SITES IN THE KENT DOWNS AONB

The landscape of the Kent Downs AONB is known and valued for its dramatic escarpment, its secluded dry valleys, its woods, downlands and orchards. Despite being so close to London, to other urban areas and major transport links with the continent, it has remained largely a rural landscape, characterised by the network of lanes and isolated settlements. It also contains many valuable wildlife sites.

Kent Downs website

Devil's Kneading Trough, Wye Downs

Chalkhill blue

What first strikes most visitors to this unique reserve is the fantastic view and the spectacular landscape. Who could fail to be impressed by the Devil's Kneading Trough - a steep-sided 'coombe' carved into the chalk escarpment by melt waters from the last ice age? 

Turn your eyes from the view to the ground, and you will be looking at one of Britain's best examples of chalk grassland - a rare and very valuable habitat, noted for its rich plant life. It may not look much at first, but closer examination reveals a great many different plants - up to 40 species in a square metre! In all the reserve boasts approximately 4000 different plant species! In addition to 19 orchids, there are many more familiar wild flowers, including fragrant herbs such as wild marjoram, basil and thyme - you only have to walk on the grass in summer to smell their presence. Summer is also the best time to see the wide variety of butterflies, many of which depend on the special flora of chalk downland.

Looking back at the view again, it is worth realising that what is sadly now a scarce and fragmented habitat was once widespread across Kent. The steepness of the landscape is what saved Wye Downs, and many other surviving downlands, from the farmer's plough, while flatter chalk grasslands were cultivated or improved with fertilisers, as agriculture modernised. Even where downland was not improved it was often no longer grazed, leading to the spread of much less valuable scrub. This reserve is now grazed, as it would have been traditionally, to conserve the plant rich downland and its other wildlife.

For disabled access details, site leaflets and other information: English Nature 01233 812525

Milkwort - a typical chalk downland plant

For a panoramic view, this site on top of the escarpment of the North Downs is second to none, and under the Countryside Stewardship Scheme, visitors are allowed open access here. There are areas of chalk grassland while other fields have been taken out of arable crop production and seeded with grasses and wild flowers characteristic of this valuable habitat. Being adjacent to Wye Downs National Nature Reserve, in time this farm will become in effect a valuable extension of the chalk grassland within the reserve.

Note: Current open access agreement ends 30/9/2002. 

More information: Contact KSCP

Downland at Olantigh

All three parts of this site are small areas of chalk grassland - a particularly valuable grassland habitat once widespread in Kent (see page 5) - being managed through the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. Sections 1 and 3 are larger and of more interest. The key to maintaining this habitat is careful grazing, which keeps scrub at bay and encourages the extremely rich plant life, which includes wild thyme and other fragrant herbs. Open access is allowed here, under the Stewardship Scheme, but because livestock may be present, dogs must be kept on leads at all times.

Note: Current open access agreement ends 30/9/2007.

More information: KSCP

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Common centaury - a common plant of acid grasslands

For volunteering, guided walk details and other information: White Cliffs Countryside Project 01303 274806

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Oaks in Covert Wood

More information: Forest Enterprise 01580 211044

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R - Wye (2.5 miles)
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Parking, main access on White Hill: from Challock village take the A251 towards Ashford. Turn left onto White Hill, signposted Wye. GR 024500

Foxgloves in King's Wood

With such a regal name, it should come as no surprise that King's Wood was historically a royal hunting forest. The quarry pursued by the great and the good here were deer, and a large herd of fallow deer still run free in the wood. These days, King's Wood is largely owned and managed by the Forestry Commission. In addition to large stands of fast-growing conifers, there is extensive sweet chestnut coppice. Although timber production is important, management of the woodland is increasingly geared towards conservation as well. The bird life is rich, and this is also a good place to see fungi.

This large, attractive woodland is also an important recreation facility for the public. Visitors can walk right through the site, enjoying views across wooded valleys and the feeling of being in the middle of a really big forest. Walks are made easier by a waymarked trail starting at the car park. As well as enjoying the landscape and wildlife of the woodland along this route, visitors can see sculptures created by a variety of artists as part of the Stour Valley Arts Project. This is the Project's main site, with nine artists' work to see (at the time of writing) . They range from Andy Frost's play sculptures and picnic furniture, a guaranteed hit with children, to the ingenious 'Coppice Cloud Chamber' by Chris Dury. The latest feature of the wood is an avenue of 180 yew trees, planted in the year 2000 to be in alignment with the sunset on the summer solstice.

For information on the sculpture trail and educational visits: Stour Valley Arts 01227 458759. 

For leaflets and general information: Forest Enterprise 01580 211044 or contact KSCP.

Coppice Cloud Chamber by Chris Dury, 
King's Wood

Deadly nightshade

This site is an excellent example of an ancient woodland, protected by law as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. There is a wide range of plants, including columbine and the poisonous deadly nightshade, and a typical range of ancient woodland trees, including oak, ash, hazel and field maple. This mix of trees is more natural than that found in many other woodlands in the Stour Valley, where sweet chestnut and conifers have been planted. Notable birds include nightingales and woodpeckers.

