A Complete Guide to the 9 Country Parks Managed by Kent County Council

If you love spending time outdoors like I do, you’ll find so much to enjoy in Kent’s country parks. These parks are some of the best places in the county to walk, play, picnic, and spot wildlife—all in beautiful, safe surroundings. Managed by Kent County Council, each park has its own special features, from ancient woodlands and big lakes to fun playgrounds and cosy cafés.

Kent County Council manages nine country parks across the county, along with a few smaller countryside sites. What I really like about them, is that they make a good base for starting a longer walk as there is always a good cafe (and toilets) and somewhere safe to park the car. Some of them are big enough to walk around for a few hours, but all of them are set in a wider countryside, so you can always venture out and come back at your leisure.

I often visit Lullingstone Park, Shorne Woods or Trosley Country Park as they are quite large, have a great cafes and are close to us.

Country Parks in Kent

The country parks in this blog post are managed by Kent County Council and are specifically designated, maintained, and developed to offer a wide range of visitor facilities—such as visitor centres, cafés, toilets, adventure play areas, car parks, waymarked trails, and regular events. They are designed to provide safe, accessible, and family-friendly environments for recreation, education, and wildlife appreciation.

There are of course other parks in Kent either privately managed or looked after the Wildlife Trust, but in this blog post I wanted to focus on the 9 parks managed by the Kent County Council.

Buy a season parking ticket

An annual parking ticket for all Kent Country Parks costs £67 and you get unlimited parking at all nine of the county’s country parks for a full year. This is a great value, especially if you live close to one of the parks or you like to visit the parks on regular basis.

I also like, that all proceeds from the season tickets are reinvested into improving park facilities and supporting wildlife conservation.

You can have two cars registered on one ticket, providing the cars are registered at one address. The ticket cost is per car (no per person), which means that you can take as many people as you like with you.

Lullingstone Country Park

Lullingstone Country Park was once part of the Lullingstone Castle estate and used as a medieval deer park by the Hart Dyke family. The park has some amazingly old trees, including oak, beech, and sweet chestnut, some of which are more than 400 years old.

The area also has Roman connections, with the remains of Lullingstone Roman Villa close by. The park covers around 460 acres and has waymarked trails as well as the long distance Darent Valley Walk running through it. There are wildflower meadows, and pretty views across the River Darent and in the summer you get a beautiful views of the lavender fields at the Castle Farm, which is right next to the main hub of the park with cafe and large car park.

• Address: Lullingstone Lane, Eynsford, Kent, DA4 0JF
• Opening times: Open daily, usually from dawn to dusk
• Size: Around 186 hectares (about 460 acres)
• Parking: Pay and display car park at the Visitor Centre
• Parking cost: £2.50 weekdays, £3.50 weekends and bank holidays (as of 2025)
• Cafe: On-site café serving hot and cold drinks, snacks, and light meals
• Facilities: Visitor centre, toilets (including accessible toilets), gift shop, picnic areas, indoor and outdoor venue hire, baby changing
• Children’s playground: Yes, adventure play area near the café
• Walking trails: Multiple waymarked trails, Darent Valley long distance path, also easy-access routes, woodland and riverside walks, and the Lullingstone Loop
• Dog friendly: Dogs welcome; must be under control, especially near livestock and wildlife
• Wildlife: Ancient trees, wildflower meadows, river habitats, and a wide variety of birds, butterflies, and deer
• Accessibility: Some accessible paths and facilities, particularly near the visitor centre and café
• Events: Regular family activities, guided walks, and seasonal events—see the park’s website for updates
• BBQs: Barbecues are not permitted
• Public transport: Accessible by train (Eynsford station about 1 mile away) and local bus services
• Picnic areas: Multiple picnic spots, including near the playground and along walking trails

Shorne Woods Country Park

Shorne Woods Country Park has a mix of ancient woodland, meadows, and wetlands with a history that stretches back to Stone Age. The land also used to be part of the Cobham Hall estate just outside the pretty Cobham village across the A2 dual carriageway.

During World War II, the site was used for a prisoner of war camp and later a base for the RAF. In the 20th century, parts of the woods were quarried for clay to make cement, leaving behind the pits and ponds you can still see today. Kent County Council bought the land in 1982 and opened it as a country park in 1987.

