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← Back🌳 Broadleaved woodland

Friends Wood

✦ Ancient woodland177 ha

📷 Robin Webster · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

WildlifeBirdsSeasonal
Public accessFree entryDogs welcome177 ha

Getting here

51.32008, 0.57427

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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
  • 🌿Foraging is at its best in summer here
  • 🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

Good to know

  • £Free to visit — no entry charge
  • 🐕Dogs welcome
  • 🌿Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat
  • 🌳Large woodland — room to roam
Parking

Best for

8 activities

Wildlife

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

Free

Bird watching

Birds — Woodpigeon, Magpie, Blackbird +51 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Woodpigeon, Magpie, Blackbird +51 more · last seen 2025

Free

Seasonal nature

Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour

Free

Insect spotting

Chalk and limestone grassland — chalkhill blue, adonis blue and rare moths; Insects — Migrant Hawker, Oak Bush-cricket, Sphaerophoria +2 more · last seen 2025

Free

Foraging

Traditional orchard — seasonal fruit, fungi and wild plants

Varies

Dog walks

Dogs allowed — public woodland

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km
🚶

Walking

10 signed routes nearby · 15 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths
Augustine CaminoWalking route
Named routeRegional walking route
Oftord to Canterbury CathedralWalking route

follows North Downs Way from Otford to Broughton Lees

Named routeRegional walking route
North Downs Way (Eastern)Walking route
Named routeNational walking route
KCC Centenary WalkWalking route
Named route
Medway Valley WalkWalking route45 km
Named routeLength 45 kmRegional walking route
🚴

Cycling

82 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby
NCN National Route 1Cycling route
Named routeRef 1National Cycle Network
NCN National Route 177 (Proposed)Cycling route
Named routeRef 177National Cycle Network
NCN National Route 17Cycling route
Named routeRef 17National Cycle Network
NCN Regional Route 19 (Kent)Cycling route
Named routeRef 19Regional cycle route
NCN Regional Route 12 (Kent)Cycling route
Named routeRef 12Regional cycle route
Gillingham<>Rainham Cycle PathCycling route
Named routeLocal cycle route
🚵

Mountain biking

1 signed route nearby

Signed route nearby
Capstone Mountain bike trailMountain bike route
Named route
🐴

Horse riding

5 public paths nearby

Public paths
Hurstwood Roadbyway open to all traffic · 2 km
Public pathbyway open to all trafficLength 2 kmPath type: track

Wildlife to spot

Photos

Bridleway in Monkdown Wood

📷 Robin Webster · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Bridleway in Monkdown Wood

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Weather for this location

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🌱Capstone Farm Country ParkUrban park4.7 km→🌱Parkwood GreenUrban park3.4 km→🌱Rainham ParkUrban park3.4 km→🌱Capstone Farm Country ParkUrban park3.9 km→🌱Wigmore ParkUrban park3.3 km→🦉QUEENDOWN WARRENNature reserve3.9 km→

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