Tyland Barn
Tyland Barn
4.5
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- SGSTChatham, United Kingdom4 contributionsLovely restaurant in a beautiful building.Went for lunch in the 17th century barn. The food was excellent and the staff very friendly. The barn was warm with comfy seats and tables. Toilets immaculate. The restaurant has recently re-opened and is a great with supe breakfasts and lunches. 5 stars in our view.Visited December 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten December 23, 2023
- Joany GMaidstone, United Kingdom51 contributionsPerfect!!What a fabulous find, perfect cafe in stunning surroundings. We stopped for breakfast and coffee, we weren't disappointed. Food was hot and served promptly. Menu isn't extensive but I imagine over time it will be. Staff were friendly and attentive. We'll certainly be backVisited February 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten February 11, 2024
- Claire SRochester, United Kingdom76 contributionsA little Gem!I haven't been here for years! I used to be a regular visitor when my children were young but I dont ever remember there being a Cafe there! Last weekend we visited with the sole purpose of eating at the Cafe. I am so glad we did! The food, the service and the surroundings were magnificent. We had nice weather too but even without that the Barn is beautiful. We will definitely be back. Thank you all so much for a lovely breakfast.Visited May 2024Traveled with familyWritten May 29, 2024
- Alison C1 contributionA lovely afternoon with tea and friends.We five friends attended today for Afternoon Tea. We all enjoyed it very much. There was an extensive selection of teas and plentiful hot water. The food was delicious and served beautifully in a lovely setting. We explored the immediate vicinity and really enjoyed looking at the pond, the water flowers and reeds and the wildlife. At £22.95 per head, it was excellent value and we were allowed to remain, unknowingly, past the closing time without any feeling of being rushed out. Overall, a lovely afternoon.Visited July 2024Traveled with friendsWritten July 17, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
45 reviews
Excellent
27
Very good
12
Average
2
Poor
2
Terrible
2
Robert H
Lower Halstow, UK26 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
We walked around tge Gardens and there were various numbers. We were at the back of a building with an open door and went in. We saw a member of staff and he said to get anap from reception. We followed the sign for reception and only door was the office. We went in and a female member of staff escorted through a door into the cafe and said that was the reception. The cafe staff were unaware of anything. We were told the cafe staff had nothing to do with Kent Wildlife Trust. We asked tge lady in the office for the map and she said we need to look.on website, which is not on there. We enquired if there were leaflets about composting and she said itvl was on the website. We also saw a room.with info boards which we were not allowed to go in. We later spike to a male member of staff who admitted there is no reception since covid and was partly due to funding issues. He did show us whete the bird hide was but could not find the others as on website it states there are bird hides. The food was good but one of our drinks was wrong and was told that he forgot to mix the mocha. All in all it was quite s stressful experience and there seems little help to assist customers in trying to set up wildlife gardens. We were just told gardeners were only there on a Thursday.
It is such a shame as there could be so many opportunities to educate visitors but instead you arenet with no help at all.
It is such a shame as there could be so many opportunities to educate visitors but instead you arenet with no help at all.
Written August 14, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ingrid C
Maidstone, UK17 contributions
Jul 2024 • Couples
We’ve been twice and the food and service were good. Today was a waste of £18. Usually one receives the drinks first but they’d forgotten our lattes, had to ask a passing server where they were. My husband’s croissant was burnt and instead of chunks of Brie it was thinly spread on. The lattes, when they finally arrived halfway through our brunch, were lukewarm! They need to up their game and provide good service with food worth paying for.
Written July 6, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joany G
Maidstone, UK51 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
What a fabulous find, perfect cafe in stunning surroundings. We stopped for breakfast and coffee, we weren't disappointed. Food was hot and served promptly.
Menu isn't extensive but I imagine over time it will be.
Staff were friendly and attentive. We'll certainly be back
Menu isn't extensive but I imagine over time it will be.
Staff were friendly and attentive. We'll certainly be back
Written February 11, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jdtootell
Chatham, UK150 contributions
May 2012 • Family
Tyland Barn is great for kids, as shown by the number of school trips that are done there. It is free to go there, as is run by the Kent Wildlife Trust. Consists of a large barn with exhibition area and small cafe, and then a nature area outside. Here there is a pond, where they do pond dipping, along with various other nature displays focussed around minibeasts / birds etc. Good for kids.
