Trosley Country Park
Park summary
Trosley Park covers 170 acres of beautiful woodland and chalk downland on the North Downs and provides some spectacular views.
Map of Trosley Country Park (PDF, 973.4 KB)
Once part of the Trosley Towers Estate, Trosley Country Park is now home to a rich variety of wildlife, and a mixture of woodland and open chalk grassland slopes.
The chalk grassland at Trosley is classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, while the grassland supports an array of butterflies every summer, including the Chalkhill Blue.
There are 3 waymarked trails – the Downland Trail is very steep in parts, while the Woodland Walk is much gentler. The Trosley Trail is an easy access route suitable for buggies and wheelchairs. All provide spectacular views over the downs. There's also an outdoor trim trail should the steep paths not prove tough enough.
For the more adventurous, the park is also a good base to visit the Coldrum Stones, an ancient listed monument of 15 sarsen stones.
Waterlow Road
Vigo Village
Meopham
Kent
DA13 0SG
Telephone: 03000 41 18 11
Email: kentcountryparks@kent.gov.uk
Plan your journey using public transport on Traveline
Pay and display:
- Monday to Friday: £1.50 per day
- Weekends and bank holidays: £2.50 per day
The parking height restriction for Trosley Country Park is 2.3m (7ft 6).
Free parking for season ticket holders.
There is plenty of parking available with 55 spaces on hard standing surface and 25 additional spaces on a grass area.
Blue Badge holders may apply for concessionary parking online, or by calling 03000 41 72 72. There are 2 disabled spaces.
All users, including Blue Badge holders, must pay & display or have a valid season ticket.
Opens: 9am
Closes: dusk or 8:30pm, whichever is earliest (this is subject to change, please check the times on the board on the day of your visit)
Closed on Christmas Day
Trosley Country Park was once part of the Trosley Towers estate.
1800s
In 1870 Sir Sydney Waterlow bought large areas of land, including the village of Fairseat and a major section of Stanstead. Look out for the family crest on the small bridge which linked the two areas.
In 1887, he built Trosley Towers mansion and private drives, including Hamilton Drive, which still survives and runs from the site of the old house to Commority Road.
1900s
Sir Sidney died in 1906 and passed the estate to his son Philip. When Philip died in 1931, the estate was sold off, with a Mr Shahmoon buying Trosley Towers and the surrounding woodland in 1935. He demolished the mansion in 1936 and built Hamilton Lodge and stables.
One story suggests that the lodge and stables were built to accommodate the Shah of Persia and his racehorses on his visits to England.
World War II
The land that now forms the park was part of an officers' training camp throughout the war. You can still see a climbing wall, concrete lookout platform and pumping house from the war.
After the war, the land became derelict.
Creating the park
Kent County Council bought and opened the 170 acre Trosley Country Park in 1976.
This park is managed by the Kent County Council Kent Country Parks team.
We produce a management plan every 5 years to make sure Trosley Country Park continues to thrive. The park consists of 136 acres of woodland, grassland and scrub situated in the North Kent Downs. The management plan includes information about conservation, heritage management and community engagement and exists so you can continue to enjoy it.
For more information on how we sustainably manage the park, read our Trosley Country Park Management Plan (PDF, 1.8 MB).
Facilities
Café opening hours
1 April to 30 October - 9:30am - 4pm
1 November to 30 March - 9:30am - 3pm
Food
At the Bluebell Café you can try the local, seasonal produce.
The menu includes homemade snacks, light meals, cakes and even home-made dog biscuits for canine companions.
The café also serves ice creams, soft drinks and fair trade tea and coffee.
Contact Bluebell Cafe on 01732 820315 or bluebelltrosley@gmail.com for more information on what is on offer.
Barbecues
Barbecues are unfortunately not permitted at this park.
Walks
The site has 3 walking routes marked on the Trosley Country Park map (PDF, 973.4 KB).
The Woodland Walk is 2.5 miles, 4km long. It is a flat way-marked route through the woodland, giving far reaching views of the Weald, with seats and woodland sculptures along the way.
The Downland Trail is 2 miles, 3.2km long. A steep, hilly walk across the chalk downland, incorporating part of the North Downs Way. During spring and summer, the downs are full of wildflowers.
The Trosley Trail is 1.5 miles, 2.4km long. This easy access route is ideal for visitors with pushchairs or wheelchairs. A trim trail is marked on this route, where you can exercise on the equipment.
Find other walks in the local area on the Explore Kent website
Dog walking
Dog waste bins are available throughout the site.
Livestock will be grazing on the downland. Notices around the park show which field they are grazing in.
Dogs must be on leads in the car park, grazing areas and close to the café.
A tap and dog bowl are available for use at the café area.
Easy access paths
The Trosley Trail is an easy access route through the woodland which also provides spectacular views over the Downs. The paths are mainly flat, but with some surfaced slopes to navigate. In winter, parts of the route can be muddy. There are no steps.
Forest Fun is a great play area for under 11's.
The play area at the side of visitor centre is on level ground, with a wood chip surface and surrounded by a fence but can be accessed through a gateway.
Run
There are Run England 3-2-1 routes marked throughout the park
Trim trail
There is a trim trail at Trosley with 10 exercise stations.
This is along the yellow-arrowed Trosley Trail and is designed to help you keep fit on your walk. These include:
- monkey bars
- chin ups
- a pole climb
- hurdles.
Toilet facilities are available at all times when the park is open to visitors, even if the café is closed.
There is a unisex accessible toilet adjacent to the main visitor centre which is open at all times. These facilities can be reached via easy access paths and do not require a Radar key to access them.
Horse riding
Experience woodland and chalk grassland terrain along the horse route. This includes a mixture of flat waymarked routes, steep descents and climbs, and incorporates part of the Pilgrim's Way.
Follow the horse route on the Trosley Country Park map (PDF, 973.4 KB).
Geocaching
Find out more about geocaching, sign up to create an account and find geocaches at the park.
Orienteering
For more information on orienteering, please contact Clare Collings on 03000 411811.
Cycling
Cycling is not permitted at Trosley Park, all routes are footpaths only.
Accessibility
Read our accessibility information for Trosley Country Park (PDF, 22.8 KB).
Flying drones
Flying drones is not permitted at country park sites. This is to keep the public safe (walkers, cyclists, horse riders) and to avoid significant disturbance to wildlife and ground nesting birds.
Please do not fly drones under any circumstance.
Outdoor Learning
At Kent Country Parks we offer outdoor learning for all ages and abilities, whether you are visiting one of our outdoor learning centres, or we are bringing our outdoor learning expertise into your setting or environment.
More information for schools or group settings