Country parks

Details for some of the events happening over the next few months are listed below. You can find out more about activities, projects and events in Medway's country parks from January to December 2008 by downloading Greenspaces: your guide to what's on 2008 (pdf 2,954KB). To use this file, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have this on your computer, please use our advice page.

The guide is also available at council offices, the country parks and from libraries.

Find out more about leisure and tourism events in Medway.

For enquiries and bookings please use the contact details at the foot of this page.

Events include:

July

August

September

July

Mountain bike trail
Saturday, 19 July at Capstone Farm Country Park
9am – 10.30am

Come ride the trail around the park and see if you can better your lap times. For all abilities. This is a short trail with some big hills and ramps. Book in advance. £1 per person

Junior ranger club (after school)
Monday, 21 July at Riverside Country Park
4 – 4.45pm

This is a must for any budding David Bellamy. Become a ranger and study the nature that can be found in the park. The club meets weekly and activities can range from arts and crafts to walks, pond dipping and bird watching. For accompanied five to 12 year-olds. Book in advance. £1 per child.

Fishing teaching
Thursday, 24 July at Capstone Farm Country Park
Thursday, 31 July at Capstone Farm Country Park
9am – 12noon

Learn the basics of coarse fishing at Capstone with our park rangers. This is aimed at beginners and those wanting to improve. All equipment and bait will be supplied. This event is popular, so please book early to avoid disappointment. Suitable for eight to 12 year-olds. Book in advance. £8 per child.

Creative clay creatures
Wednesday, 30 July at Riverside Country Park
10am – 12noon

Take a walk around Riverside with one of the rangers, trying to spot some of the wildlife that lives at the park. On your return to the visitor centre you will have the chance to make models of what you have seen from clay. For accompanied five to 12-year-olds. Book in advance. £1 per child.

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August

Children’s digital photography’s course
Sunday, 3 August (part 1 of 2) at Capstone Farm Country Park
10am – 12noon

Bring along your digital camera and be taught how to take nature photos by one of our rangers. Having taken your photos you will be asked to choose your best picture, which will then be printed ready for next week. For accompanied six to 12 year-olds. Book in advance. £6 per child for both parts

Sunday, 10 August (Part 2 of 2) at Capstone Farm Country Park
10am - 12noon

Your best picture will be ready and waiting for you and you will now have the opportunity to make a picture frame out of natural materials.

Survival challenge
Tuesday, 5 August to Wednesday, 6 August at Capstone Farm Country Park
12noon – 12noon

Camp out in Capstone's woodlands with the rangers, sleeping in a shelter you have built from materials found in the park. You will cook your own food over the campfire, learn forest crafts and scare each other silly with ghost stories. Are you brave enough to take the Capstone survival challenge? For children aged seven and older with one accompanying adult per child unless pre-arranged. Book in advance. £8 per person includes breakfast.

Fishing teaching
Thursday, 14 August at Capstone Farm Country Park
Thursday, 21 August at Capstone Farm Country Park
Thursday, 28 August at Capstone Farm Country Park
9am – 12noon

Learn the basics of coarse fishing at Capstone with our park rangers. Aimed at beginners and those wanting to improve. All equipment and bait will be supplied. This event is popular so please book early to avoid disappointment. Suitable for eight to 12 year-olds. Book in advance. £8 per child.

Let's go batty
Thursday, 7 August at Capstone Farm Country Park
A wildlife walk with a difference. Starting at dusk, it’s an incredible opportunity to see the bats that live around the park. This event is led by the Kent Bat Group. Book in advance. £2 per person.

Medway’s natural history walk
Sunday, 10 August at Riverside Country Park
7 - 9pm

One of Medway’s most knowledgeable rangers introduces the incredible, diverse wildlife and habitats that can be found in and around Medway. This is an opportunity not to be missed for those with a real enthusiasm for local natural history. Book in advance. £1 per person.

Monsters and critter masks
Tuesday, 12 August at Riverside Country Park
10am – 12noon

Join Riverside’s rangers to make masks of the animals and bugs that live in the country park, using natural and recycled materials. Let your imagination run wild. For accompanied five to 12 year-olds. Book in advance. £2 per child.

Kite flying weekend
Saturday, 16 August at Capstone Farm Country Park
Sunday, 17 August at Capstone Farm Country Park
10am - 4pm

Bring along your kite and fly with kite enthusiasts from all over the south-east. There will also be countryside craft workshops and numerous stalls selling local food and craft items, face painting, giant bouncy castles and gladiator jousts. Entrance is £1.50 per person.

If you are interested in having a stall at this event please phone Capstone Farm Country Park on the number below.

Treasure trove trail
Tuesday, 19 August at Riverside Country Park
10am – 2pm

Find Pirate Jim and his treasure by following a fun trail around the park. There will be a small prize for every child that enters. For accompanied five to 12 year-olds. Drop in any time. There is no need to book in advance. £1 per child.

