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The Citadel

15 ha

📷 Nick Smith · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Plan your visit

WildlifeBirdsHeritage

Dogs welcome15 ha

Getting here

51.11764, 1.29671

Open directionsv

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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
✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
🛝Playground 168m away — 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
✦Historic character is a year-round quality here — summer brings its own atmosphere to the setting
🛝Playground 168m away — built-in entertainment for younger visitors alongside the wider site

Good to know

🐕Dogs welcome

Parking· FreePlayground

Best for

4 activities

Wildlife

Very strong match

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

Free

Bird watching

Very strong match

Birds — Magpie, Mediterranean Gull, Robin +84 more · last seen 2026; Birds — Magpie, Mediterranean Gull, Robin +84 more · last seen 2026

Free

Heritage

Strong match

Historic site

Free

Insect spotting

Good match

Insects — Otiorhynchus indefinitus, Bibio johannis, Eristalis tenax +5 more · last seen 2026; Insects — Otiorhynchus indefinitus, Bibio johannis, Eristalis tenax +5 more · last seen 2026

Free

Trails nearby

Within roughly 5 km

🚶

Walking

12 signed routes nearby · 2 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

87 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 Regional Route 15 (Kent)Cycling route

Named routeRef 15Regional 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

Wildlife to spot

98,760 records · National Biodiversity Network

Wildlife to spot

98,760 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds58 species

winter

2026

Black-headed Gull · Herring Gull · Magpie · Carrion Crow · Cormorant +53

Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
MagpiePica pica2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
JackdawColoeus monedula
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
GannetMorus bassanus2025
Red-throated DiverGavia stellata2025
Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Great TitParus major2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
FirecrestRegulus ignicapilla2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
KittiwakeRissa tridactyla2025
FulmarFulmarus glacialis2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
Common GuillemotUria aalge2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
Brent GooseBranta bernicla2025
WigeonMareca penelope2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
Dark-bellied Brent GooseBranta bernicla bernicla2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
RazorbillAlca torda2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
Yellow-legged GullLarus michahellis2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025

🦎

Reptiles1 species

spring

2026

Adder

AdderVipera berus

🐝

Insects6 species

winterspring

2026

Otiorhynchus indefinitus · Bibio johannis · Eristalis tenax · Pea-leaf Weevil · 10-spot Ladybird +1

Otiorhynchus indefinitusOtiorhynchus indefinitus
Bibio johannisBibio johannis
Eristalis tenaxEristalis tenax
Pea-leaf WeevilSitona lineatus
10-spot LadybirdAdalia decempunctata
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

98,760 records · National Biodiversity Network

🐦

Birds58 species

winter

2026

Black-headed Gull · Herring Gull · Magpie · Carrion Crow · Cormorant +53

Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
Herring GullLarus argentatus2025
MagpiePica pica2025
Carrion CrowCorvus corone2025
CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo2025
WrenTroglodytes troglodytes2025
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus2025
JackdawColoeus monedula
DunnockPrunella modularis2025
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
RobinErithacus rubecula2025
WoodpigeonColumba palumbus2025
Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus2025
Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus2025
MoorhenGallinula chloropus
BlackbirdTurdus merula2025
Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis2025
GannetMorus bassanus2025
Red-throated DiverGavia stellata2025
Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros2025
Rock DoveColumba livia2025
ChaffinchFringilla coelebs2025
BlackcapSylvia atricapilla2025
Grey WagtailMotacilla cinerea2025
KingfisherAlcedo atthis2025
GoldcrestRegulus regulus2025
Great TitParus major2025
Song ThrushTurdus philomelos2025
FirecrestRegulus ignicapilla2025
StonechatSaxicola rubicola2025
KittiwakeRissa tridactyla2025
FulmarFulmarus glacialis2025
House SparrowPasser domesticus2025
Common GuillemotUria aalge2025
Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major2025
Pied WagtailMotacilla alba yarrellii2025
Common GullLarus canus2025
RedwingTurdus iliacus2025
Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis2025
JayGarrulus glandarius2025
Brent GooseBranta bernicla2025
WigeonMareca penelope2025
Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis2025
Dark-bellied Brent GooseBranta bernicla bernicla2025
RavenCorvus corax2025
RazorbillAlca torda2025
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus2025
MallardAnas platyrhynchos2025
Grey HeronArdea cinerea2025
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus2025
YellowhammerEmberiza citrinella2025
Coal TitPeriparus ater2025
NuthatchSitta europaea2025
GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis2025
Yellow-legged GullLarus michahellis2025
KestrelFalco tinnunculus2025
PheasantPhasianus colchicus2025
BullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula2025

🦎

Reptiles1 species

spring

2026

Adder

AdderVipera berus

🐝

Insects6 species

winterspring

2026

Otiorhynchus indefinitus · Bibio johannis · Eristalis tenax · Pea-leaf Weevil · 10-spot Ladybird +1

Otiorhynchus indefinitusOtiorhynchus indefinitus
Bibio johannisBibio johannis
Eristalis tenaxEristalis tenax
Pea-leaf WeevilSitona lineatus
10-spot LadybirdAdalia decempunctata
7-spot LadybirdCoccinella septempunctata

Species observations from the last 10 years via NBN Atlas

Wildlife to spot

Photos

📷 Nick Smith · Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0

Entrance to the Citadel, the immigration removal centre

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Events & activities nearby

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Nearby places

Useful places within 5 km

✦Fortifications, Roman lighthouse and medieval chapel on Western HeightsHistoric site300 m→🌱Pencester GardensUrban park1.6 km→🌱Pencester GardensUrban park1.6 km→🌱Connaught ParkUrban park2.1 km→✦Dover CastleHistoric site2.2 km→✦Dover CastleHistoric site2.2 km→

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