• Address: Brewers Road, Shorne, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 3HX
• Opening times: Open daily, usually from dawn to dusk
• Size: 288 acres (about 116 hectares)
• Parking: Large pay and display car park available
• Parking cost: £2.50 weekdays, £3.50 weekends and bank holidays (as of 2025)
• Cafe: On-site café serving hot and cold drinks, snacks, and light meals
• Facilities: Modern visitor centre, toilets (including accessible toilets), baby changing, meeting rooms for hire, outdoor classroom, sensory garden
• Children’s playground: Yes, large natural play area
• Walking trails: Multiple waymarked trails for all abilities, including easy-access paths, woodland walks, and trim trails
• Dog friendly: Dogs welcome; off-lead areas available, but must be kept under control in certain zones
• Wildlife: Home to a variety of birds, insects, and pond life; features lakes, wetlands, and ancient woodland
• Accessibility: Accessible paths and facilities, including mobility scooter hire.
• Events: Regular family activities, seasonal events, and educational sessions—see the park’s website for details
• BBQs: Barbecues are not permitted
• Public transport: Accessible by bus from Gravesend and Strood; nearest train station is Sole Street (about 2 miles away)
• Picnic areas: Multiple picnic spots, including near the play area and along woodland trails

Brockhill Country Park

Brockhill Country Park was once part of the estate of a Norman manor and later to Saltwood Castle just outside Hythe. The estate was used as a game estate during Norman times, providing meat, fish, and timber. Over the centuries, it has been owned by several families, including the Tournay family in the late 1400s.

It’s nice to see that some historic landscape features, such as boundaries and earthworks, remain from its former days as a possible deer park and estate grounds. Today, the house from the original estate is used as the main building for a performing arts college, while the grounds are open to the public as the country park.

• Address: Sandling Road, Hythe, Kent, CT21 4HL
• Opening times: The park is open daily, usually from dawn to dusk.
• Parking: Pay and display car park available
• Parking cost: £1.50 for all day
• Cafe: Brockhill Café
• Facilities: Toilets, picnic areas, indoor venue, outdoor classroom
• Children’s playground: Yes, new play area available
• Walking trails: Several well-marked trails, including the Lake Walk (suitable for pushchairs), Valley Walk, and Meadow Walk, offering a range of lengths and scenery.
• Dog friendly: Dogs are welcome, but should be kept under control, especially around the lake and wildlife areas.
• Wildlife: The park is a great spot for birdwatching and seeing other wildlife, such as ducks, moorhens, and sometimes deer.
• Accessibility: Some paths are accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs, particularly around the lake and picnic areas.
• Events: The park hosts family activities, guided walks, and seasonal events—check the park’s website for details.
• BBQs: Barbecues are not permitted.
• Public transport: Close to Sandling railway station (about a 10-minute walk), and local bus services run nearby.
• Picnic areas: Multiple picnic spots throughout the park, including near the playground and lake.
• Nature play: Natural play features and open grassland for informal play.
• Toilets: Public toilets, including accessible facilities, are available near the café.

Manor Park Country Park

Manor Park Country Park was established in 1973 when Kent County Council purchased the land, which was formerly the private gardens and parkland of the nearby Douces Manor (originally St Leonard’s), with the help of a grant from the Countryside Commission.

The lake within the park was created in the mid-1800s to provide fresh fish for the manor house. Today, the park is protected as public recreational land and features a mix of grassland, woodland, and a large lake.

• Address: St. Leonard’s Street, West Malling, Kent, ME19 6PE
• Opening times: Open daily, usually from dawn to dusk
• Size: 52 acres (21 hectares)
• Parking: Pay and display car park available
• Parking cost: £2.50 weekdays, £3.50 weekends and bank holidays (as of 2025)
• Cafe: The Old Orchard Café on site, offering hot and cold drinks, snacks, and light meals
• Facilities: Toilets (including accessible toilets), picnic areas, baby changing, indoor venue hire
• Children’s playground: Yes, with natural play features
• Walking trails: Several waymarked trails through parkland, woodland, and around the lake
• Dog friendly: Dogs welcome but must be kept on leads in certain areas
• Wildlife: Home to ducks, swans, birds, and other wildlife around the lake and meadows
• Accessibility: Some paths accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs, especially around the lake and cafe
• Events: Hosts family activities, seasonal events, and educational sessions—check the park’s website for details
• BBQs: Barbecues are not permitted
• Public transport: Close to West Malling railway station (about a 10-minute walk), local bus services nearby
• Picnic areas: Multiple picnic spots throughout the park, especially near the lake and playground

Pegwell Bay Country Park

Pegwell Bay Country Park is part of a wider nature reserve covering approximately 615 hectares on the east coast of Kent.

The park has amazing coastal views, accessible walking trails, a children’s play area, picnic spots, and a visitor centre with information about the local wildlife and history.

