9 Country Parks In Kent

Discover the beauty of Kent’s country parks, offering stunning coastal and countryside scenery and a wide range of activities for all ages. Explore lakes, meadows, and woods, and enjoy trails, boat rides, and park runs. Check out our What’s On listings for upcoming events, and our Things To Do section for even more ideas of what to do in the Garden of England. Or for more ideas and inspiration see our blog features.

Brockhill Country Park 
Hythe
Opening Hours: 9am-8pm
Brockhill Country Park has woods, meadows, and play areas, and is rich in wildlife that has a host of activities to enjoy. Enjoy outdoor adventures at this picturesque country park, offering geocaching, walks, and orienteering. Explore the play area, waymarked trails, and easy-access paths. Discover three distinct areas: a deer paddock, a lake, and a valley leading to the nearby Royal Military Canal. Throughout the year, the park hosts a variety of events, workshops, seasonal activities, and trails.

Trosley Country Park
Gravesend
Opening Hours: Daily 8:30am-dusk or 9pm – whichever is earlier
Trosley Country Park is a Green Flag Park that has plenty for walkers, children, and nature lovers to enjoy and it is renowned for its bluebell displays in the Summer. Once part of the Trosley Towers Estate, and its chalk grassland is classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, while the grassland supports an array of butterflies every summer, including the Chalkhill Blue. There is the ancient listed monument of 15 sarsen stones, known as the Coldrum Stones to visit, tree waymarked trails with views over the Downs. There is a woodland play area for children under 11 years and the Forest Fun playground has a selection of climbing equipment and slides. There is also a trim trail of equipment for those that like to keep fit, and you can download a pdf of the park with details of walking trails. Like many of the parks, it runs regular events and trails throughout the year for all visitors to enjoy.

Shorne Woods Country Park 
Gravesend
Opening Hours: Daily 9am-dusk or 9pm – whichever is earlier
Shorne Woods is a popular country park, with an eco-friendly visitor centre, fishing lakes, and three play areas in the 292 acres of rolling woodlands, wetlands, and meadows that can be explored via a variety of waymarked trails. Its history is long, with flint tools discovered showing that the woods may have been used as long as 12,000 years ago, or see the foundations of the 13th Century Randall Manor or the air raid shelters from an RAF billet camp and is a Green Flag park. Another park that offers a number of activities and events all year round.

Lullingstone Country Park
Dartford
Opening Hours: 8am-9pm or dusk – whichever is earlier
Lullingstone Country Park is internationally important for its collection of ancient trees, with over 200 veteran oak, beech, ash, sweet chestnut, and lots more, with some believed to be over 800 years old. The park also has chalk grassland with orchids and other wildflowers. There are waymarked trails including the Discovery Trail for children, the Woodland Walk, and the Lullingstone Loop. It is also home to a play area for children under 12 years, a cradle swing, and a zip wire, or visitors can enjoy taking a guided healthy walk, taking part in a park run, orienteering, and lots more in this 460-acre park. Seasonal activities and events are held throughout the year.

Manor Park Country Park 
West Malling, Tonbridge
Opening Hours: 9am-dusk or 9pm – whichever is earlier.
Once part of an 18th Century country estate, Manor Park offers a wide range of natural habitats for you to enjoy, from beautiful wildflower meadows to woodlands and a serene lake. The park’s 52 acres of meadow and woodland with a playground. There are also walking trails, geocaching, and a regular junior park run. Manor Park is home to lots of fascinating wildlife, a lot of which you’ll be able to spot during your visit. These include at least 17 species of birds, plus the veteran trees make excellent roosting spots for several species of bats, and the open grassland and hedges provide plenty of food for them. The lake is the ideal home for water shrews, and the trees and grasslands are perfect for grey squirrels and rabbits.

Teston Bridge Country Park
Maidstone
Opening Hours: Closing time from 4pm-dusk or 9pm – whichever is earlier
Teston Bridge Country Park, a Green Flag Park, is set in 32 acres of grazed meadow and features a children’s play area, the 13^th Century Teston Bridge, and Bridge Meadow which is great for ball games and picnics. The countryside surrounding the bridge and is a great backdrop for walks in the meadows along the banks of The River Medway. The park is also host to a number of events held at the park.

The Grove Ferry Picnic Site
Canterbury
Opening Hours: Daily 9am-dusk or 9pm – whichever is earlier
The Grove Ferry Picnic Site is an open space with canoe hire, boat rides, and a children’s play area next to the Great Stour River with lots of wildlife to see. Picnics, play, and easy access trails to enjoy. This is a great site to enjoy the many water-based activities that are on offer, as well as enjoy the peace and quiet of the landscape.

Pegwell Bay Country Park
Ramsgate
Opening Hours: Daily 9am-dusk or 9pm – whichever is earlier
Pegwell Bay Country Park has great views of Sandwich and Deal and the park acts as the entrance to the Sandwich & Pegwell Nature Reserve, where you can find rare flora, fauna, and wildlife. There is a public bird hide, a children’s play area (3 years +), and events including a weekly park run. This is a site too that has great views, the scenery of Kent and even France on a clear day is breathtaking.

White Horse Wood Country Park
Maidstone
Opening Hours: Daily 9am-8pm’
White Horse Wood Country Park is set within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and offers amazing views of the county’s renowned countryside, or visit the Ash Project and Thurnham Castle while there. A Site of Nature Conservation with over 20,000 trees planted, 5 hectares of land for open grassland and it is an important habitat for a range of usual flora and fauna. Lots of walking routes and great views.

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Picture Credit: © Kent County Council.

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