Blue Bell Hill

Carpark is now open 9am to 5pm

Whether standing above the clouds on a winters morning or watching the last rays of sun striking reds, purple and gold across the valley there is always something fantastic about this place.

Location

Common Road
Blue Bell Hill

Aylesford

Kent,

ME5 9RG

OS Map Reference

TQ743621

What3Words:
decking.agrees.spouse

Know before you go

Size

5 hectares

Entry fee

None

Parking information

Open 9am-6pm in summer and 9am-5pm in winter. There is a free car park at the main entrance with a height barrier. CAR PARK CLOSED AT NIGHT

Bicycle parking

None

Grazing animals

None

Walking trails

The North Downs Way passses through this reserve.

Access

Unsurfaced public footpaths with kissing gates, some paths are narrow, steep and uneven. Essentially this site is for admiring the view, which can be seen from the car park. One of the picnic benches is level with the car park; one is set on a small mound; one is up a short flight of steps.

Dogs

Dogs permitted

Facilities

Picnic area

When to visit

Opening times

Open at all times to visitors on foot. Car Park closed at dusk.

Best time to visit

All year round

About the reserve

Quite possibly the loftiest nature reserve in the county, having uninterrupted panaromic views across the Weald.

There is a diverse number of threatened or unusual plant species on this important chalk grassland habitat creating carpets of colour during the summer months. One of the smallest, Squinancywort, has masses of tiny whitish/pink flowers which can make the site look frosted even on the warmest of days.

This rich plantlife supports a variety of specialist insects including butterflies such as Chalk hill blue, Adonis blue and Brown argus.

Where the fine wildflower filled grassland meets the bushes, there is a tangle of bramble and other rough plants. This is the perfect spot for reptiles and small mammals, such as the bank vole, to forage for food.