Archaeological finds show that people lived around Pegwell Bay in prehistoric times. The mudflats and saltmarshes would have been good for fishing and gathering shellfish.

It’s thought that the Romans landed near Pegwell Bay when they invaded Britain in AD 43. The area was close to Richborough, which became one of the main Roman forts and ports.

In AD 597, St Augustine is traditionally said to have landed here and brought Christianity to England on behalf of the Pope. A cross now marks the site of this landing. And the replica of Viking ship, which is in a separate area of the main bay, reminds us of the AD 865 Viking army landing here.

Pegwell Bay was also the site of the first cross-channel flight by Louis Blériot in 1909 and it was also the site of the Ramsgate (Pegwell Bay) Hoverport, which opened in 1969. It was the world’s first purpose‑built international hoverport, created by the company Hoverlloyd to run cross‑Channel services to Calais using the huge SR.N4 hovercraft.

• Address: Sandwich Road, Cliffsend, Ramsgate, Kent, CT12 5JB
• Opening times: Open daily, usually from dawn to dusk
• Size: Approximately 615 hectares (includes the wider nature reserve area)
• Parking: Pay and display car park available
• Parking cost: £2.50 weekdays, £3.50 weekends and bank holidays (as of 2025)
• Cafe: Small visitor centre café with drinks and snacks
• Facilities: Toilets (including accessible toilets), visitor centre with displays about wildlife and local history, picnic areas
• Children’s playground: Yes, play area available
• Walking trails: Several waymarked trails, including flat, wheelchair-friendly paths and access to the England Coast Path, Augustine Camino, Viking Trail
• Dog friendly: Dogs welcome but must be kept under control, especially near wildlife and grazing areas
• Wildlife: Noted for birdwatching and rich in wetland wildlife; part of a National Nature Reserve and SSSI, SPA, SAC, and RAMSAR site
• Accessibility: Main paths are flat and wheelchair/pushchair accessible; some natural trails can be uneven
• Events: Hosts family activities, guided walks, and educational sessions—check the park’s website for details
• BBQs: Barbecues are not permitted
• Public transport: Close to Ramsgate and Sandwich, with bus stops nearby
• Picnic areas: Multiple picnic spots with sea views and near the play area

Teston Bridge Country Park

Teston Bridge Country Park covers about 32 acres (13 hectares) of meadows and riverside landscape along the River Medway and I’ve come across it when I was walking the Medway Valley path.

Right at the entrance to the park you can find theTeston Bridge, which is a historic stone bridge that crosses the River Medway.

It dates back to the 14th century and is built from Kentish ragstone, a local material that gives it a solid, traditional look. The bridge has six pointed arches and was originally designed for horse-drawn carts and foot traffic, so it’s quite narrow compared to modern bridges. Because of its age and design, it’s now a Grade I listed structure, meaning it’s protected as a site of national importance.

• Address: Teston Lane, Teston, Maidstone, Kent, ME18 5BX
• Opening times: Open daily, usually from dawn to dusk
• Size: 32 acres (about 13 hectares)
• Parking: Pay and display car park available
• Parking cost: £2.50 weekdays, £3.50 weekends and bank holidays (as of 2025)
• Cafe: Small seasonal coffee hut/kiosk offering drinks and snacks
• Facilities: Toilets (including accessible toilets), picnic areas, information boards
• Children’s playground: Yes, play area available
• Walking trails: Riverside and meadow walks, including access to the Medway Valley Walk
• Dog friendly: Dogs welcome, but must be under control, especially near livestock and wildlife
• Wildlife: Rich riverside habitat with birds, insects, and grazing livestock in the meadows
• Accessibility: Some flat, accessible paths; parking and toilets suitable for disabled visitors
• Events: Hosts family activities and occasional seasonal events—see the park’s website for updates
• BBQs: Barbecues are not permitted
• Public transport: Accessible by bus from Maidstone; nearest train station is Wateringbury (about a 15-minute walk)
• Picnic areas: Multiple picnic spots, especially along the river and near the play area

Trosley Country Park

Trosley Country Park has a mixture of deep woodland and chalk grassland on the North Downs. The land was once part of the Trosley Towers Estate and was used as an officers’ training camp during World War II and you can still see parts of the old climbing wall and lookout platform.

The park is a great base for walking the North Downs Way and I’ve also walked down following the Wealdway to Coldrum Long Barrow Stones and then through the village of Trottiscliffe back up to the top of the hill, where the car park is.

