Plan your visit
🦉 Wildlife🦅 Birds🦋 Insects
Free entry Dogs welcome 3 ha
Places › England › South East › Medway Getting here
51.37022, 0.48868
Open directionsv Fort Borstal was built as an afterthought from the 1859 Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom, by convict labour. Construction started in 1875 but was suspended in 1885. The fort was completed around 1895.
Read more on Wikipedia → Fort scheduled monument c. 1885
Visiting this summer
Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now
▾ 🌞 Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings ✦ Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting 🐕 Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days 🌤️ Visiting this summer
🌞 Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings ✦ Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting 🐕 Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days £ Free to visit — no entry charge🐕 Dogs welcome🦉 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 — Blue Tit, Woodpigeon, Black-headed Gull +59 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Blue Tit, Woodpigeon, Black-headed Gull +59 more · last seen 2026
Free
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Syrphus, Batman Hoverfly, Common Darter +74 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Syrphus, Batman Hoverfly, Common Darter +74 more · last seen 2026
Free
Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic
Varies
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 15 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
Saxon Shore Way Walking route 262 km ▾
Named route Length 262 km Regional walking route
Show on map Augustine Camino Walking route ▾
Named route Regional walking route
Show on map Oftord to Canterbury Cathedral Walking route ▾
follows North Downs Way from Otford to Broughton Lees
Named route Regional walking route
Show on map Tree Trail, Cobham Mausoleum & Woods Walking route 1.6 km ▾
Cobham Wood is a 77ha wood pasture restoration project, home to ancient & veteran trees which have made the site an important habitat for wood decay insects and bats. Look for the numbered posts to find the next tree along the trail. Potential livestock.
Named route Length 1.6 km Duration 00:45 Round trip Local walking route
Show on map Main Trail, Cobham Mausoleum & Woods Walking route 1.8 km ▾
Named route Length 1.8 km Duration 00:45 Point-to-point Local walking route
Show on map 171 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
NCN National Route 1 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 1 National Cycle Network
Show on map NCN National Route 177 (Proposed) Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 177 National Cycle Network
Show on map NCN National Route 177 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 177 National Cycle Network
Show on map NCN National Route 17 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 17 National Cycle Network
Show on map Gillingham<>Rainham Cycle Path Cycling route ▾
Named route Local cycle route
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 214 m ▾
Named route Ref 1 Length 214 m National Cycle Network Traffic-free Surface asphalt
Show on map 1 signed route nearby
Signed route nearby
Capstone Mountain bike trail Mountain bike route ▾
Weather for this location Next 14 days Nearby places Useful places within 5 km
All Historic
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id: 8c5a99dd-85c7-49ca-89a1-4a9b8667da39
UK green spaces mapped from open public data — so anyone can find the woodland, trail, or nature reserve closest to them.
© 2026 Glade · Made with care for UK green spaces
Wildlife to spot
13,321 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 13,321 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 44 species
autumn winter
2026 ▾
Black-headed Gull · Blue Tit · Woodpigeon · Rock Dove · Herring Gull +39
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Woodpigeon Columba palumbus2025 Rock Dove Columba livia2025 Herring Gull Larus argentatus2025 Magpie Pica pica2025 Robin Erithacus rubecula Carrion Crow Corvus corone2025 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Great Tit Parus major Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Dunnock Prunella modularis2025 Swallow Hirundo rustica2025 Blackbird Turdus merula House Sparrow Passer domesticus Jay Garrulus glandarius Starling Sturnus vulgaris2025 Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Goldcrest Regulus regulus2025 Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus2025 House Martin Delichon urbicum2025 Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo2025 Kingfisher Alcedo atthis2025 Redshank Tringa totanus2025 Jackdaw Coloeus monedula2025 Little Egret Egretta garzetta2025 Wren Troglodytes troglodytes2025 Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis2025 Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major2025 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea2025 Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis2025 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos2025 Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla2025 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos2025 Common Gull Larus canus2025 Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus2025 Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus2025 Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita2025 Dark-bellied Brent Goose Branta bernicla bernicla2025 Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus2025 Linnet Linaria cannabina2025 Sand Martin Riparia riparia2025 Tawny Owl Strix aluco2025 🦌 Mammals 3 species
