Butterfly spotting in Kent and East Sussex

Delicate butterflies fill the air at our places in Kent and East Sussex. Enter the thriving butterfly house at Chartwell, or keep your eyes to the skies for a fleeting glimpse of the rare Adonis Blue at the White Cliffs. Butterfly walks across the South Downs uncover more of our winged friends. Every time you go butterfly spotting with us, you help us maintain the grassland habitats that they thrive in.

Front view of Sandham Memorial Chapel, Hampshire

Places in the South East where you need to book 

Some of our places we care for in the South East of England will be opening with guided tours, so you’ll need to pre-book before your visit. These tours will be led by expert volunteers and will show the places in a new light. You may also need to book in advance at some other larger places, where visitor numbers need to be carefully managed for practical reasons.

See which places in the South East you need to pre-book
A butterfly in the gardens at Chartwell, a National Trust property in Kent

Chartwell 

Churchill had a lifelong love of butterflies. His family home remains a sanctuary for them today. Buddleia provides a butterfly haven as you approach Churchill's butterfly house. The roses lining the Golden Rose Avenue entice bees and butterflies alike.

Find butterflies at Chartwell
Adonis Blue butterfly

White Cliffs of Dover 

Around 30 different species of butterfly adorn the cliff top. Keep your eyes to the ground for the Chalk Hill Blue in mid-July, and the rare Adonis Blue from early-August. The marbled Red Admiral can be seen year-round.

Butterflies on the clifftop
A dark green fritillary butterfly warms its wings on a thistle
Walking trail

Cissbury Ring butterfly walk 

Explore the most historic hill on the South Downs and one of the very best butterfly sites in Sussex. Track down bright, beautiful Adonis and chalkhill blues, dark-green fritillaries and marbled whites, as well as the occasional brown hairstreak.

Discover butterflies in this historic setting
Butterfly in the garden in the summer at Monk's House, East Sussex
Walking trail

Devil's Dyke butterfly walk 

This mile long walk over chalk grassland is overflowing with butterflies, moths and drifts of grassland flowers. Spot the Adonis blue, chalkhill blue and green hairstreak with smaller populations of brown argus, dark-green fritillary and silver-spotted skippers.

Follow the grassland trail