Places to visit and things to do
- Countryside main menu
- Reculver Country Park
- Larkey Valley Wood
- Whitehall Meadows and Bingley Island
- Curtis Wood
- Wraik Hill and Foxes Cross Bottom Local Nature Reserve
- Duncan Down Village Green
- Seasalter Levels
- Canterbury Environmental Education Centre
- Sturry Road Community Park
- Events and Volunteer Opportunites
- The Coast
- Local Nature Reserves
- The Blean
Reculver Country Park
Visit the Reculver Blog! to get the latest news from the staff at the Reculver Centre
Reculver Country Park is a unique place, combining undeveloped coast, historic buildings and wildlife interest.
Reculver Country Park is internationally important for wildlife as a Special Protection Area (SPA) and Special Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI) because it is used each winter by thousands of migratory birds. Without this site to rest in, these species would decline. The soft sandstone coastline is also geologically important.
The Reculver Towers are a landmark and Scheduled Ancient Monument that can be seen across the coastline from Herne Bay to Birchington in Kent. It is estimated that over 100,000 people visit the park every year, and Kent Wildlife Trust runs organised school trips for up to 3,500 students each year.
The brand new Reculver Centre for renewable energy and interpretation opened earlier this year on 12 July. For opening hours see below.
The park is managed in partnership by the city council, English Heritage and Kent Wildlife Trust. The council is proud to have gained a Green Flag Award since 2002, which recognises high standards in public open spaces.
Professionally qualified tutors and guides can be booked for school groups and educational visits where students can find out more about geology, history, and ecology, in accordance with the national curriculum.
More information about Reculver to Swalecliffe cycle route development can be found at Oyster Bay Trail
The Reculver Masterplan has been developed to provide a coordinated basis for implementing policy R13 of the Local Plan, which encourages enhancement of the attraction of Reculver subject to design, visual, and environmental impacts and suitable access arrangements. The overarching objective of the masterplan is 'to develop Reculver as a high quality strategic regional hub, for green tourism and education in East Kent.'
Reculver centre opening hours
Dates Days of the week Opening hours
20 July to 31 August Thurs - Mon 11 til 5
2 September -1 November Fri - Sun 11 til 4
7 November to Easter Sat & Sun only 11 til 3
27 March to 11 April Thurs - Mon 11 til 4
12 April til 18 July Fri - Mon 11 til 5
Location
Reculver Lane, Reculver, Herne Bay CT6 6SS. Telephone: 01227 740 676
Directions
Follow signs from the Thanet Way (A299).
Public transport details can be found on the stagecoach website.
Download the Reculver Management Plan
As the files below are quite large, downloading them may take some time on slower internet connections
- Reculver Management Plan 2009.pdf (1.5mb)
- Reculver appendices vol1 (1.9Mb)
- Reculver appendices vol2 (5.4Mb)
- Reculver-wildlife.pdf (3.92MB)
- Reculver-geology.pdf(2.96mb)
Events at this site
Larkey Valley Wood
This beautiful ancient 45-hectare woodland was given to the city council in 1932 by the then Lord Mayor of Canterbury, Alderman Frank Hooker in order that it should be reserved to the Public forever . The wood is now a Nationally important SSSI and a honorary warden helps to look after it. in 2007 this woodland became accredited with FSC (Forest Stewardship Council certification) status showing that the woodland is managed to sustainable and best practice standards.
From October to March each year, anyone can volunteer to take part in the coppicing activity that takes place through much of the woodland. This is a 
traditional system by which trees are cut close to the ground so that new shoots can grow from the base. This allows increased light into parts of the woodland so that a wide range of plants, insects, birds and mammals can thrive.
The wood has spectacular displays of wildflowers from March to May, including many species of orchid. Regular monitoring of the wood has shown that this is one of the best in the country for dormice.
In 2008, the Kentish Stour Countryside Project installed new waymarkers at the woodland, providing three new signed walkways for visitors. New information boards have also been installed in the car park and at the pedestrian entrance off Cockering Road.
Further information on Larkey Valley Wood can be found on the Thannington Without Parish Council website
Location
Larkey Valley Wood is located less than 4 km from the centre of Canterbury on the Cockering 
Road.
Directions
From the A28 Ashford Road/Thanington Road join Stranger's Lane opposite St Nicholas' Church. At the end of Stranger's Lane turn right along the Cockering Road for 0.7mile (1.14km) until you reach the woodland car park situated to the left of the road.
Events at this site
Download a fact sheet on Broadleaved mixed and Yew woodland
Donwload a factsheet about the Dormouse, the flagship species
Whitehall Meadows and Bingley Island
This area dates back to the Domesday period. Today, it is one of few areas of riverside grassland that has not been treated with weedkillers or fertilisers, which means that a wide variety of species can thrive.
