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Folkestone Gardens

7 ha

📷 Stephen Craven · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

WildlifeBirdsPlay

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome7 ha

Getting here

51.48326, -0.04005

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

☀️June — long evenings and clear skies; one of the most rewarding months for a late visit
☀️Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay
🛝Playground on site — built-in entertainment for younger visitors alongside the wider site

🌤️ Visiting this summer

☀️June — long evenings and clear skies; one of the most rewarding months for a late visit
☀️Summer family visits work well here — arrive early and plan for a longer stay
🛝Playground on site — built-in entertainment for younger visitors alongside the wider site

Good to know

£Free to visit — no entry charge
🐕Dogs welcome

Bike parkingParkingPlayground

Best for

9 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Black-headed Gull, Mallard, Rock Dove +48 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Black-headed Gull, Mallard, Rock Dove +48 more · last seen 2026

Free

Playgrounds

Strong match

playground, parking

Free

Family friendly

Strong match

playground; Urban park — family destination

Free

Dog walks

Strong match

Dogs allowed with public access

Free

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Epistrophe eligans, Dark-edged Bee-fly, Meliscaeva auricollis +7 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Epistrophe eligans, Dark-edged Bee-fly, Meliscaeva auricollis +7 more · last seen 2026

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

48 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

Lea Valley WalkWalking route

Transport for London's Section 1 of the Lea Valley Walk within London

Named routePoint-to-pointRegional walking route

The LineWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

The LineWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

Greenwich Meridian TrailWalking route440 km

A long-distance walk that follows the line of the Prime Meridian. Inaugurated in 2009, to coincide with the 125th anniversary of the Greenwich Meridian.

Named routeRef GMTLength 440 kmRegional walking route

Middlesex Street Estate PedwaysWalking route

Named routeLocal walking route

🚴

Cycling

613 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

LCN 22Cycling route

Named routeRef 22Local cycle route

The Leaway (detour)Cycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

NCN 1Cycling route

NCN 1 Cross Peninsula Route

Named routeRef 1National Cycle Network

Route (1)Cycling route

Labelled as a 'National Cycle Network link' on https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/ncn

Named routeRef (1)Local cycle route

Route 1Cycling route

Named routeRef 1National Cycle Network

LCN 64 (detour)Cycling route

Named routeRef (64)Local cycle route

Wildlife to spot

39,720 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

39,720 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds36 species

winter

2026

Mute Swan · Black-headed Gull · Mallard · Tufted Duck · Magpie +31

Mute SwanCygnus olor
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
MagpiePica pica
MoorhenGallinula chloropus
RobinErithacus rubecula
Great TitParus major
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
CootFulica atra
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
BlackbirdTurdus merula
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
House SparrowPasser domesticus
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
Greylag GooseAnser anser
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025

🦌

Mammals4 species

winterspring

2026

Grey Squirrel · Red Fox · Common Pipistrelle · Soprano Pipistrelle

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
Red FoxVulpes vulpes
Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus
Soprano PipistrellePipistrellus pygmaeus

🐸

Amphibians1 species

winterspring

2026

Common Frog

Common FrogRana temporaria

🐝

Insects7 species

spring

2026

Epistrophe eligans · Dark-edged Bee-fly · Meliscaeva auricollis · Eupeodes · Lesser Stag Beetle +2

Epistrophe eligansEpistrophe eligans
Dark-edged Bee-flyBombylius major
Meliscaeva auricollisMeliscaeva auricollis
EupeodesEupeodes
Lesser Stag BeetleDorcus parallelipipedus
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Hayhurstia atriplicis

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

39,720 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds36 species

winter

2026

Mute Swan · Black-headed Gull · Mallard · Tufted Duck · Magpie +31

Mute SwanCygnus olor
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
MagpiePica pica
MoorhenGallinula chloropus
RobinErithacus rubecula
Great TitParus major
Grey HeronArdea cinerea
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
CootFulica atra
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major
BlackbirdTurdus merula
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
House SparrowPasser domesticus
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
Greylag GooseAnser anser
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
GoldcrestRegulus regulus
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis
Egyptian GooseAlopochen aegyptiaca2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto
Stock DoveColumba oenas2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
StarlingSturnus vulgaris2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025

🦌

Mammals4 species

winterspring

2026

Grey Squirrel · Red Fox · Common Pipistrelle · Soprano Pipistrelle

Grey SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
Red FoxVulpes vulpes
Common PipistrellePipistrellus pipistrellus
Soprano PipistrellePipistrellus pygmaeus

🐸

Amphibians1 species

winterspring

2026

Common Frog

Common FrogRana temporaria

🐝

Insects7 species

spring

2026

Epistrophe eligans · Dark-edged Bee-fly · Meliscaeva auricollis · Eupeodes · Lesser Stag Beetle +2

Epistrophe eligansEpistrophe eligans
Dark-edged Bee-flyBombylius major
Meliscaeva auricollisMeliscaeva auricollis
EupeodesEupeodes
Lesser Stag BeetleDorcus parallelipipedus
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata
Hayhurstia atriplicis

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Stephen Craven · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Drought conditions – Folkestone Gardens

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Mile End ParkUrban park4.4 km→🌱Southwark ParkUrban park1.6 km→🌱Greenwich ParkUrban park2.9 km→🌱Greenwich ParkUrban park2.9 km→🌱Burgess ParkUrban park3 km→🌱The Flower GardenUrban park3.3 km→

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