Places to see birds

Foal Hurst Wood

Foal Hurst Wood is a small area of woodland and meadow comprising of 29 acres of woodland and 11 acres of meadowland around its northern border. Located within the parish of Paddock Wood it is situated on the outskirts of the town near Tonbridge. The wood is owned by the town council and since 1999 has been designated a nature reserve thanks restoration and expertise provided by the Kent High Weald Project and British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, whilst a major provider of development funding was the Forestry Commission.

Within the wood there is a network of footpaths that take the walker deep into the heart of the reserve and a trail around its outskirts. Birds that thrive in the wood, include Green and Great Spotted Woodpeckers. Other species include Blackcap, Chiff-Chaff and Sparrowhawk, as well as a host of other woodland birds. Altogether over forty species have so far been identified.
In the Spring there are Primroses, Orchids and Carpets of Bluebells. In summer Dog Rose and Honeysuckle and Autumn provides a colourful array of Fungi whilst Winter shows the stark and natural beauty of the woodland.

The entrance to the reserve is approximately 300 metres from the junction of Maidstone and Badsell Road on the left hand side, adjacent to the Badsell Allotments. You can walk to the reserve from the Paddock Wood Town Centre in about 15 minutes or take any bus going to Five Oak Green and ask the driver to set you down by the entrance, where there is a special bus stop. There is also mainline Rail station at Paddock Wood.

Grid Reference:, TQ 660 441