Mini beast safari
Saturday, 23 August  at Capstone Farm Country Park
Sunday, 24 August at Riverside Country Park
10am – 2pm

You’ll be surprised to see some of the weird and wonderful beasties that live in the different habitats around the park. Join us in pond dipping, bug hunting and art and craft activities. For accompanied five to 12 year-olds. Drop in anytime. There is no need to book in advance. £1 per child.

Mountain bike trail
Sunday, 24 August at Capstone Farm Country Park
9am – 10.30am

Come ride the trail around the park and see if you can better your lap times. For all abilities. This is a short trail with some big hills and ramps. Book in advance. £1 per person.

Teddy bears picnic
Tuesday, 26 August at Riverside Country Park
Wednesday, 27 August at Capstone Farm Country Park
10am-2pm

Bring your own picnic along and join in the fun. There will be storytelling, fun and games and a woodland to explore. Most importantly, don’t forget to bring your teddy bear. For accompanied three to seven year-olds. Book in advance. £2.50 per child.

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September

Beginner’s trees
Sunday, 7 September at South Wood
9am – 12noon

If you want to learn how to identify your local woodland trees, this is a fantastic opportunity. South Wood is one of Medway’s best-maintained ancient woodlands and Simon, the walk leader, looks after the site for Medway Council. Book in advance. £1 per person.

Junior ranger club (after school)
Monday, 8 September at Capstone Farm Country Park
Monday, 15 September at Riverside Country Park
Monday, 22 September at Capstone Farm Country Park
Monday, 29 September at Riverside Country Park
4 – 4.45pm

This is a must for any budding David Bellamy. Become a ranger and study the nature that can be found in the park. The club meets weekly and activities can range from arts and crafts to walks, pond dipping and bird watching. For accompanied five to 12 year-olds. Book in advance. £1 per child.

Let's go batty
Thursday, 11 September at Capstone Farm Country Park

This is a wildlife walk with a difference. Starting at dusk, it’s an incredible opportunity to see the bats that live around the park – led by the Kent Bat Group. Book in advance. £2 per person.

Miniature gardens
Riverside Country Park
Sunday, 14 September
10am - 12noon

Take a walk around the park gathering seeds, berries and leaves then make your own miniature garden. For accompanied five to 12 year-olds. Book in advance. £2 per child.

Extreme Medway
Capstone Farm Country Park
Sunday, 14 September
11am - 4pm

Extreme Medway brings adrenaline-fuelled sporting challenges to Medway.

Activities available to try on the day are:

All activities are included in the entry cost. There is, however, a £5 fee for the paintballing, to cover the cost of the paintballs.

Demonstrations include:

• mountain biking (Team MAD);
• skiing and snowboarding;
• parkour.

There will also be live music, food and soft drink stalls, sports stalls. Tickets should be bought on the day and cost £5 for over-13s; £3 for under-13s. There is no charge for spectators.

To book your place on the skiing and snowboarding workshops, please phone John Nike Leisure Sport Ltd, Chatham Ski and Snowboard Centre on 01634 827979. Tobogganing costs £1.50 per ride; Sno tubes are £4.95 per person per half hour; open practice sessions for skiing and boarding are £6.50 for adults and £5 for children. All slope activities participants must wear gloves, have arms and legs covered and wear closed-toe shoes. Demand may be very high and purchase of a wristband does not guarantee the opportunity to try every sport available.

Arrive early to give yourself plenty of time to try every activity.

If you are interested in having a stall at this event please phone Capstone Farm Country Park on the number below.

Bird walk
Saturday, 20 September at Riverside Country Park
8am start

A walk around the Riverside area may well turn up a few surprises as birds pass through on their migration south. Book in advance. £1 per person.

Survival challenge
Saturday, 20 to Sunday, 21 September at Capstone Farm Country Park
12noon – 12noon

Camp out in Capstone's woodlands with the rangers, sleeping in a shelter you have built from materials found in the park. You will cook your own food over the campfire, learn forest crafts and scare each other silly with ghost stories. Are you brave enough to take the Capstone survival challenge? For children aged seven and older with one accompanying adult per child unless pre-arranged. Book in advance. £8 per person includes breakfast.

Bird box and animal home-making
Saturday, 27 September at Capstone Farm Country Park
Sunday, 28 September at Riverside Country Park
10am – 2pm

For adults and children alike, this is an opportunity to enrich the wildlife found in your garden by creating new habitats. Drop in any time. There is no need to book in advance. £5 per home.

Mountain bike trail
Sunday, 28 September at Capstone Farm Country Park
9am – 10.30am

Come ride the trail around the park and see if you can better your lap times. For all abilities. This is a short trail with some big hills and ramps. Book in advance. £1 per person.

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