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Directions
The park is signposted from the A2 at the Shorne/Cobham
junction, just south of Gravesend.
A large ancient woodland site with a new, modern visitor centre,
Shorne Woods Country Park is a great place to explore. And there is
lots to see and do at this extremely popular site.
A Site of Special Scientific Interest within the
Kent
Downs (link opens in a new window) Area of Outstanding Natural
Beauty, there are 288 acres of woodland to enjoy. The park is a
mixture of chestnut coppice woodlands that are full of wildflowers
in the spring, ancient woodland with towering old trees, open
meadows to play and picnic in, and ponds and wetlands that are home
to dragonflies in the summer time. There are views of the Thames
from the open grassland at the park's highest point. Shorne Woods
is renowned for its fungi and blue bells and the woodlands are full
of wildlife including dormice and bats.
Enjoy the displays in the visitor centre; one of the waymarked
trails; the sensory garden; or relax with a picnic in one of the
areas of open grassland. And for those looking for a more active
experience, there is the
Trim Trails exercise equipment.
The park offers a number of features and facilities which help
to provide easy access to the site. These include an easy access
trail, a sensory garden and electro-scooters (free loan for those
that have pre-booked a training session with the park).
- Paths are largely suitable for electric scooters
- The nearest train station is Higham or Sole Street (3
miles)
- Please note that the 416 bus service is now run by Red
Route
The park offers
easy access walks.
Shorne Woods' sensory garden has been developed for everyone to
enjoy. The plant life and tactile sculptures provide colour, scent,
texture, shape and sound. The Green Man - representing the spirit
of the trees, and a symbol of fertility recognised around the world
- lives in the centre of the garden. The arboretum (an organised
collection of trees) contains almost every species of native tree
found in Kent, all carefully labelled for your information.
The park has strong links to the past, and lies on what was
originally Cobham Hall Estate. The main entrance and carriage rides
of the estate were located in the park.
For those wishing to explore beyond the park's boundary the
surrounding area benefits from an excellent network of Public
Rights of Way.
Geocaching at Shorne Woods
Why not also try geocaching at Shorne Woods. This new fun hobby
combines treasure hunting with a relaxing walk in the countryside.
Find out more about
geocaching.
Meeting room for hire
Shorne Woods now offers a unique meeting room for hire. The park
is an excellent venue for a business meeting, a workshop, training,
a club meeting or a good old get together. More information on
hiring a room at Shorne is available from the
Countryside venues page.
What makes the visitor centre eco-friendly?
The centre is constructed from timber felled locally in the Kent
area. It uses a wind turbine and solar panels to generate energy;
rainwater harvesting; a woodchip boiler for all heating; and a
range of other cutting-edge innovations.
What's more, live LCD displays show you the energy and water
being used and generated at any one time.
Inside, the new displays tell you all about the building and the
unique Heritage Lottery Funded project to restore the historic,
natural landscape in the Shorne area. |