Holly Hill Wood

Holly Hill wood is a 17.7 hectare (43.7 acres) open space of mixed woodlands offering the chance for short walks in peaceful surroundings.

The open space is situated on the North Downs just off the road between Birling and Vigo. For visitors arriving by car the site is well sign posted and there is a small on-site car park. Car parking is free, but the car park is locked at night.

By car from the A228 just south of M20 junction 4 at Leybourne, follow Park Road; turn right into Birling Road to Birling Village; turn right to stangate road, then left to Birling Hill. Follow signs to small car park.

Nature

Holly Hill Wood is an area of mixed broadleaved woodlandwith sweet chestnut, ash, birch, beech and oak. The chestnut was formally managed as a coppice. The wood is now managed to develop diversely structured high forest. Bluebells are a feature in spring and interesting fungi are present in autumn.

For more information on coppicing visit www.coppicing.com 

Recreation

The wood is mainly used for casual walking. However it also has a bridleway running through itthat means there is a track, accessible for horses and bicycles.

Passing the entrance of the site is 'The North Downs Way', which is a long distance footpath (156 miles in total) through Surrey to the Kent coast at Dover. Often the North Downs Way is 'cut' into smaller sections the section that runs past Holly Hill Woods is 'Wrotham- Cuxton'. Holly Hill Woods offers a great short walk and 'lunch- stop' as it has great views and some picnic benches.

There is a viewing point on high ground from which the Isle of Grain can be seen on a clear day. The top of the hill also has a trig point (triangulation pillar).

Originally erected by Ordnance Survey in 1935, Trig points assisted in the accurate re-mapping of Great Britain by triangulation. When all the trig points were in place, it was possible, in clear weather, to see at least two other trig points from any one trig point. Careful measurements of the angles between the lines-of-sight of the other trig points then allowed the construction of a system of triangles which could then be referenced back to a single baseline to construct a highly accurate measurement system that covered the entire country. Trig points are truncated square concrete pyramids or obelisks tapering towards the top. On the top a brass plate with three arms and a central depression is fixed. A plaque on the side provides the reference number of the trig point and the letters OSBM (Ordnance Survey Bench Mark). Within the trig point there are concealed mountings for a specialised theodolite, which was temporarily mounted on the trig point while measurements were taken.

Streetline

Streetline is a new approach in monitoring and reporting street sceneproblems. Issues including- litter, fly-tipping removal, dealing with abandoned cars, graffiti and the cleanliness of parks etc are the range of tasks that this service hopes to deal with. If you know of any of these problems in this area, please contact Streetline and give as much information as possible. You can contact Streetline on 01732 876060 or report online.

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Last updated: 21/05/09 at 12:15:21 Office use only: 2206/2010-11-01