High Halstow National Nature Reserve

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Overview

The High Halstow NNR is a complex mosaic of scrub and woodland habitats dominated by hawthorn scrub and ancient oak woodland, with regenerating elms. It forms part of the RSPB’s Northward Hill reserve, which is also a working farm with cows and sheep. Northward Hill is situated on a high ridge overlooking the Thames marshes, and includes a lovely bluebell wood where nightingales and whitethroats can be heard singing in spring. There is also a large rookery and a cherry orchard. Nearly 150 pairs of grey herons nest in the trees, alongside what is one of the UK’s largest and most famous colonies of little egrets, whose numbers have increased since they first nested here in 2000, to reach nearly 100 pairs today. The reserve also includes great swathes of flat marshes, where lapwings, redshanks and avocets breed. In winter you can see wigeon and teal, buzzard, hen harrier and merlin.

Location

High Halstow

About the area

Kent is home to the White Cliffs of Dover, an English icon that marks the point where the Kent Downs AONB stretches from the Surrey Hills down to the sea. Visitors can explore historic parklands, including Knole Park and Sir Winston Churchill’s former home at Chartwell, or beautiful nature reserves, such as the coppiced woodlands of Denge Wood and Earley Wood and the ancient fine chalk woodland of Yockletts Bank.