Hurst Wood ✦ Ancient woodland 12 ha
Plan your visit
🦉 Wildlife🍂 Seasonal🦅 Birds
Public access Free entry Dogs welcome 12 ha
Places › England › South East › Swale Getting here
51.23710, 0.85770
Open directionsv 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 🐕 Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails 📍 Open access throughout summer — no booking required 🌤️ Visiting this summer
🌞 Midsummer — early morning visits most comfortable; look for deer fawns in quieter clearings 🐕 Early mornings are best for dog walks in summer — visit before 9am to avoid the heat and find quieter trails 📍 Open access throughout summer — no booking required £ Free to visit — no entry charge🐕 Dogs welcome🌿 Ancient woodland — rare wildlife habitat🦉 Wildlife
Very strong match
Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles; Multi-group wildlife — Amphibians, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles
Free
🍂 Seasonal nature
Strong match
Ancient woodland — bluebells, fungi and autumn colour; Plants — Bank Haircap · last seen 2024
Free
🦅 Bird watching
Strong match
Birds — Tawny Owl, Woodcock, Blackcap +33 more · last seen 2025; Birds — Tawny Owl, Woodcock, Blackcap +33 more · last seen 2025
Free
Dogs allowed — public woodland
Free
🦋 Insect spotting
Strong match
Insects — Speckled Bush-cricket, Meadow Grasshopper, Dark Bush-cricket +31 more · last seen 2025; Insects — Speckled Bush-cricket, Meadow Grasshopper, Dark Bush-cricket +31 more · last seen 2025
Free
Deciduous woodland — fungi, berries and wild garlic
Varies
Trails nearby Within roughly 5 km 5 signed routes nearby · 2 public paths nearby
Signed route nearby Public paths
North Downs Way (Canterbury loop) Walking route ▾
Named route National walking route
Show on map Augustine Camino Walking route ▾
Named route Regional walking route
Show on map Beech Walk & Sculptures Walking route ▾
Named route Local 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 North Downs Way (Eastern) Walking route ▾
Named route National walking route
Show on map 21 signed routes nearby
Signed route nearby
NCN National Route 17 Cycling route ▾
Named route Ref 17 National Cycle Network
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 273 m ▾
Named route Ref 17 Length 273 m National Cycle Network On-road Surface asphalt
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 90 m ▾
Named route Ref 17 Length 90 m National Cycle Network Traffic-free Surface unsealedfirm
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 39 m ▾
Named route Ref 17 Length 39 m National Cycle Network Traffic-free Surface asphalt
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 1.1 km ▾
Named route Ref 17 Length 1.1 km National Cycle Network Traffic-free Surface unsealedfirm
Show on map Main Route Cycling route 235 m ▾
Named route Ref 17 Length 235 m National Cycle Network On-road Surface asphalt
Show on map 2 public paths nearby
Public paths
No named routes yet. Public paths are shown on the map.
✦ Ancient woodland — continuously wooded since at least 1600 AD. A rare and irreplaceable habitat, rich in biodiversity and historical character.
