Darenth Wood and Ladies Wood

Darenth Woods is an area of approximately 300 acres of ancient coppiced woodland. The wood is a nationally important site for a number of semi-natural ancient woodland types which has been developed on the range of different soils associated with the area. The chalk soils at the base of the slopes support sessile oak and hornbeam coppice woodland, which occurring on chalk is very rare in Britain of which Darenth Woods is the largest example in North Kent. The diversity of plant and animal life that inhabits this woodland is, at least in part, the result of management over many generations. Much of Darenth Wood has been managed as coppice-with-standards, and it is this traditional management that has given rise to the broad-leaved woodland and glades that we see today.