Blean, East
O.S Map 179 TR 194642 : Nr Herne Bay
Post code: (east end) Hicks Forstal Road - CT3 4JS
(west end) Hicks Forstal Road - CT3 4NA
Blean, East (including including Childs Forstal) covers over 122 hectares of ancient semi-natural woodland situated on poorly drained London clay, with a small area of gravelly soil in the south.
The underlying clay results in much surface water and mud in inclemant weather. The soil is mostly fairly acid, as shown by the carpets of bluebells and patches of heather, but more alkaline elsewhere, with characteristic species such as spurge laurel, sanicle and common spotted-orchid. The wood has been heavily managed in the past, and was a prime source for sweet chestnut. When conditions are open, after the coppice is cut, much of the ground is colonised by common cow-wheat, which is the food plant of the caterpillar of the nationally rare heath fritillary butterfly.
Directions
By Road:
From the A291, take Hicks Forstal Road near Wealden Woods to Hoath. The reserve car park is situated at the east end of woods.
Public Transport:
Bus 4&6 Canterbury and Herne Bay along the
A291 (½ mi/0.8 km).
Download Reserve Map (PDF)
Key site for
- For nesting birds such as warblers, and insect eating birds such as woodpeckers, nuthatches and treecreepers
- Plant life: The soil is mostly fairly acid, as shown by the carpets of bluebells and patches of heather, but more alkaline elsewhere, with characteristic species
such as spurge laurel, sanicle and common spotted-orchid present across the site. - Notable also for fungi in Autumn months.
Wildlife update
A fire, cause unknown, burnt 4 ha [10 acres] of sweet chestnut coppice over the weekend 21st/22nd April. Some fifty fire fighters were engaged in putting out the blaze. Much of the burnt area was suitable heath fritillary habitat. On inspection of the fire area on 17th May there were strong signs of regeneration of both trees and herbaceous plants. Ecologically speaking it may well have benefited the reserve: a mosaic of dead wood on affected trees and regenerating trees has been created.
