Sladden Wood yellow archangel
Howard Blackie

Sladden Wood

Enter Sladden Wood for a peaceful escape and fantastic walk through the wood and hills of the Alkham Valley.

Opening times: open at all times.
Best time to visit: April to July.

  • Dog walking

  • No facilities

Size: 7 hectares.

Parking information: Please park in Alkham Village.

Walking trails: Public footpath through the reserve and across the farmland to the village. Rugged, steep earth tracks through the wood.

Dogs: On a lead.

Not wheelchair accessible. There are slopes, Kissing gates, stiles and access is via a footpath. The path is unsurfaced chalk/grassy and muddy when wet. It is also steep in some places.

About the reserve

Outside of Dover, you can enjoy the rural backdrop of the Alkham Valley, different from the hub-bub of Dover. Nestled within the valley, you will find Sladden Wood, a small piece of woodland surrounded by sweeping farmfields. The locals call this woodland Horizontal Wood. This belies a tragic history where all the trees were completely felled in 1978, leaving behind stumps. However, protection was put in place and the woodland regenerated. Looking at it now, you would not know that the woodland experienced that sort of mass wipe-out. Now it is once again a haven for wildlife, from the intricate yellow archangels to the mix of classic trees of hazel, ash and field maple.

Contact us

If you need to get in touch regarding Sladden Wood, for any reason, please contact:

Karen Weeks
Contact number: 01622 662012
Contact email: karen.weeks@kentwildlife.org.uk

Environmental designation

  • Ancient Woodland
  • Area of Outstanding Beauty (AONB)
  • Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

Nearby nature reserves