• Address: Waterlow Road, Vigo Village, Meopham, Gravesend, Kent, DA13 0SG
• Opening times: Open daily, usually from dawn to dusk
• Size: 170 acres (about 69 hectares)
• Parking: Pay and display car park available
• Parking cost: £2.50 weekdays, £3.50 weekends and bank holidays (as of 2025)
• Cafe: Bluebell Café on site, serving hot and cold drinks, snacks, and light meals
• Facilities: Toilets (including accessible toilets), baby changing, visitor centre, outdoor classroom, meeting room hire
• Children’s playground: Yes, natural play area available
• Walking trails: Multiple waymarked trails, including easy-access routes and challenging woodland and chalk downland walks, North Downs Way runs through the park and connects on to Wealdway long distance path
• Dog friendly: Dogs welcome; must be under control, especially near livestock and wildlife
• Wildlife: Home to butterflies, birds, and rare chalk grassland species; part of the North Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
• Accessibility: Some accessible paths and facilities, with an accessibility guide available
• Events: Regular family activities, guided walks, seasonal and educational events
• BBQs: Barbecues are not permitted
• Public transport: Accessible by bus from nearby towns; nearest train station is Meopham (about 5 miles away)
• Picnic areas: Multiple picnic spots throughout the park, including near the playground and along walking trails

White Horse Wood Country Park

White Horse Wood Country Park is set within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and there are amazing panoramic views over the Weald of Kent. The park has the medieval ruins of Thurnham Castle and traces of an Iron Age settlement. You can explore several waymarked walking trails, discover ancient woodland with over 20,000 newly planted native trees, and see information boards about the park’s archaeology and wildlife.

• Address: Detling Hill, Thurnham, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 3JJ
• Opening times: Open daily, usually from dawn to dusk
• Size: 26 hectares (about 64 acres)
• Parking: Pay and display car park available
• Parking cost: £2.50 weekdays, £3.50 weekends and bank holidays (as of 2025)
• Cafe: No café on site; nearest refreshments are in nearby villages
• Facilities: Toilets, picnic areas, information boards
• Children’s playground: No formal play area, but open space for informal play
• Walking trails: Several waymarked trails, including access to the North Downs Way and views over the Kent Downs
• Dog friendly: Dogs welcome; must be under control, especially near wildlife and livestock
• Wildlife: Home to diverse wildlife, ancient woodland, and over 20,000 newly planted native trees
• Accessibility: Some accessible paths, though parts are steep and uneven
• Events: Occasional guided walks and community events—check the park’s website for details
• BBQs: Barbecues are not permitted
• Public transport: Accessible by bus; nearest train station is Bearsted (about 3 miles away)
• Picnic areas: Multiple picnic spots with panoramic views over the Weald of Kent

Grove Ferry Picnic Site

Grove Ferry Picnic Site just outside the historic town of Canterbury, in Upstreet along the River Stour. The park takes its name from a historic ferry that once crossed the river, with the nearby Grove Ferry Inn dating back to 1831 and the Grove Ferry Bridge renovated in 2000.

You can enjoy riverside walks, picnic areas, a children’s play area, canoe hire, boat rides, and there are excellent birdwatching opportunities, as the picnic site is just outside the Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve.

The Saxon Shore Way passes through the park as well as the Stour Valley Walk, Augustine Camino and Wantsum Walk.

• Address: Grove Ferry Road, Upstreet, Canterbury, Kent, CT3 4BP
• Opening times: Open daily, usually from dawn to dusk
• Size: Around 13 hectares (about 32 acres)
• Parking: Pay and display car park available
• Parking cost: £2.30 weekdays, £3.50 weekends and bank holidays (as of 2025)
• Cafe: No café on site, only mobile cafe truck; nearest refreshments are at the nearby Grove Ferry Inn
• Facilities: Toilets, picnic areas, canoe hire, boat rides, information boards
• Children’s playground: Yes, play area available
• Walking trails: Waymarked walking routes along the River Stour and through wetland meadows
• Dog friendly: Dogs welcome; must be under control, especially near wildlife and river
• Wildlife: Excellent for birdwatching and spotting wetland wildlife; part of the Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve
• Accessibility: Some accessible paths and facilities, though riverside paths may be uneven in places
• Events: Occasional family activities and seasonal events
• BBQs: Barbecues are not permitted
• Public transport: Accessible by bus from Canterbury; nearest train station is Sturry (about 4 miles away)
• Picnic areas: Multiple picnic spots, especially near the river and playground

This blog post was originally published on 11 September 2025 and last updated on 11 September 2025