Park Gate Down - The Hector Wilks Reserve
Ancient chalk grassland with a very rich flora.
Location
Lies between Stelling Minnis and Elham
Canterbury
CT4 6NE
OS Map Reference
TR163452What3Words:
shuttled.eminent.hazelnuts
Know before you go
Dogs
When to visit
Opening times
Open at all times. Volunteer work parties take place at Park Gate Down on Fridays undertaking habitat management. Be aware that essential management can sometimes be noisy and if you are concerned it may disturb your visit consider visiting on a different day. If you would like to get involved, please visit our volunteering page.Best time to visit
May to August for orchids and wild flowersAbout the reserve
This picturesque reserve renowned for its rare orchid varieties consists of seven hectares of ancient chalk grassland with scrub and fringing woodland on the east side of a dry valley.
It has attracted many feeding and breeding birds, including green and great-spotted woodpeckers amongst many others. The site is good for adder, common lizard and slow worm. It has a rich flora, including cowslip, primrose, violet, marjoram and salad burnet. It is also rich in orchids such as early-purple, common-spotted, pyramidal, green-veined, bee and monkey.