About the reserve

A small chalk downland site, there is a chalk mound on at the northern end of the reserve, this was created after the excavation of a railway tunnel. The mound supports a good plant community, including wild thyme, autumn gentian, carline thistle and common milkwort. The whole reserve can be viewed from the top of the mound. There are 2 meadows where a large number of pyramidal, twayblade and bee orchids occur, wild parsnip is very widespread. 

The site was once a refuse tip and the clay that has been used to cap it has led to a variety of plants growing in patches within the grassland area. Grass vetchling and dark mullein are amongst the more unusual flora.  

The scrub is very popular with bullfinch, greenfinch, goldfinch and chaffinch as well as whitethroat, yellowhammer and linnet.

Walking time from Knockholt station: 8 minutes