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DERING WOOD
Pluckley

WOODLAND TRUST WOOD

1/13

Credit: Edward Parker / WTML

Size:
125.56 ha (310.26 acres)

Grid reference:
TQ900441

Map reference:
Explorer 137
OS Landranger 189

Show location on Google Maps

This ancient, semi-natural woodland is a nature lover’s

dream. It has an amazing array of plants and wonderful
wildlife, such as nightingales, dormice and many species
of butterfly. You’ll also find relics of its fascinating
history, stretching from medieval times to the Victorian
age.

All this, together with the extensive network of paths,

including two waymarked trails, makes a visit to Dering
Wood a great day out. Just remember that it’s a
lowland wood, so if you visit in winter, or the weather’s
been wet, take your wellies with you!

Features
Parking at site

Public access

Spring flowers

Waymarked walk

Broadleaved woodland

O N T H I S PA G E

How to get here

Access

Wildlife and habitats

History

Things to do

Getting to Dering Wood

Location

The 125-hectare (310-acre) Dering Wood is 3.2km

(2 miles) south-west of the village of Pluckley, and
around 9.6km (6 miles) west of Ashford in Kent.

The wood forms part of a much larger complex of

woodland and farmland which straddles the parish
boundaries of Smarden, Pluckley and Egerton.

It is situated on low-lying land bisected by several

small streams, and bounded to the north by the
Pluckley-Smarden Bell road to the south by the
London to Ashford railway line.

By car

By train

By bus

Dering Wood has six entrances.

Credit: Edward Parker / WTML

Facilities and access

Access

Dering Wood has many footpaths and a permissive

horse route. All paths have grass and earth
surfaces, which can get very wet and muddy in
winter.

The wood has six entrances. The main entrance is

from the car park off Smarden Bell Road, where
there is parking for up to seven cars. The entrance
is via an all-access kissing gate suitable for
pushchair,s although the paths within the wood are
not surfaced and can be muddy.

There is a squeeze gap entrance off Smarden Bell

Road, beside a private gateway into a privately
owned section of Dering Wood, with no public
access.
There are two entrances from the public footpath
at the east end of the wood: on the south west
side via a stile, and on the north-east side via a
gate.

There are two entrances for the permitted horse

route: a horse step-through stile in the north-east
corner from Smarden Bell Road; the second
entrance is via a locked gate onto the Toll Ride
route operated by Toll Rides (Off-Road) Trust. Visit
Toll Rides for further details.

Two waymarked routes go around Dering Wood: a

short blue route of 1.6km (1 mile) and a longer red
route of 2.9km (1.8 miles). The paths can become
very muddy with high use during the wet winter
months.

Parking

Toilets

Wildlife and habitats

Animals
With unique species, including the rare flea beetle and
the elusive hazel dormouse, the wildlife in Dering Wood
is interesting and diverse, particularly the invertebrates.
Twenty five species of butterfly have been recorded
here, many of which can be seen fluttering among the
flora during spring and summer.

Listen out for the call of the cuckoo and the song of the
nightingale, and during the warmer months keep a
watchful eye on the ground for slow worms and grass
snakes.

Look out for:

Hazel dormouse Cuckoo

Silver-washed fritillary Common frog

Common lizard Orange-tip

Song thrush Bullfinch

Treecreeper Common toad

Grass snake Holly blue

Slow worm Purple hairstreak

Trees, plants and fungi

Dering Wood is a magnificent showcase of British flora
and fauna. During spring, visitors can experience the
magic of nature as carpets of bluebell roll out across
the estate, dotted with the white of wood anemone.

Walk through the wood and take in the fresh and

calming heath milkwort, tormentil and heath bedstraw,
their colours offering a soothing treat for the senses.
With over 60 species of mosses and liverworts and over
300 fungi species, Dering Wood is a botanical haven.

Look out for:

Maple, field Chestnut, sweet

Brown roll-rim Wood anemone

Oak, sessile Birch, silver

Birch, downy Willow, goat

Holly Hazel

Ash

Habitats
This ancient semi-natural woodland provides the
perfect place for many wildlife species to flourish.

Explore:

Ancient woodland Broadleaved woodland

We acquired the site in June 1997 following a local

and national appeal, and with Heritage Lottery
funding. Around 52ha of the wood remains in
private ownership.

About Dering Wood

History
Dering Wood has been continually wooded since at
least the early medieval period and is mentioned in the
Domesday Book. In 1999 the Woodland Trust
commissioned an archaeological assessment of Dering
Wood which found evidence of it once having been
much larger. Distinctive features included networks of
woodbanks and boundaries, saw pits and extensive
agricultural drainage systems.

The wide woodland rides, which were once bordered

with exotic trees, date back to the 19th century when
the native broadleaf trees were managed by coppicing.
Much of the exotic trees and shrubs have had to be
removed due to the risk of disease and associated
pests on these species affecting our native broadleaved
woodland.

The wood was used in both world wars as a fuel source

and as a base for troops; while nearby Frith Wood was
used for storing bombs during the Second World War.

Up until the mid-1920s, the wood was owned by the

Dering Estate and used by the family as a place of
recreation. Edward VII was a frequent visitor and
records suggest George IV had lavish picnics in the
wood.

Dedicate at this wood

This wood is one of more than 50
across the UK where it's possible to
dedicate trees, benches or larger
areas of woodland. Mark a special
occasion or celebrate the life of a
loved one with a meaningful gesture
that lasts.

Choose a dedication

Things to do in Dering Wood

A nature lover’s dream the woodland covers 126
hectares (310 acres). Download our walking map of
Dering Wood below and enjoy exploring our trails.

D O W N LO A D

Dering Wood walking map

PDF (1.97 MB)

MORE

VISITING WOODS

Walking dogs in our woods

Dogs are welcome for walkies in our woods. Take a

look at our tips and guidelines for ensuring we keep
our woods safe and special for dogs and wildlife.

C O N TA C T U S

Got a query about this wood?

Get in touch and we'll do our best to answer all
your questions.

D O W N LO A D

Dering Wood Management Plan

PDF (161 KB)

Other woods nearby

MORE

WOODLAND TRUST WOOD

Tilden Wood
Headcorn

0.57 ha (1.41 acres)

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The Woodland Trust is a charity registered in England and Wales (No. 294344)
and in Scotland (No. SC038885). A non-profit-making company limited by
guarantee. Registered in England No. 1982873.

Woodland Trust (Enterprises) Limited, registered in England (No. 2296645), is a

wholly owned subsidiary of the Woodland Trust. Registered office: Kempton Way,
Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 6LL.

The Woodland Trust and Woodland Trust Nature Detectives logos are registered
trademarks. Images © protected Woodland Trust. VAT No. GB520 6111 04.

Most Woodland Trust woods are certified to FSC® standards by the Soil
Association. Certificate number SA-FM/COC-001270, Licence code FSC-
C009406.