Lydden Temple Ewell - The James Teacher Reserve

THIS CARPARK IS NOW OPEN

Sweeping downland slopes packed with wildlife on the outskirts of Dover now with the opportunity to sponsor a plot for your loved ones with Legacy Landscapes.

Location

Above the George and Dragon car park,
London Road,
Temple Ewell

Dover

Kent

CT16 3DE

OS Map Reference

TR 287 444 (George and Dragon car park)

What3Words:
walks.horses.movie

Know before you go

Size

90 hectares

Entry fee

N/A

Parking information

The reserve car park is behind the old George and Dragon pub - situated above the cross roads behind the houses in the middle of Temple Ewell village.

Bicycle parking

Grazing animals

Cattle are present at most times of the year

Walking trails

Very steep and rugged downland slopes.

Access

There is a steep narrow path and there are kissing gates/rambler gates. The surface is chalk/grass, steep, uneven and slippery and muddy when wet.

Dogs

On a lead

Dogs must be kept on on a lead as livestock are present

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times. Volunteer work parties take place at Lydden Temple Ewell on Tuesdays and Thursdays (occasionally Saturdays) undertaking habitat management. Be aware that essential management can sometimes be noisy and if you are concerned it may disturb your visit consider visiting on a different day. If you would like to get involved, please visit our volunteering page.

Best time to visit

May to August for butterflies and wild flowers

About the reserve

The sweeping steep grassland slopes of the Lydden Temple Ewell reserve is a sight you can never get tired of seeing.

Come the summer months, the slopes are a-wash with many colours from the diversity of grassland flowers that grow here, including orchids. This site is a place to go to see an overwhelming spectacle of butterflies, from the rich blue of the Adonis Blue butterfly to the small splashes of white and brown of the Silver-spotted Skipper. Over 20 species of butterflies have been counted on the reserve.

The site is accompanied by a symphony of noises from numerous crickets and grasshoppers. If you are extremely lucky with a hint of patience, you may even see one of the largest cricket residents, the Wart-biter Cricket; a flightless cricket the size of your thumb with a deep emerald colour that blends incredibly well with its grassland habitat. It is aptly named after its medicinal use for biting off warts. Surprisingly, this practice is no longer recommended!