Visit

Old Park & Chequers Wood, together with the adjoining Sturry Road Community Park, Timpson Wood, and Realm Wood, offer a wealth of opportunities for walking, cycling, bird-watching, botany, photography, art, and informal recreation. Not all of the land is publicly accessible, and walking across the golf course can be hazardous, so it is important to stick to public footpaths and established walking routes. These are shown on the map below.

Walking and Cycling

Many people enjoy cycling along the National Cycle Path between Canterbury and Fordwich, walking in the Old Park & Chequers Wood, or following the long-distance paths which run through the area: the Stour Valley Walk, the Augustine Camino, and the Canterbury Rings.

The cycle route is well used, both by local people for leisure and commuting, and also by long-distance travellers on National Cycle Route 1, which links Dover with Tain in the north of Scotland. Sustrans has obtained a grant for the upgrading of this section of the route to make it more accessible for wheelchairs.

To mark the millennium in 2000, over 1000 mileposts were constructed out of cast iron and installed across the UK cycle network. The Fordwich Way has two of these mileposts which are worth looking out for – the first by the river at Fordwich and the second by Reed Pond in Old Park – see photos below…

Recreation Focused on Wildlife and Biodiversity

The wealth of wildlife in Old Park & Chequers Wood attracts many people to the area. The results of expert surveys are illustrated in the Habitats and Galleries sections of this website. In addition, there are many ways in which members of the public and amateur naturalists can also enjoy the wildlife on the site and learn more about the many rare species to be found locally, such as the nightingale.

Nightingale Walk at Old Park

Guided walks have proved to be a popular way in which to introduce people to the wildlife of the area. The Friends of Old Park & Chequers Wood have organised many such walks, which have focused on a variety of different topics, including turtle doves and nightingales, bats, bees, rare plants, veteran trees, reptiles, and amphibians. Other walks have focused on the archaeology and history of the area and on the geography and geology which shape the habitat.

Botanical Walk on Old Park

Many skilled photographers have found Old Park to be an inspiration, and there is a growing collection of wonderful photos of the area. These not only give pleasure but also serve as the basis for a valuable historical record of the wildlife in this part of Kent at this time.

Increasingly, there is recognition of the ways in which mental and physical health can be improved by access to open and green spaces. The local team of Social Prescribers is based in a GP practice very close to Old Park & Chequers Wood, offering an opportunity for enhancing the well-being of local people in very direct and convenient ways.

Plans for the future are set out in the Action Plan produced by the Friends Group. These include:

• To work together with conservation organisations to hold public engagement events, including themed walks, to encourage local residents to appreciate the wealth of biodiversity and heritage on the site.
• To work together with local community groups and health providers to use the site for the promotion of physical and mental well-being.

Children, Young People and Discovery

The area around Old Park & Chequers Wood (OPCW) includes some of the most deprived communities in Kent. In Northgate ward, adjacent to Old Park, 40 percent of the children live in poverty. This means that access to open space is particularly important. Members of the local community tell of parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents playing in Old Park, despite the fact that it was being used by the army for military training.

Many organisations used by local children and young people are located near to Old Park. It is fortunate that the Prince of Wales Youth Club is next to one of the entrances. This is a very dynamic, inclusive, and successful organisation which offers a huge range of activities to the young people it serves. Other youth organisations adjacent to Old Park include Parkside Primary School and the Canterbury and District Early Years Project, a long-established, grassroots organisation working in the Canterbury and coastal communities to provide support services to children and young people.

The presence of these and other organisations means that there are many opportunities for joint activities involving young people in activities in Old Park.