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Samphire Hoe Country Park

📷 Oast House Archive · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

PicnicBirdsWildlife

Public accessFree entryDogs welcome

Getting here

51.10421, 1.27156

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Visiting this summer

Seasonal nature notes and what to look for now

🐦79+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Magpie and Robin
🧺Good picnic destination in summer — open space and facilities for a relaxed day out
🐕Dogs welcome — bring water in summer; the site has enough space to find shade on hot days

🌤️ Visiting this summer

🐦79+ species recorded in this area — summer evenings are best for activity; watch for Magpie and Robin
🧺Good picnic destination in summer — open space and facilities for a relaxed day out
🐕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

Bike parkingParking· PaidPicnic spotToilets

Best for

9 activities

Picnic day out

Very strong match

picnic area, toilets, car park; Urban park — open green space

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Magpie, Robin, Blackbird +76 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Magpie, Robin, Blackbird +76 more · last seen 2026

Free

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Insect spotting

Strong match

Chalk and limestone grassland — chalkhill blue, adonis blue and rare moths; Insects — Otiorhynchus indefinitus, Bibio johannis, Rhaphigaster nebulosa +1 more · last seen 2026

Free

Family friendly

Strong match

toilets, picnic area; Urban park — family destination

Free

Dog walks

Strong match

Dogs allowed with public access

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

11 signed routes nearby · 7 public paths nearby

Signed route nearbyPublic paths

European walking route E9, Rye to DoverWalking route

Named routeRef E9International walking route

North Downs Way (Eastern)Walking route

Named routeNational walking route

Saxon Shore WayWalking route262 km

Named routeLength 262 kmRegional walking route

Via Francigena - 01 part Great BritainWalking route

Named routeRef VFInternational walking route

North Downs Way (Canterbury loop)Walking route

Named routeNational walking route

🚴

Cycling

82 signed routes nearby

Signed route nearby

NCN Regional Route 17 (Kent)Cycling route

Named routeRef 17Regional cycle route

National Cycle Route 2 Dover to HastingsCycling route

Named routeRef 2National Cycle Network

NCN Regional Route 16Cycling route

Named routeRef 16Regional cycle route

NCN National Route 1 Dover to CanterburyCycling route

Named routeRef 1National Cycle Network

EuroVelo 5 - Via Romea Francigena - part United KingdomCycling route

Named routeRef EV5International cycle route

River Dour GreenwayCycling route

Named routeLocal cycle route

Wildlife to spot

119,925 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

119,925 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds49 species

winter

2026

Magpie · Black-headed Gull · Cormorant · Wren · Meadow Pipit +44

MagpiePica pica
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
GannetMorus bassanus2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Red-throated DiverGavia stellata2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
KittiwakeRissa tridactyla2025
FulmarFulmarus glacialis2025
Rock PipitAnthus petrosus2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
Common GullLarus canus2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
Brent GooseBranta bernicla2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Dark-bellied Brent GooseBranta bernicla bernicla2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus2025
SnipeGallinago gallinago2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
Great TitParus major2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Common GuillemotUria aalge2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
ShelduckTadorna tadorna2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
BuzzardButeo buteo2025
FirecrestRegulus ignicapilla2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025

🦎

Reptiles1 species

spring

2026

Adder

AdderVipera berus

🐝

Insects4 species

winterspring

2026

Otiorhynchus indefinitus · Bibio johannis · Rhaphigaster nebulosa · 7-spot Ladybird

Otiorhynchus indefinitusOtiorhynchus indefinitus
Bibio johannisBibio johannis
Rhaphigaster nebulosaRhaphigaster nebulosa
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

119,925 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds49 species

winter

2026

Magpie · Black-headed Gull · Cormorant · Wren · Meadow Pipit +44

MagpiePica pica
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
GannetMorus bassanus2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus
Red-throated DiverGavia stellata2025
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
KittiwakeRissa tridactyla2025
FulmarFulmarus glacialis2025
Rock PipitAnthus petrosus2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
Common GullLarus canus2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
Brent GooseBranta bernicla2025
JackdawColoeus monedula2025
Dark-bellied Brent GooseBranta bernicla bernicla2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus2025
SnipeGallinago gallinago2025
LapwingVanellus vanellus2025
Great TitParus major2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Common GuillemotUria aalge2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
SkylarkAlauda arvensis2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
ShelduckTadorna tadorna2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
BuzzardButeo buteo2025
FirecrestRegulus ignicapilla2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
Little EgretEgretta garzetta2025

🦎

Reptiles1 species

spring

2026

Adder

AdderVipera berus

🐝

Insects4 species

winterspring

2026

Otiorhynchus indefinitus · Bibio johannis · Rhaphigaster nebulosa · 7-spot Ladybird

Otiorhynchus indefinitusOtiorhynchus indefinitus
Bibio johannisBibio johannis
Rhaphigaster nebulosaRhaphigaster nebulosa
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Oast House Archive · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Samphire Hoe Country Park

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

🏞️SAMPHIRE HOECountry park0 m→✦Fortifications, Roman lighthouse and medieval chapel on Western HeightsHistoric site2.6 km→🌱Pencester GardensUrban park3.9 km→🌱Pencester GardensUrban park3.9 km→🌱Connaught ParkUrban park4.4 km→✦Dover CastleHistoric site4.5 km→

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