The view across the lakes at Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve in summer.
© Sarah Jordan

Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve and Jeffery Harrison Visitor Centre

The Visitor Centre is temporarily closed for refurbishment and opening in mid-January 2026. This 73-hectare site was the first example of a gravel pit site being developed for the purpose of nature conservation. It is home to a diverse range of plants, fungi, birds and dragonflies & damselflies.

Price: Charged Parking (no cash) - Weekdays: £2.50 Weekends: £3.50

Winter opening hours: The Visitor Centre is temporarily closed for refurbishment and will reopen mid-January 2026. To find out more, and for ways to get involved visit here. The nature reserve remains open daily dawn-dusk. Volunteer work parties take place each Tuesday. If you are concerned about disturbance, please consider coming on another day.
Best time to visit: All year round.
RingGo: 32509 | Phone: 02030 460010

  • Bird hides

  • Cafe/refreshments

  • Disabled parking

  • Education centre

  • Parking

  • Picnic area

  • Shop

  • Toilets

  • Visitor centre

  • Wifi

More info

The Visitor Centre is temporarily closed for refurbishment and reopening in mid-January 2026, find out more here.

Size: 73 hectares

Bicycle parking: Yes, blue butterfly bicycle racks are located near the visitor centre. No bicycles allowed on the reserve.

Walking trails: There are several trails around the reserve, please note that there is very deep water in places, so those under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Picnics are restricted to the designated area only. 

For low carbon walking trails around Sevenoaks Visitor Centre, download the Darent Valley Trails app.

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Dogs: No dogs (except assistance dogs) are allowed on the reserve – though dogs are allowed in the car park and picnic area when on a lead.

Toilets: Available during visitor centre opening times.

Visitors in Wheelchairs have access to the visitors centre, three hides and most of the nature trail. Toilets are available during visitor centre opening times.

Important information

The Jeffery Harrison Visitor Centre is temporarily closed and will reopen in mid-January 2026, find out more by clicking here.

We’re delighted to inform our members and supporters that work is well underway on the Sevenoaks Visitor Centre refurbishment project.

Due for completion in mid-January 2026 this £2.1m project will see some much needed improvements to the Visitor Centre, car parking area and the wider reserve.

Set in over 73 hectares the Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve was a pioneering project when Jeffery Harrison created a haven for wildlife from the remains of an industrial site.

With this investment Jeffery’s vision will have the visitor centre it deserves. The installation of full height glazed doors and a stunning deck area overlooking the often missed West Lake will connect the visitor centre to the reserve like never before.

The improved café space will provide an upgraded food offering with barista quality coffee, delicious cakes and a space that’s available for corporate hires and community events.

Add to that the improvement in accessible features, interactive interpretation within the visitor centre and a bespoke play park unlike anything we’ve ever seen before and Sevenoaks will have a wonderful new gateway to inspiring young and old alike to see the true value in defending our wildlife and wild spaces.

Unfortunately these improvements don’t come without some disruption to access. The car park is currently locked and only available to those attending pre-booked events such as Nature Tots, Birthday Parties, Holiday Clubs or School bookings. We ask that visitors still wanting to come and enjoy the reserve and planning on parking in residential streets nearby, do so with consideration for our neighbours and local community.

Those attending on foot can currently access the reserve via the footpath found roughly 20 metres to the left of the main car park gate, following the path through the elemental garden before turning onto the path going anti-clockwise around the West Lake. Again at the time of writing there is also access around the contractors compound and through the main reserve entrance. Please continue to monitor our social media pages and website for more up to date information and guidance.

Support & learn about the refurbishment

A £2.1m transformation is currently underway and we expect to reopen in mid-January 2026.  

Learn more

About the reserve

Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve lies immediately to the north of Sevenoaks. The reserve was the first example of a gravel pit site being developed for the purpose of nature conservation. This restored former quarry is owned by Tarmac and leased to Kent Wildlife Trust under a long term agreement for the benefit of wildlife and enjoyment of all. It is a spectacular site for birds, as well as dragonflies and damselflies there is also a diverse community of plants, fungi and other wildlife, including creatures of the night such as bats and glow-worms. So far well over two thousand species have been identified and more are regularly being added to the list. This pioneering nature reserve covers 73 hectares and comprises five lakes surrounded by woodland, there are a few ponds, seasonally flooded pools as well as grassland and small areas of reedbed, the clear water of river Darent flows through the northern part of the reserve and supports a reasonable population of invertebrates and fish.

The deeper lakes attract all the common wildfowl which are especially abundant in the winter. Surface feeding duck such as teal and shovelers tend to frequent the shallower areas.  Waders such as green and common sandpiper, greenshank, lapwing and little-ringed plover can be seen around the muddy edges of the shallow water. The last two species nest on the reserve. Grey herons are resident and other birds like kingfisher, grey wagtail can often be located. Birds such as reed bunting and reed warbler can easily be seen in the reedbed in the summertime. 

The trees and scrub support of breeding perching birds, including the common garden birds, warblers such as chiffchaffs and blackcaps, woodpeckers (all 3 species including the lesser-spotted are found here), treecreepers and bullfinch. In the winter the alder trees attract flocks of siskins and redpolls.

About the Visitor Centre

The Jeffery Harrison Visitor Centre has been the starting point for thousands of visitors to the reserve since 1987. The centre houses displays illustrating the prehistory and history of the site, the creation of the reserve, its habitats and the wildlife that they support. In addition, the Visitor Centre can advise you on how best to enjoy your day at the Reserve, highlighting recent wildlife sightings, walks and trails and forthcoming events. The Visitor Centre has an indoor seating area and a café serving hot and cold drinks, ice creams and sweet snacks. There is also a shop area selling local produce, bird food and accessories and a great range of Hawke Optics binocular and scopes which we are happy for you to test onsite so that you get the right optic for you.

Adjacent to the Centre there is a fully accessible bird hide looking over the West Lake, as well as a picnic area with two accessible picnic tables a sensory elemental garden and wild space to explore.

BBQs and fires are not permitted on the reserve.   

Car parking charges

Environmental designation

• Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

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Upcoming Events at Sevenoaks Visitor Centre

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