The words “a trip to Bluewater” and “free” are not usually heard in the same sentence but we managed to enjoy a great day out at the shopping centre that was child-friendly and didn’t cost a penny.
On a sunny Saturday morning, we headed to the mall in Greenhithe, but instead of going inside to spend money in the shops, we avoided the crowds and instead enjoyed the Bluewater Nature Trail.
Tucked away a short walk from the entrance to The Village, the trail really is a hive of wildlife. We spotted ducks, geese, swans, comorants, dragonflies and fish. And the 1.1km walk is made kid-friendly with a The Very Hungry Caterpillar theme.
To join the start of the trail, park at The Village car park and cross over the little bridge as if you’re going into the centre. To the left, by Zizzi’s outdoor seating, is the nature trail map and a container of leaflets – these have a map and some questions to answer along the way (make sure you take a pencil).
The trail has a series of information boards and the first is not far away for the starting point.
Some of the boards help you answer the questions on the trail sheet, while others just tell you more about the wildlife at the site. Don’t miss the first board, as this has the answer to one of the questions.
We followed the path, passing another information board, and reached a “reflection pond” a lovely little tranquil spot, before heading through an underpass, which has been decorated with colourful mosaics, and emerged by one of Bluewater’s lakes.
You are greeted by a huge wooden Hungry Caterpillar – the perfect place to stop for a photo and then continue on the rest of the trail.
There is plenty to see and explore along the way – as well as the information boards, there was a game of noughts and crosses, bug hotels and butterfly boxes, hopscotch, and wooden stepping stones.
The kids also really enjoying watching people fly over our heads as they sailed down the Hangloose zip wire (and now want a go themselves!)
On the opposite side of the lake to the entrance is a play area and picnic benches.
We grabbed one of the benches and the kids went off to play – climbing on a giant wooden spider, walking across a swinging bridge and balancing on a chain walk.
The play area isn’t huge, but they played for a bit, came back to the bench to eat lunch and then played some more.
By the play equipment is the “beach” area – a pebbly spot where you can feed the ducks, geese and swans. Unfortunately, we also ended up encouraging a swarm of pigeons. But after walking around the lake a bit further, we found a quiet spot where we could feed the geese and ducks without any pesky pigeons bothering us.
We walked the rest of the trail, stopping to read the boards along the way (don’t tell the kids but they could actually learn something too).
As we completed the circular walk and arrived back where we started, we spotted two comorants perched on the rocks at the edge of the lake. The information boards had told us the lake and the cliff tops around it are also home to a heron and two peregrine falcons but we didn’t see those.
Then it was back through the mosaic tunnel and past the pond again to head to the car. Overall, we’d stayed a few hours at the trail so it may not be a whole day out but it was a lovely way to spend an afternoon.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar theme makes it ideal for younger children and it’s not too far for little legs to walk.
Cost: Free to park and the trail map is free so we didn’t spend a penny. We got a few hours entertainment out of it so it was great value for (no) money.
Food and drink: We took a picnic so we didn’t have to spend any money. There’s nowhere to buy food or drink at the trail itself but you can of course pop into the centre where there is a huge choice.
Kids’ verdict: Both kids enjoyed it, although the theme means it is more appealing for younger children like Millie. She enjoyed answering the questions along the way and even Max was running ahead to find the next board by the end of the trail. Millie’s verdict: “The trail was really fun and I liked the big caterpillar.” ****
Toilets: There are no toilets at the trail but there are some just inside the centre near the entrance so not far to walk.
Location: The trail is located in the north west corner of the shopping centre. Follow signs for Village car park (which are turquoise). We looped around the centre on Parkway Crescent and then took a left at a roundabout. The postcode for the centre is DA9 9SE.
Where should we head next? Let us know what family days out you think are the best in Kent. Email jhorn@thekmgroup.co.uk