The meadows are characterised by damp-loving grassland plant species, and bats, snails, common reptiles, dragonflies, damselflies and butterflies are just some of the wildlife that has been seen in the meadows.
The wet riverside meadows grow on peat on shingle, and recently have been cut annually as part of a maintenance regime. In the long-term, we hope to graze the meadows to improve the range of the grassland species and provide a more interesting and active landscape. We are working closely with the neighbouring landowners to graze the area effectively and hope to see the reappearance of species such as marsh orchid and ragged robin.
In Victorian times, Canterbury-born Thomas Sidney Cooper painted traditional southern English landscapes of cattle and sheep grazing on the north bank of the River Stour immediately upstream of Westgate Gardens, Canterbury. The paintings can be seen at the Beaney Museum, which is located above the Library in the Canterbury city centre.
Location
Off Whitehall Road, Canterbury
Directions
Whitehall Meadows can be found west of Toddlers Cove play area, at the end of Westgate Gardens in Canterbury. Bingley Island is south of the Todlers Cove play area and is accessed through Tannery Field. To reach the car park, turn off St Dunstans Street into Linden Grove. Join Whitehall Road forking right to Whitehall Bridge Road. Parking can be found at the end of Whitehall Close. Alternatively, walk through Tannery Field from the Rheims Way.
Events at this site
Download a factsheet about Neutral Grasslands
Download a factsheet about Rivers and Streams
Hambrook Marshes Events
All activities will provide training and skills opportunities for groups and volunteers. Please note that due to the nature of outdoor events there maybe changes to the activities
Volunteer Saturdays - 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month. 11am - 3pm.
Voluntering at Hambrook Marshes is a great way to enjoy the countryside right in the heart of Canterbury. On the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month they will be leading tasks throughout the year, carrying out seasonal work to improve the site for biodiversity and community use.
Saturday June 5th and 19th - Cutting hay for the haymaking festival with Austrian scythes.
Saturday July 3rd - Haymaking festival 11am - 4pm
Saturday July 17th - Stock fence repairs.
Saturday August 7th & 21st - Cutting in steps on the railway mound or path work.
Curtis Wood
Curtis Wood has been owned by Canterbury City Council since 1993. When the land was transferred to us it was protected as recreation and woodland space under the Open Spaces Act 1906.
Curtis Wood is an area of mainly oak, ash and hawthorn scrub and woodland, valued for its Early Purple and Butterfly Orchids. There is an area of semi-improved neu
tral grassland to the northwest of the wood, which is cut annually for hay. The woodland is within a conservation area and protected by a tree preservation order (TPO). In 2007 this woodland became accredited with FSC certification, reflecting the council's sustainable management objectives
Curtis Wood is situated to the south west of Curtis Wood Park and there are footpaths to link the two areas together. Goldspots Pond lies north east of Curtis Wood Park. The Friends of Broomfield and Herne Ponds have coordinated task days, fundraising and wildlife surveys for this area.
Local residents and children use the area for recreation and nature watching.
Location
On the Canterbury Road, Herne between the Curtis Wood Road and Curtis Wood Park Road.
Directions
Follow the A291 Canterbury Road to the woodland which is located between Curtis Wood Road and Curtis Wood Park Road, on the outskirts of Herne village.
Events at this site
Wraik Hill and Foxes Cross Bottom Local Nature Reserve
Wraik Hill is an area of small fields, scrub and woodland to the south west of Whitstable. Wraik Hill and Foxes Cross Bottom are deemed locally important as a Local Nature Reserve and Local Wildlife Site and in the summer many warblers and nightingales nest in the scrub.
The council manages the land in partnership with Kent Wildlife Trust and under the Higher Level Scheme objectives set by Natural England, the government body for nature. The land is grazed using ponies and Highland cattle. This helps to keep the grass short and allows a wide range of grassland species to grow. In addition to the scrub removal done by Kent Wildlife Trust volunteers, large machinery is periodically brought in to help combat increasing levels of scrub in some parts of the nature reserve. In places the site is very steep, but the steepest point holds excellent views out over the Seasalter Levels out towards the Isle of Sheppey: well worth the climb!
In 2008 the Kentish Stour Countryside Project achieved Viridor grant funding towards fencing some parts of the site for grazing by goats. The council also acquired a new area of land on Pilgrims Lane, linking Wraik Hill and Foxes Cross Bottom together and providing a connected area for the site grazing regime.
The oaks: Site management Statement (56kb) has details about the small Oak woodland on this site. In 2007 this woodland became accredited with FSC certification status reflecting the council's sustainable management objectives.
Wraik Hill Management Plan.pdf (1875kb).
Location
Wraik Hill and Foxes Cross Hill, near Whitstable
Directions
The council is currently advocating sensitive access only. For more information please contact 01227 862 486. The site is located off the Thanet Way (A299) roundabout to Whitstable and Blean, signposted to Wraik Hill.
