About the reserve

This reserve contains hidden clues of its past with man. On the north end of the site, the Pilgrims Cycle trail that runs from Rochester to Canterbury borders the site. You can imagine the many pilgrims walking along this trail for hundreds of years on their quest to reach Canterbury Cathedral. Broadham used to be the site of a downland farm up until before the Second World War. If you have a hunt, you will stumble across an old well which was the farm’s only source of water. Sadly when the farm was abandoned, the grassland became overgrown with scrub and woodland. Along with the immense support from volunteers, Kent Wildlife Trust has worked hard to remove the invasive areas of scrub and woodland and with great success, has restored the grassland back to the reserve. The chalk grassland is now thriving with wildflowers and orchids. Adders and Grass snakes can even be found basking in the sun. The breath-taking views across the Stour valley on the north end and towards Ashford on the south end also are a sight to behold. The reserve has another man-made secret with its dene holes on the southern part. The dene holes have formed from an old mine that runs underneath part of the reserve. The mine is now a safe haven for a small number of bats.

Walking time from Chilham station: 35 minutes