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