insideKENT Magazine Issue 39 - June 2015 | Page 100
DAYSOUT
Beacon Wood Walk
Having opened in 1991, Beacon Wood is a relatively new country park, but it
has rapidly become a firm favourite with locals due to its rolling, varied woodland
and interesting history.
For over 400 years, Beacon Wood consisted of
ancient, hilly woodland, from which trees supplied
timber for various uses. It was the site of a beacon,
which formed part of the network used to warn
of the approaching Spanish Armada during
Elizabethan times. After some trees were cleared
to make way for an orchard, the site was then
used for the manufacture of gunpowder from
1885. In 1935, the excavation of clay for cement
manufacture began, resulting in the pitted
landscape we see now.
oday, the park features a shady picnic area
T
and a variety of trails running around old clay pits,
which have almost completely reverted to a natural
state. With a wide mix of flora and fauna, this is
a haven for wildlife. There’s a pond/wetland area
with a viewing platform, information point, and
views over the stunning countryside. All in all, the
park is a charming place for slow walks and
perfect for spotting a variety of wildlife. With the
remains of the area’s human history still visible
also, see if on your way around the walk you can
spot the clay hopper used from the early 1920s
until 1960, to extract clay from the site.
Let us know what you spot by posting it on
Explore Kent's Twitter or Facebook page,
@explorekent.
Step by Step
Start with your back to the disabled parking bays
in the designated parking area, and facing the
entrance you will see a yellow marker indicating
a path in the far right hand corner of the car park.
Follow the main path bearing to the right through
the woodland. Turn right at the junction, follow
the path and take the first turning on the right.
Continue ahead to reach the crossroads,
bearing left, and then take the first left and continue
ahead to the next junction. Turn right following
the path ahead to the next junction, then turn
right again and follow straight ahead for 150m.
At the junction after the sunken timber boards,
you may turn left and follow a wooden boardwalk
to reach a viewing area over another pond. Here,
you will be able to see a host of freshwater
invertebrates swimming around during the
summer and an array of dragonflies and
damselflies. Retrace your steps, passing the first
junction. Turn right at the second junction and
follow this path ahead to 'B', then retrace your
steps back to the car park.
Over the next 100 years, this area will
develop into a mature broadleaf woodland. In
the distance, you will be able to see Lords and
Ladies Woods, which are Sites of Special Scientific
Interest. This is a nice easy stroll for a lazy
summer’s afternoon, so why not give it a go?
Location:
Beacon Wood Walk DA2 8AR
Distance:
0.6 miles (0.97 km)
Time:
Allow 30 mins
OS Explorer Map: 162
Terrain:
Country lanes and woodland tracks
Parking:
Parking is availa