Walks & Woodland Paths At Tudeley Woods - Tree Pipit, Willow Tit, Woodlark, Nightjar

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Walks & Woodland Paths At Tudeley Woods - Tree Pipit, Willow Tit, Woodlark, Nightjar

Starting from the RSPB reserve car park, near Pembury, visitors can now enjoy around 9 km of local walks through award-winning woodland and restored heathland.

The opening of the new heathland link celebrates 17 years of partnership between the Hadlow Estate and the RSPB in managing Tudeley Woods as a nature reserve. 35ha of conifer plantation and arable field have been successfully restored to lowland heath with the help of a grant from the Countryside Stewardship Scheme and visitors can now enjoy a rich traditional patchwork of woodland walks and heathland clearings alive with
bees and butterflies.

"It's amazing how quickly the heath has regenerated - a really lovely place to walk, at any time of the year. Special heathland birds such as the nightjar have recolonised - you can hear their churring calls from Pembury Hospital on warm summer evenings. " said RSPB Site Manager Martin Allison.

Visitors will also be able to view the Highland cattle and the Hebridean sheep that now graze on the reserve, preventing the growth of young trees and shrubs and maintaining the open character of the heath. These rare breeds are hardy and thrive on the open heathland. Water supplies for the livestock have been provided by Mid Kent Water and additional fencing will be erected this winter, to allow more animals on to the site. Further expansion of the heath is planned: the RSPB will be extending the heath this winter and South East Water are currently designing areas of heathland restoration at the neighbouring Marshleyharbour Wood, which will be linked to the RSPB nature reserve by the new trail.

"This is a really exciting restoration project", said Harry Teacher, landowner of the Hadlow Estate. "Together we have created a first-class habitat and the heathland wildlife that was once common here is starting to come back. What is so good about this project is that people can come and enjoy it too."

Creation of the new permissive path was funded jointly by DEFRA, the Forestry Commission and the Tomorrow's Heathland Heritage Programme, which in turn is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

From the A21 north of Pembury, turn right immediately after Fairthorne Garage to access Half Moon Lane - car park a quarter mile down lane, on left.

More information - www.rspb.org.uk

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