Events at this site
Past events
Wraik Hill - Press release February 2008 (106kb)
Download a factsheet about the Nightingale, which can be heard and seen in Wraik Hill
Duncan Down Village Green
Duncan Down is the largest green space in Whitstable. Originally earmarked for housing in the 1930s, the land is now protected as a Village Green, providing opportunities for local people to relax, enjoy the wildlife and appreciate the magnificent view across the coastline of Whitstable bay.
The woodland, scrubland, grassland and stream provide a mosaic of habitats from which both people and wildlife benefit. Kent Biodiversity Partnership recognises the site as a Local Wildlife Site where we are focusing on conserving nature.
The Down is managed by the Friends of Duncan Down with support from Canterbury City Council. Together, we have helped to improve the social and environmental aspects of the local community by creating and maintaining a clean, green and active community space. We are proud to have won a Green Flag award at Duncan Down since 2006.
In 2008, with support from the council, The Friends of Duncan Down were awarded £9,300 by the Lottery Breathing Places programme, which has been used to turn some encroaching areas of scrub to grassland, create a footpath through Gorrell Wood, create an information brochure (8mb) about management for wildlife on the down, and provide training for volunteers.
Location
East of Borstal Hill, Whitstable
Directions
The Friends of Duncan Down and the council would encourage that the Down is accessed on foot. There is a gate for people with wheelchairs at Hunters Chase, off Saddleton Road.
Public transport details can be found on the stagecoach website.
Download the Duncan Down Village Green Management Plan
- Village Green Management Plan 2009 (4.03mb)
- Appendices 2009 Volume one (4.52mb)
- Appendices 2009 Volume two (1.24mb)
Seasalter Levels
The Seasalter Levels are a Site of Special Scientific In terest (SSSI), Special Protection Area (SPA) and Ramsar site, showing how important the area is as part of the North Kent coast freshwater grazing marsh. It is also a valuable wetland site for wintering and migratory wildfowl and wading birds, including wigeon, teal, redshank and lapwing.
The more common breeding dry-land birds include skylark, meadow pipit and yellow wagta
il, and among the wetland birds are mallard, shelduck, coot, moorhen and lapwing.
The Local Nature Reserve is owned and managed by Canterbury City Council and we are working closely with Swale Borough Council and Natural England to bring other parts of the site into better ecological condition, to attract important migratory bird species and associated plants and insects.
For more information about wildlife on Seasalter Levels see our warden reports at 
http://www.kentos.org.uk/
Location
South of Faversham Road, Seasalter, on both sides of the Canterbury District and Swale Borough boundary.
Directions
There is no general public access to the Seasalter Levels Local Nature Reserve. However the Levels can be viewed when driving along the Faversham Road, and the Local Nature Reserve can be viewed from the road at Seasalter Lane. Excellent views of the Levels can be seen from Wraik Hill and Foxes Cross Bottom.
Download a fact sheet about the Reed Bunting which can be found at Seasalter .
Download a fact sheet about the grazing marshes of Seasalter.
The Coast
Foreshore services manage water safety, education, the provision and updating of information signage and beach huts on the 14 miles of coastline stretching from sealsalter in the west to Reculver in the east
Canterbury Environmental Education Centre
Canterbury Environmental Education Centre (CEEC) has been providing fascinating and fun days out for schools for over thirty years and is now open to the public. CEEC's offers 30 acres of woodland, lakes and reedbeds in which you can follow nature trails and discover amazing wildlife.
We are open 10am to 4pm between 1 April and 31 October: every Sunday, and Monday to Friday during School Holidays Last entry 3pm. For more information please call 01227 452 447 or visit www.naturegrid.org.uk
Other Council web pages that may be of interest to you:-
- Countryside main menu
- Events and Volunteer Opportunites
- Local Nature Reserves
Return to Countryside main page
Contact us
Advice
We provide advice about the effects of development on wildlife and how best to encourage biodiversity through the planning system. There is a general requirement to consider enhancements for biodiversity regardless of impact on wildlife for any development. You may wish look at the Kent Wildlife Trust Factsheets advice or Natural England guidance web pages to find out what you can do to improve your development site for wildlife. Any such improvements are likely to be viewed favourably as part of your planning application.
Our spreadsheet provides examples of species in different habitats, the level of protection they are afforded by law, and suitable survey times for determining presence or absence.
For advice about habitats and species, or managing a piece of land for nature in the Canterbury District, please contact Kentish Stour Countryside Project or Kent Wildlife Trust. The other organisations on our list may also be helpful. Alternatively, please contact us.
Write to:
Countryside
Planning And RegenerationCanterbury City Council
Military Road
Canterbury
CT1 1YWPhone 01227 862 190 or emergency out of hours number 01227 781769
E-mail countryside@canterbury.gov.uk
