the World | With the Ranger, discover the many trees from the temperate zones of Europe, Asia, Australia and America that grow at Cobtree | 07870 988 128 or ParksandLeisure@maidstone.gov.uk |
| Sunday, 22nd July | 10am-12pm | Trees from Around the World | With the Ranger, discover the many trees from the temperate zones of Europe, Asia, Australia and America that grow at Cobtree | 07870 988 128 or ParksandLeisure@maidstone.gov.uk |
| Friday, 27th July | 9pm-11pm | Wild Creatures of the Night | A night-time walk looking for animals that are active after dark: bats, owls, glow-worms and others. Please, bring a torch. | 01622 683 695 |
| AUGUST | ||||
| Sunday, 5th August | 10am-12pm | Gert and Daisy - the Story of Maidstone Zoo | A guided walk with a local historian, finding traces of Sir Garrard's Zoo Park and listening to fascinating stories and anecdotes about it | ParksandLeisure@maidstone.gov.uk or 07870 988 128 (booking essential) |
| Wednesday, 8th August | 10am-12:30 | Go Wild at Cobtree NEW | Join Medway Valley Countryside Partnership for a morning of wildlife-related fun: minibeast hunts, guided walks and crafts | 01622 683 695 |
| Wednesday, 15th August | 10am-12:30 | Go Wild at Cobtree NEW | Join Medway Valley Countryside Partnership for a morning of wildlife-related fun: minibeast hunts, guided walks and crafts | 01622 683 695 |
| Wednesday, 22nd August | 10am-12pm | Ramble with Ranger | A guided walk with the Park Ranger, looking at nature and discovering the remnants of the park's past | 07870 988 128 or ParksandLeisure@maidstone.gov.uk |
| Friday, 24th August | 8pm-10pm | Bats at Cobtree (European Bat Weekend) | A stroll around the park to see what comes out flying at night! | 01622 683 695 |
| Wednesday, 29th August | 10am-12pm | Ramble with Ranger | A guided walk with the Park Ranger, looking at nature and discovering the remnants of the park's past | 07870 988 128 or ParksandLeisure@maidstone.gov.uk |
| SEPTEMBER | ||||
| OCTOBER | ||||
| Thursday, 4th October | 10am-12pm | Berried Treasures of Late Summer | A walk with the Ranger, finding edible wild fruits and learning what to do with them in the kitchen | 07870 988 128 or ParksandLeisure@maidstone.gov.uk |
| Sunday, 7th October | 10am-12pm | Berried Treasures of Late Summer | A walk with the Ranger, finding edible wild fruits and learning what to do with them in the kitchen | 07870 988 128 or ParksandLeisure@maidstone.gov.uk |
| Thursday, 18th October | 10am-12pm | Cobtree Estate Ramble NEW | A 2 mile walk around the Estate - the legacy of Sir Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake - exploring its past, present and future | 07870 988 128 or ParksandLeisure@maidstone.gov.uk |
| Sunday, 21st October | 10am-12pm | Cobtree Estate Ramble NEW | A 2 mile walk around the Estate - the legacy of Sir Garrard Tyrwhitt-Drake - exploring its past, present and future | 07870 988 128 or ParksandLeisure@maidstone.gov.uk |
| Tuesday, 30th October | 10am-12pm | Fungi and Berries Autumn Forage | Berries, nuts, seeds and fungi - a walk to discover the value of these autumn fruits for wildlife | 01622 683 695 |