spring autumn
2026 ▾
Pipistrelle Bat species · Wood Mouse · Grey Squirrel
Pipistrelle Bat species Pipistrellus Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis2025 Slow-worm
Common Darter · Syrphus · Harlequin Ladybird · 7-spot Ladybird · Emperor Dragonfly +17
Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum2025 Syrphus Syrphus Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis2025 7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator2025 Scathophaga stercoraria Scathophaga stercoraria Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 13,321 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 44 species
autumn winter
2026 ▾
Black-headed Gull · Blue Tit · Woodpigeon · Rock Dove · Herring Gull +39
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Woodpigeon Columba palumbus2025 Rock Dove Columba livia2025 Herring Gull Larus argentatus2025 Magpie Pica pica2025 Robin Erithacus rubecula Carrion Crow Corvus corone2025 Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Great Tit Parus major Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Dunnock Prunella modularis2025 Swallow Hirundo rustica2025 Blackbird Turdus merula House Sparrow Passer domesticus Jay Garrulus glandarius Starling Sturnus vulgaris2025 Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto Goldcrest Regulus regulus2025 Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus2025 House Martin Delichon urbicum2025 Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo2025 Kingfisher Alcedo atthis2025 Redshank Tringa totanus2025 Jackdaw Coloeus monedula2025 Little Egret Egretta garzetta2025 Wren Troglodytes troglodytes2025 Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis2025 Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major2025 Grey Heron Ardea cinerea2025 Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis2025 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos2025 Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla2025 Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos2025 Common Gull Larus canus2025 Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus2025 Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus2025 Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita2025 Dark-bellied Brent Goose Branta bernicla bernicla2025 Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus2025 Linnet Linaria cannabina2025 Sand Martin Riparia riparia2025 Tawny Owl Strix aluco2025 🦌 Mammals 3 species
spring autumn
2026 ▾
Pipistrelle Bat species · Wood Mouse · Grey Squirrel
Pipistrelle Bat species Pipistrellus Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis2025 Slow-worm
Common Darter · Syrphus · Harlequin Ladybird · 7-spot Ladybird · Emperor Dragonfly +17
Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum2025 Syrphus Syrphus Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis2025 7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator2025 Scathophaga stercoraria Scathophaga stercoraria Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Opomyza florum
Opomyza florum
Opomyza florum2025
Opomyza florum2025
Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea2025
Batman Hoverfly Myathropa florea2025
Baccha elongata Baccha elongata2025
Baccha elongata Baccha elongata2025
Stictopleurus punctatonervosus Stictopleurus punctatonervosus2025
Stictopleurus punctatonervosus Stictopleurus punctatonervosus2025
Common Earwig Forficula auricularia/dentata agg.2025
Common Earwig Forficula auricularia/dentata agg.2025
Bishop's Mitre Aelia acuminata2025
Bishop's Mitre Aelia acuminata2025
Dock Bug Coreus marginatus2025
Dock Bug Coreus marginatus2025
Field Damsel Bug Nabis (Nabis) ferus2025
Field Damsel Bug Nabis (Nabis) ferus2025
Box Bug Gonocerus acuteangulatus2025
Box Bug Gonocerus acuteangulatus2025
Twin-spot Centurion Sargus bipunctatus2025
Twin-spot Centurion Sargus bipunctatus2025
Mesembrina meridiana Mesembrina meridiana2025
Mesembrina meridiana Mesembrina meridiana2025
Tipula paludosa Tipula paludosa2025
Tipula paludosa Tipula paludosa2025
Hawthorn Shieldbug Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale2025
Hawthorn Shieldbug Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale2025
Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria2025
Hornet Hoverfly Volucella zonaria2025
Eupeodes Eupeodes2025
Eupeodes Eupeodes2025
Southern Oak Bush-cricket Meconema meridionale2025
Southern Oak Bush-cricket Meconema meridionale2025 Events & activities nearby Switch provider to compare local events, tours and bookable activities.
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