Written June 25, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anitakay
2 contributions
Aug 2011
staff are lovely and friendly suitable for the younger ones
Written May 4, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Judith N
Rochester, UK165 contributions
Sep 2019
We went with the grandkids on the last day of their summer holidays. We have been thinking of volunteering there so did a trial day. We built a fence from branches, lashed together to stop little people walking into an unsuitable area. It took us the whole morning, once we had been given a tour of the reserve by Celia, the gardener. This place has such a lovely feel. We went to an owl demonstration last year, which was fabulous. The owls from the Owl Academy were brought along to Tyland Barn for the children to learn all about hem ad fly them in the education centre. I think the adults enjoyed it as much as the kids. It was a fabulous morning. We learnt so much about owls. The grandkids still remember all the interesting facts. On the basis of our morning's experience, I have now volunteered and spent my first whole day there last week. It's an amazing place. So full of interesting stuff - teepees made from discarded branches, structures, an amazing structure made of willow, planks for the kids to look under to find mini-beasts, a pond with lots of dragonflies, birds of prey roosting in the trees with a spycam on them, a lovely little cafe selling quality snacks and lunches. The best thing it's free......
Written September 12, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jo W
Maidstone, UK105 contributions
Apr 2018 • Family
This place is a lovely little gem, we came on a day where the weather was perfect. Some of the comments here say that there isn't a lot to see, but there is and you have to look a little for it but makes it more exciting when you do find something.
What is nice is that it is a low cost, good value trip out. There is parking there, you can make a donation to visit and it is relatively quiet. Plus there is a nice area where you can bring your own picnic or there is a café selling the usual items should you wish to. Also a nice gift shop and lovely cards.
My daughter had been here pond dipping with the brownies which can be done on an organised event, however you can go round and spot things and we were happy to spend an hour here.
Big shout out also to the gentleman who works there, he was very helpful and happy.
What is nice is that it is a low cost, good value trip out. There is parking there, you can make a donation to visit and it is relatively quiet. Plus there is a nice area where you can bring your own picnic or there is a café selling the usual items should you wish to. Also a nice gift shop and lovely cards.
My daughter had been here pond dipping with the brownies which can be done on an organised event, however you can go round and spot things and we were happy to spend an hour here.
Big shout out also to the gentleman who works there, he was very helpful and happy.
Written April 24, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rosebud27651
Maidstone, UK65 contributions
May 2016 • Couples
We visited Tayland Barn on a sunday morning. There were no admission or car parking fees. Although small it had pond dipping, with plants, and trees named. Ideas for making safe areas for small insects to live in. The high light of our trip was to see the monitor in the gift shop, which showed a live picture feed from the camera placed in a nesting box for a pair of kestrels. The pair had four chicks. It was fantastic to watch these beautiful birds feed their young. There was also a hide along the walk. In all a very enjoyable visit.
Written May 22, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
carol g
Chatham, UK1,238 contributions
Mar 2016 • Solo
I live within a few miles of Tyland Barn and had never visited, so as the sun was making an appearance and I had a little time on my hands, I decided to go and see what it was all about.
There is a small car park that is free to the public, and a gift shop, toilet and café as well. You can pick up a small guide free of charge from the gift shop but otherwise, its pretty easy to find your way around.
I attended at the end of March, so things still looking a little sparse, but the blossom was out on the tree and plenty of yellow primroses in bloom. I saw a butterfly, braving the weather, and plenty of birds. There is a kestrel nesting in the box there at the moment which I was lucky enough to see. There is a small bird hide by the feeders, and plenty of birds coming down to eat the seed. The pond was pretty baron this time of year, although there were small tadpoles that have just emerged in the pond. Plenty for young children to see and learn about nature.
There is a small car park that is free to the public, and a gift shop, toilet and café as well. You can pick up a small guide free of charge from the gift shop but otherwise, its pretty easy to find your way around.
I attended at the end of March, so things still looking a little sparse, but the blossom was out on the tree and plenty of yellow primroses in bloom. I saw a butterfly, braving the weather, and plenty of birds. There is a kestrel nesting in the box there at the moment which I was lucky enough to see. There is a small bird hide by the feeders, and plenty of birds coming down to eat the seed. The pond was pretty baron this time of year, although there were small tadpoles that have just emerged in the pond. Plenty for young children to see and learn about nature.
Written March 30, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Donna W
124 contributions
Not a great deal to see and do but they have activity sheets for outside to make it a bit more interesting, and a selection if activities inside, great for a dry day if your family is into nature
Written February 7, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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