I always enjoy a walk around the parkland at Knole Park in Sevenoaks, Kent, no matter what time of year. This was our first visit this year and after quite a wet and miserable weekend it was nice to get some fresh air in the open countryside.

It was just after 10 30am when I arrived with Meg & Gracie, unpacked the car, camera round the neck and a dog leash in each hand. It was a pleasant morning; the sun was beginning to break through the clouds which was nice to see after a weekend of heavy rain. I tend to head away from the main house and aim back towards the main entrance gate where the cars come in, though before I reach that gate I bear right and through the trees and follow a route in a clockwise direction. Today was quite wet underfoot with several large areas of standing water from all the rain we have been having recently. It wasn’t long before we detoured slightly to watch a young fallow deer amongst the trees, it was well hidden camouflaged amid the autumnal coloured bracken, with its head popping up. Continuing down the slope between the trees I watched a small herd of about twenty fallow deer grazing on the lush green grass, quite oblivious to myself and the dogs as we slowly walked past them. After a couple of hundred yards we stopped again to watch a pair of Fallow deer Stags as they contently fed on the lichen on an old fallen tree, at times standing tall on their back legs to get some food higher up on the tree branches. We must have been sat watching the Stags for a good ten minutes before they gently wandered off to another part of the woodland. Continuing our walk, we headed up the slope towards the edge of the golf course, stopping for a few moments to get my breath and admire the view to the far end of the estate.  Once we reached the top of the slope, we headed back towards Knole house, keeping the golf course on the left, the course looked quiet today, with no sign of any golfers on the tees or fairways, that said a lot of the golf courses at home are currently closed due to the amount of rain we have had recently.

There were several small groups of fallow deer busily grazing amongst the trees on the edge of the fairways, we followed the track around the back of the house, occasionally stopping to look through the large wrought iron gates to admire the gardens of the house, set back amongst the trees. After a few more minutes we were back at the car, and after a drink and biscuit for Meg & Gracie we headed home for a late brunch.