Escape for a few hours to explore Petts Wood and Hawkwood

A tree lined path in the woodland

Explore Petts Wood and Hawkwood, where among the trees you can leave the hustle and bustle of daily life behind. It’s a great place to explore whether you’re alone with your thoughts, walking your dog, enjoying a family outing or discovering wildlife.

A contrasting site

With its rich variety of native trees, Petts Wood’s has 150 acres of ancient, semi natural woodland. Here you will discover oak, beech, ash, alder and hazel growing alongside planted species like Scots pine, larch and sweet chestnut.

Discover your own piece of tranquility
A pathway leads through the woodland
Discover your own piece of tranquility


Hawkwood on the other hand is mainly grazed pasture, with small blocks of woodland. Cows and sheep graze the open fields, and you will experience wide vistas opening to the south.

Who'd have thought you'd get views like this so close to London?
View across the wooded countryside from the Petts Wood and Hawkwood estate
Who'd have thought you'd get views like this so close to London?

Green Lung

Being only 13 miles from the centre of London, the estate is an important ‘Green Lung’ for the city.

This remaining area of countryside allows you to imaging the landscape of rural Chiselhurst before the arrival of the railways and suburban sprawl, whilst being an area in which wildlife is protected and can thrive.

 

Seasonal splendour

Visit Petts Wood and Hawkwood at any time of the year and enjoy the changes each season brings.

  • Spring emerges with its array of wildflowers, which spread out across the woodland floor like a blanket.
  • In summer, with the trees in full bloom, the woods are a hive of activity as insects and other invertebrates flit and feast on the woodland floor.
  • Discover the patchwork of colours in autumn and the leaves tumble from the trees. Enjoy the sounds of leaves crackling underfoot and take in the smells of the earthy forest floor.
  • Uncover the still and understated beauty of winter as you enjoy a crisp stroll through the tranquil woodland.