For more information: Woodland Trust 01476 581111

Through the Countryside Stewardship Scheme, visitors have open access to this small section of the estate close to the river. The footpath offers a pleasant route from the village to the church - an alternative to the busy road. The main wildlife habitats here are the wet grassland, where snipe can be seen in winter, the ditches, with many aquatic plants, and the ponds, which have been created recently as part of the Stewardship agreement. Habitats to encourage otters have also been created and enhanced.

Note: Current open access agreement ends 30/9/2008.

More information: contact KSCP

Herb Paris

A walk through this site demonstrates why ancient woodland is so special. Characteristic plants such as herb paris and wood anemone grow in the undisturbed western part, but the eastern part, which seems to have been cleared and cultivated in the not too distant past, is lacking them, even though the trees have come back. Some ancient woodland plants may take

centuries to come back into the woodland disturbed by cultivation, because they spread very slowly, and a few may never return at all! The same problem occurs in newly planted woodlands - you can plant all the right trees, but the plants will arrive very slowly or not at all. This means it is all but impossible to recreate ancient woodlands, which is why they must be so carefully conserved: once lost they are lost for good.

For more information: Woodland Trust 01476 581111

Lady orchid, Denge Wood

Parking and access: from the cross roads in Sole Street, follow Pennypot Lane, towards Thruxted, into the wood. The car park and access for Bonsai bank are signed on the right. The reserve is 0.5 miles along the forest track (GR 105510). The main Denge Wood car park is 0.25 miles further along Pennypot Lane, on the right (GR 097504).

Like the other large woodlands featured in this booklet, Denge and Eggringe Woods encompass a range of quite different woodland types. On the plateaux between the valleys, sweet chestnut coppice and plantations of conifers dominate. These are managed for timber production. Old beech woodland can be found in the area known as Down Wood, and elsewhere on valley slopes with chalky soils. Down Wood also has the richest flora, including dog's mercury and various orchids.

Another part of the wood is a nature reserve managed by the Kent Wildlife Trust, known as Bonsai Bank due to the unsuccessful crop of rather stunted conifers growing there. The reserve boasts many wild flowers, characteristic of its chalky soils, and a good variety of butterflies, including the scarce and grandly named Duke of Burgundy fritillary.

It is the rich variety of different woodland habitats that makes Denge and Eggringe such a good site for wildlife of all kinds, including dormice, badgers, toads, slow worms, nightingales and other warblers.

For site leaflet and other information about Bonsai Bank: Kent Wildlife Trust 01622 662012

For information about Denge and Eggringe Wood: Forest Enterprise 01580 211044

Duke of Burgundy fritillary, Bonsai Bank

Pyramidal orchid

When this area of chalk grassland was donated to the Kent Wildlife Trust in 1997, it was heavily scrubbed over due to lack of grazing. Following scrub removal and fencing (largely carried out by volunteers), grazing was re-introduced in the form of a herd of goats, to try to restore chalk grassland. The site is very close to Down Bank, a Site of Special Scientific Interest where a number of uncommon orchids and insects thrive. It is hoped that some of these will migrate the short distance to Broadham Down. Badgers make use of the site and adders like to rest in the shade of the scrub on hot days.

For more information: Kent Wildlife Trust 01622 662012

Chilham Mill

This attractive lake is one of many along this part of the River Great Stour which provide excellent habitats for wetland plants, water fowl, amphibians and other aquatic wildlife. Natural as these water bodies may seem to be, they are all flooded gravel pits - an example of how the aftermath of industry can benefit wildlife. Mid Kent Fisheries manage the lake, regulating fishing and continuing work to enhance the site for wildlife.

The history of milling here dates back nearly 1000 years - a mill at this site was recorded in the Domesday Book. The existing mill dates from the nineteenth century. It has been beautifully restored by Mid Kent Water, who own the whole site, and now houses modern pumping machinery.

For educational visits to the mill and other information: Mid Kent Water 01634 240313

Great crested grebe

Primroses - a common woodland plant

Visible for miles around, the Mount, a pine and bracken clad outcrop of acidic sandstone, is the most prominent feature of Perry Wood. The top of this hill offers a superb panorama, and a wooden platform known as the ‘pulpit’ has been built to help visitors get an even better view. The Mount has been a significant landscape feature for a long time. It is thought to have been part of the semaphore telegraph between the cinque port of Deal and the Admiralty in London. In prehistory it is likely to have been a significant defensive site, and Mesolithic flint tools have been found at two locations in the wood.

Badgers and other woodland mammals such as stoats and voles inhabit the wood. Sweet chestnut is coppiced in the traditional way, encouraging the growth of wild flowers such as bluebells and wood sage. The woodland has a good population of common woodland birds. This site also has very good easy access facilities. A circular path suitable for most wheelchair users, with a guide rail for visitors with visual impairments starts at the car park.

For more information: Swale Borough Council 01795 424341

Kentish Stour Countryside Project
Sidelands Farm, Wye, Ashford, Kent TN25 5DQ
01233 813307
kentishstour@kent.gov.uk