Wildlife reserves · South East England
West Blean and Thornden Woods
In or near Chestfield.
West Blean and Thornden Woods is a wildlife reserve in the United Kingdom.
pam fray — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 2 h–4 h
- Best time of year
- Autumn & winter (migration & wildfowl)
- Nearest railway station
- Chestfield & Swalecliffe · 3.8 km
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
Getting there & planning your visit
To visit West Blean and Thornden Woods, the nearest railway station is Chestfield & Swalecliffe, located 3.8 km away. Entry to the reserve is free.
About
West Blean and Thornden Woods is a wildlife reserve in the United Kingdom. Heritage designation: Site of Special Scientific Interest. Coordinates: 51.3281°, 1.0875°.
Photo gallery
Protected designations
- Site of Special Scientific Interest: West Blean and Thornden Woods SSSI
- National Nature Reserve: BLEAN WOODS
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Kent Downs
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
West Blean is an area of ancient semi-natural woodland with SSSI status, 5km north of the city of Canterbury in Kent, England, also including Thornden Wood. It is managed by the Kent Wildlife Trust. This reserve makes up a substantial portion of the Blean complex, potentially covering thousands of hectares, and forming one of the largest concentrated tracts of ancient semi-natural woodland in England. The reserve itself covers some 489 hectares purchased in December 2003 and the Trust continues to seek further opportunities to expand the site.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
- Coordinates
- 51.3281, 1.0875
- County
- Kent
- District
- Canterbury
- Parish
- Chestfield
- Postcode
- CT6 7NZ
- Parliamentary constituency
- Canterbury
- Nearest railway station
- Chestfield & Swalecliffe — 3.8 km
Sources
- wikidata: Q7984481 (CC0)
- wikipedia: West Blean (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Other places nearby
Wychurst
Archaeological sites · 1.9 km
Wildwood
Zoos & aquariums · 2.1 km
Braggs Lane Farm Camping and Caravan Site
Campsites · 2.1 km
Ross Wood Scout Campsite
Campsites · 2.1 km
Wildwood Discovery Park
Zoos & aquariums · 2.2 km
Fleets Paddock Glamping & Camping
Campsites · 2.5 km
Mead Manor
Manor houses · 2.6 km
Winding Pond Rest Area
Natural landmarks · 2.7 km
Hackington
Villages · 2.8 km
Chestfield
Towns & cities · 3.4 km
Gulbenkian Cinema
Cinemas · 3.5 km
Father Courage
Public art & sculpture · 3.5 km
Nearby
📷 5Archaeological sites · South East England
Wychurst
Wychurst — a archaeological in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Zoos & aquariums · South East England
Wildwood
Wildwood — a zoo aquarium in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
📷 5Campsites · South East England
Braggs Lane Farm Camping and Caravan Site
Braggs Lane Farm Camping and Caravan Site — a campsite in england south east.
📷 5Campsites · South East England
Ross Wood Scout Campsite
Ross Wood Scout Campsite — a campsite in england south east.
📷 5Zoos & aquariums · South East England
Wildwood Discovery Park
Wildwood Discovery Park is a zoo or aquarium in the United Kingdom.
📷 5Campsites · South East England
Fleets Paddock Glamping & Camping
Fleets Paddock Glamping & Camping — a campsite in england south east.
Where to eat & stay near West Blean and Thornden Woods
Places to stay
📷 5Campsites · South East England
Braggs Lane Farm Camping and Caravan Site
Braggs Lane Farm Camping and Caravan Site — a campsite in england south east.
📷 5Campsites · South East England
Ross Wood Scout Campsite
Ross Wood Scout Campsite — a campsite in england south east.
📷 5Campsites · South East England
Fleets Paddock Glamping & Camping
Fleets Paddock Glamping & Camping — a campsite in england south east.
📷 5Campsites · South East England
Primrose Cottage Caravan Park
Primrose Cottage Caravan Park — a campsite in england south east.
📷 5
📷 5Caravan parks · South East England
Seaview Holiday Park
Seaview Holiday Park — a caravan park in england south east.
Places to eat & drink
📷 7Cafés · South East England
Chapters
Chapters — a café in england south east.
📷 6
📷 7Historic pubs · South East England
Ye Olde Beverlie
Ye Olde Beverlie — Historic pub — listed building or notable heritage status.
📷 5Restaurants · South East England
Cinnamon
Cinnamon — a restaurant in england south east.
📷 5Historic pubs · South East England
The Miller's Arms Public House
The Miller's Arms Public House in England South East, United Kingdom.
📷 7Cafés · South East England
The Coffee Corner
The Coffee Corner — a café in england south east.
More places in this region
📷 5
📷 5Wildlife reserves · South East England
Burham Down
Burham Down — nature reserve in Kent, England, UK.
📷 5Wildlife reserves · South East England
Combe Bottom
Combe Bottom — nature reserve in Surrey, England.
📷 5Wildlife reserves · South East England
Dryhill Nature Reserve
Dryhill Nature Reserve is a wildlife reserve in the United Kingdom.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is West Blean and Thornden Woods?
- West Blean and Thornden Woods is in Kent, South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode CT6 7NZ), in the parish of Chestfield.
- What is West Blean and Thornden Woods?
- West Blean and Thornden Woods is a wildlife reserve in the United Kingdom.
- How do I get to West Blean and Thornden Woods?
- The nearest railway station is Chestfield & Swalecliffe, about 3.8 km away. Drivers can use postcode CT6 7NZ.
- Is West Blean and Thornden Woods a listed building?
- West Blean and Thornden Woods is officially recognised as Site of Special Scientific Interest listed.
- Is West Blean and Thornden Woods a protected site?
- Yes — West Blean and Thornden Woods is part of the West Blean and Thornden Woods SSSI Site of Special Scientific Interest and the BLEAN WOODS National Nature Reserve.
- Is West Blean and Thornden Woods free to visit?
- Yes, West Blean and Thornden Woods is free to enter.
- How do I get to West Blean and Thornden Woods?
- The nearest railway station is Chestfield & Swalecliffe, about 3.8 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode CT6 7NZ.
- Are dogs allowed at West Blean and Thornden Woods?
- Most wildlife reserves allow dogs on lead only, with restrictions during ground-nesting bird season (March-July). Check signage at the reserve.