About the reserve

The 'Bank' is almost four hectares of chalk grassland on a southeast-facing hillside with commanding views of the Darenth Valley. Many common chalk grassland flowers can be found on this reserve. It is a good place to see a wide variety of insects, including many species of butterfly. The rufous grasshopper is also found here. The scrub provides a valuable habitat for many birds, including blackcap and willow warbler. One of the more unusual plants here is common dodder, which can be found in great abundance in some years growing as a parasite on rock-rose.