BRASHLEY PHOTOGRAPHY

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Knole

About 30 miles from where we live is the wonderful Knole park, which is full of deer. Located just at the top of the High Street in Sevenoaks, Kent (directions at the end of post) is the gated entrance to this wonderful park. If this is your first time visiting it can easily be missed as the gates are setback from the road, but there are plenty of places to turn around.

We’ve been several times before and the park and house are maintained by the National Trust.

The last time we visited Knole we just drove in… which we thought we could do this time… but now it is a pre-booking for parking and visiting the house. Parking and visiting the house is free to National Trust Members. And by the looks of it, non-National Trust members, can only park on the grounds if you pre-book your tickets for the house and pay an extra £5 for parking. If you are not a National Trust member and only want to visit the park, you will have to park in Sevenoaks Town Centre Public Car Park.

Knole Park is open to the general public and pedestrians can walk in for free. If you only wish to visit the park, public parking is available in nearby Sevenoaks Town Car Park (satnav TN13 1LW, free on Sundays and Bank Holidays).

National Trust Website

Luckily for us the guy on the gate let us in as it wasn’t too busy as we arrived just after 10 am and are National Trust Members, even though we didn’t visit the house, as we had the dog with us.

What I love about some of the National Trust places is that they allow dogs… and Stew-boy had a lovely stroll with us around the grounds. He even saw the deer, which he ignored. Who said miracles don’t happen? 😀 😀 😀

Deer

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Whilst Stew-Boy and I caught our breath… hubby walked into the more wooded area of the park and managed to capture the shot above. The deer are not frightened of the visitors and will graze close to the house and car park. But beware they can become aggressive, so care should be taken around them.

In fact, the little deer below was doing exactly that… grazing in the car park.

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Nature

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Nature is full of wonderful things. And as hubby strolled around the wooded area, he came across this fallen tree springing into life again with fungus and ferns growing. Knole is beautiful and such a lovely walk, especially for dog walks and members of the public can walk in for free.

There is also the main house that you can visit, unfortunately not with dogs and you can’t take photographs within the house…. which is a shame. We have been in the house, and it is stunning and beautiful. Just a shame they won’t allow photographs to be taken.

My only gripe is this pre-booking of parking. When we arrived, it was not busy and even when we left there were plenty of parking space still vacant. And there is plenty of land to have an overflow car park if needed so I’m not a fan of pre-booking parking and visiting the main house, and hope the National Trust review this policy soon, as it could be off putting for visitors. Especially if you want to do a spur of the moment visit.

Finally, a word of warning… do not put in the House’s Main Postcode… it will take you to an entrance where you can’t get entry. Instead use the TN13 1HX postcode and follow the directions below.

Directions

Address: Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 0RP (Sat Nav TN13 1HX)

From north and west: leave M25 at exit 5 (A21) and follow signs for Sevenoaks. Turn right at mini-roundabout. Park entrance is in Sevenoaks town centre, left off A225 High Street (opposite St Nicholas Church). From south: Leave A21 at junction signposted Sevenoaks and follow A225 for Sevenoaks. Park entrance is on right after about 2 miles. From east: Follow A25 through Seal. Turn left at traffic lights. Continue ahead and through High Street. Park entrance is on left 300 yards beyond top of the High Street. Be mindful of the local traffic on the busy High Street as you turn in.