Fackenden Down

A west and south-west facing slope of the North Downs on the eastern side of the Darent Valley.

Opening times: open at all times.
Best time to visit: April to August for the wildflowers, butterflies and reptiles.

  • Dog walking

  • No facilities

Size: 14 hectares.

Parking information: Very limited parking in lay-bys on Fackenden Lane. Please park considerately. 

Grazing animals: Cattle and occasional sheep.

Bicycle parking: None.

Walking trails: Very steep in parts and paths uneven. For low carbon walking trails around Fackenden Down, download the Darent Valley Trails app.

Dogs: On a lead. Please keeps dogs under close control.

Not wheelchair accessible. There are gates and stiles on the roadsides, the surface is grass/earth and the walking trails are steep and uneven.

About the reserve

A west and south-west facing slope of the North Downs on the eastern side of the Darent Valley. The majority of the area is high-quality chalk grassland, with areas of scrub and woodland. The grassland supports fragrant, pyramidal and man orchids, together with characteristic downland insect species, especially butterflies such as brown argus, common blue and dark green fritillary.

Contact Us

If you need to get in touch regarding Fackenden Down, for any reason, please contact:

Paul Glanfield
Contact number: 01622 662012
Contact email: [email protected] 

Environmental designation

  • Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)