While we are very much staying closer to home this year, especially for dog walks, it is nice at the weekend to venture a little further to give Falcon a change of scene, and one of my favourite places has to be the very pretty Hothfield Heathland, Near Ashford.
Run by the Kent Wildlife Trust, Hothfield Heathlands is one of the last remaining heathlands in Kent. It is a great place to take your dog, enjoy the beautiful landscape, spot the Konik ponies and highland cattle, as well as take in the different kind of plants, heather and gorse.
The reserve has four marked circular routes, which are indicated with waymarker discs on wooden posts, once you get through the small wooded area across the road from the car park. None of the walks are taxing, however, be warned that in wet weather the paths can become uneven. Thankfully there are boardwalks allowing access to some of the wettest parts of the reserve.
Tips for taking your dog to Hothfield Heathlands
Dogs are allowed throughout the reserve but do note that some areas require dogs to be on leads, such as near the ponies, cattle and sheep. I would also suggest you look at the map, there is one in the car park and another in the main heathland area, as they show where the highland cattle are currently grazing. If your dog isn’t a fan, you can avoid these areas.
This is a popular spot for a dog walk, but I didn’t find it over-run with dogs, and most were on a lead or under control. When it comes to Falcon, we generally keep him on a lead in places we don’t regularly go, but we did let him go climbing on the downed trees and in the more open parts of the reserve.
If like Falcon your dog likes to get wet – don’t forget to take a towel as your dog will no doubt go headfirst into the bog, and get very dirty.
A visit to Hothfield Heathlands is pretty at any time of year, while in August the heather is in bloom, I think autumn and the rich, warm hues of the season make it a special place for a walk. It really is idyllic and the landscape is beautiful. My advice, take a flask of tea and enjoy the peaceful place, the bird song is always amazing. While there may not be picnic tables and benches – there are lots of tree stumps and downed trees.
If you are interested in plants the reserve has a number of rare species such as carnivorous round-leaved sundew, cotton grass, bog asphodel and heath spotted orchids, as well as the heather and gorse.
Hothfield Heathlands, Cades Road, Maidstone Road (A20), Hothfield, Ashford, Kent, TN26 1HD
