The National Trust has begun to open gardens across the county as they return to normal after lockdown. The first two gardens on the list to open are Sissinghurst Castle Garden and Scotney Castle in Lamberhurst, which open from today.
Presently, tickets are allocated for each venue and can be booked on a Friday. This is to ensure that visitor numbers are controlled to avoid overcrowding. The first two venues to open are already sold out.
more slots will be available every Friday so keep checking the national trust website
A spokesperson for the National Trust said “From June 3, we’re opening a small number of gardens and parklands in England and Northern Ireland through advanced booking. To ensure the safety of our visitors, staff, volunteers and local communities, we’ve reduced the number of people we can welcome at one time and you’ll need to book your visit in advance.”
Visitors will find social distancing measures and will be given an arrival time when they book. It is possible that visitors may need to follow a one-way path through the gardens , which could cause anxiety if there is someone who walks quicker behind you.
The National Trust have also advised that some facilities aren’t open at the moment, such as cafes and food outlets, and some toilets. You may want to take an empty bottle with you and good advice is not to drink too much before leaving home. You might also want to pack some doggie poo bags and a picnic, just be careful not to get the two mixed up!
