Lydden Temple Ewell - The James Teacher Reserve

Sweeping downland slopes packed with wildlife on the outskirts of Dover.

Opening times:open at all times. Volunteer work parties take place at Lydden Temple Ewell on Tuesdays and Thursdays (occasionally Saturdays) 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.
Best time to visit: May to August for butterflies and wildflowers.

  • Dog walking

  • Parking

Size: 90 hectares.

Parking information: The reserve car park is behind the old George and Dragon pub - situated above the cross roads behind the houses in the middle of Temple Ewell village.

Bicycle parking: None.

Grazing animals: Cattle are present at most times of the year.

Walking trails: Very steep and rugged downland slopes.

Dogs: Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times as livestock are present.

There is a steep narrow path and there are kissing gates/rambler gates. The surface is chalk/grass, steep, uneven and slippery and muddy when wet.

About the reserve

The sweeping steep grassland slopes of the Lydden Temple Ewell reserve is a sight you can never get tired of seeing.

Come the summer months, the slopes are a-wash with many colours from the diversity of grassland flowers that grow here, including orchids. This site is a place to go to see an overwhelming spectacle of butterflies, from the rich blue of the Adonis Blue butterfly to the small splashes of white and brown of the Silver-spotted Skipper. Over 20 species of butterflies have been counted on the reserve.

In June 2025 - a rare moth was rediscovered at this reserve after being presumed extinct in England having not been spotted for 73 years - the Tiree Twist. Read more here. 

The site is accompanied by a symphony of noises from numerous crickets and grasshoppers. If you are extremely lucky with a hint of patience, you may even see one of the largest cricket residents, the Wart-biter Cricket; a flightless cricket the size of your thumb with a deep emerald colour that blends incredibly well with its grassland habitat. It is aptly named after its medicinal use for biting off warts. Surprisingly, this practice is no longer recommended!  

Legacy Landscapes

Did you know? You can sponsor a quarter acre or more of this remarkable reserve as part of Kent Wildlife Trust’s Legacy Landscapes, championing chalk grassland and the many species that rely on it for survival. Lydden Temple Ewell is one of the first sites in Kent to be part of this important programme to support the conservation management of precious habitats. 

Find out more

Contact Us

If you need to get in touch regarding the James Teacher Reserve, for any reason, please contact:

Karen Weeks
Contact number: 01622 662012
Contact email: [email protected] 

Environmental designation

  • Local Wildlife Site (LWS)
  • National Nature Reserve (NNR)
  • Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
  • Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)