Weather for this location Next 14 days Nearby places Useful places within 5 km
All Historic
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id: c4eea62a-ed9a-4ed4-bdea-20cf1a4de562
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
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Wildlife to spot
5,159 records · National Biodiversity Network
▾
Wildlife to spot 5,159 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 30 species
spring summer
2025 ▾
Blackcap · Robin · Blackbird · Chiffchaff · Tree Pipit +25
Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Robin Erithacus rubecula Blackbird Turdus merula Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis Tawny Owl Strix aluco2023 Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Carrion Crow Corvus corone Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Garden Warbler Sylvia borin Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus Great Tit Parus major Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella2024 Treecreeper Certhia familiaris2024 Goldcrest Regulus regulus2024 Woodcock Scolopax rusticola2022 Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Magpie Pica pica2024 Jay Garrulus glandarius2024 Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto2024 Coal Tit Periparus ater2024 Whitethroat Curruca communis2024 Sylvia borin borin Sylvia borin borin2024 Rook Corvus frugilegus2024 Swift Apus apus2023 Fallow Deer · Badger · Common Pipistrelle · Hazel Dormouse · Grey Squirrel +5
Fallow Deer Dama dama2022 Badger Meles meles2023 Common Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus2024 Hazel Dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis2024 Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus Slow-worm · Grass Snake · Common Lizard · Adder
Slow-worm Anguis fragilis Grass Snake Natrix helvetica2024 Common Lizard Zootoca vivipara2024 Adder Vipera berus2024 🐸 Amphibians 1 species
spring
2024 ▾
Common Toad
🐝 Insects 15 species
spring summer autumn
2025 ▾
Hairy Shieldbug · Marmalade Hoverfly · Dock Bug · 7-spot Ladybird · Speckled Bush-cricket +10
Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum2024 Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus Dock Bug Coreus marginatus 7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata Speckled Bush-cricket Leptophyes punctatissima Bank Haircap
Bank Haircap Polytrichum formosum Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Wildlife to spot 5,159 records · National Biodiversity Network 🐦 Birds 30 species
spring summer
2025 ▾
Blackcap · Robin · Blackbird · Chiffchaff · Tree Pipit +25
Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla Robin Erithacus rubecula Blackbird Turdus merula Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis Tawny Owl Strix aluco2023 Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus Carrion Crow Corvus corone Woodpigeon Columba palumbus Garden Warbler Sylvia borin Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus Song Thrush Turdus philomelos Mistle Thrush Turdus viscivorus Great Tit Parus major Wren Troglodytes troglodytes Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella2024 Treecreeper Certhia familiaris2024 Goldcrest Regulus regulus2024 Woodcock Scolopax rusticola2022 Bullfinch Pyrrhula pyrrhula Pheasant Phasianus colchicus Magpie Pica pica2024 Jay Garrulus glandarius2024 Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto2024 Coal Tit Periparus ater2024 Whitethroat Curruca communis2024 Sylvia borin borin Sylvia borin borin2024 Rook Corvus frugilegus2024 Swift Apus apus2023 Fallow Deer · Badger · Common Pipistrelle · Hazel Dormouse · Grey Squirrel +5
Fallow Deer Dama dama2022 Badger Meles meles2023 Common Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus2024 Hazel Dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis2024 Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus Slow-worm · Grass Snake · Common Lizard · Adder
Slow-worm Anguis fragilis Grass Snake Natrix helvetica2024 Common Lizard Zootoca vivipara2024 Adder Vipera berus2024 🐸 Amphibians 1 species
spring
2024 ▾
Common Toad
🐝 Insects 15 species
spring summer autumn
2025 ▾
Hairy Shieldbug · Marmalade Hoverfly · Dock Bug · 7-spot Ladybird · Speckled Bush-cricket +10
Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum2024 Marmalade Hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus Dock Bug Coreus marginatus 7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata Speckled Bush-cricket Leptophyes punctatissima Bank Haircap
Bank Haircap Polytrichum formosum Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas
Pipistrelle Bat species Pipistrellus2024
Pipistrelle Bat species Pipistrellus2024
Brown Hare Lepus europaeus2022
Brown Hare Lepus europaeus2022
Red Fox Vulpes vulpes
Red Fox Vulpes vulpes
Field Vole Microtus agrestis2024
Field Vole Microtus agrestis2024 Nut Leaf Weevil
Nut Leaf Weevil
Strophosoma melanogrammum
Strophosoma melanogrammum
Glow-worm Lampyris noctiluca
Glow-worm Lampyris noctiluca
Marsh Snipefly Rhagio tringarius
Marsh Snipefly Rhagio tringarius
Dark-edged Bee-fly Bombylius major
Dark-edged Bee-fly Bombylius major
Oak Mining Sawfly Profenusa pygmaea2024
Oak Mining Sawfly Profenusa pygmaea2024
Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina2024
Green Shieldbug Palomena prasina2024
Water Stick Insect Ranatra (Ranatra) linearis2024
Water Stick Insect Ranatra (Ranatra) linearis2024
Hornet Vespa crabro2023
Hornet Vespa crabro2023
Dotted Bee-fly Bombylius discolor2023
Dotted Bee-fly Bombylius discolor2023
Green Tiger Beetle Cicindela campestris2023
Green Tiger Beetle Cicindela campestris2023 