Picture this... It's a rather wet and miserable July afternoon, the combine has stopped rolling and everyone is catching up on 'Life Admin'. I took this as an opportunity to reward myself with a walk somewhere different and picturesque - Think Instagram worthy!
After much deliberation I decided upon Castle Farm near the pretty village of Shoreham in North Kent, just 20 minutes drive from me it was an ideal place to visit for an afternoon out. I've been meaning to visit the picturesque fields of lavender at Castle Farm for a while now and after reading that they would soon all be harvested it was a no brainer!
When I got there I was pleasantly surprised at how busy the place was. This is farm diversification at it's finest! The farm yard is full of old stone and timber buildings that fit so well with the surroundings, creating a lovely atmosphere. A few of these buildings have been converted, one into a shop which sells not only the farms produce but also local suppliers and another into a tea room.
After wandering through the farm yard (I love having a nosey at what other businesses are up to!) I made my way up to the lavender fields, there is a fenced off area where general public can walk through the rows and take pictures - There is even a very well placed bench to get the best shot! Sadly I went on a very overcast day, but I can imagine on a typically hot summers day there would be the intoxicating scent of lavender in the air and the buzz of bees around you!
Once I had taken a few moody shots of the field for Instagram I made my way back down to the farmyard to grab a coffee and of course buy some Kentish Lavender!
I have had some real issues getting a decent nights sleep lately and I hate having to rely on pills to cure this, so I was on the hunt for a natural alternative that works! After speaking with one of the very knowledgeable members of staff they recommended Lavender & Hop sleepy pillow spray and a box of Sleepy Tea. I also came away with a bunch of fresh lavender to use as decoration in my living room.
All in all, it was a lovely afternoon out and the best part of it all is I HAD A GREAT NIGHTS SLEEP!
