Petts Wood and Hawkwood





An oasis of peace and tranquillity only 13 miles south-east from the centre of London
An oasis of peace and tranquillity only 13 miles south-east from the centre of London
Full of natural history, the area is a haven for all kinds of bird, butterfly, amphibian and plant life.
William Willett, the leader of the movement to have British Summer Time recognised, is remembered in the woods with a stone memorial sundial. A similar stone memorial can also be seen in the Edlmann Memorial Wood for our donors Robert and Francesca Hall and for Colonel Edlmann, who saved this part of the estate from development.
The eastern part of Petts Wood - the Willett Memorial Wood - came to us in 1927. The Hawkwood Estate and the remainder of the woodland was donated to us in 1957, with the entire estate now covering 136 hectares or 338 acres.
Chislehurst– footpath entrance situated at end of Gosshill Road. TQ436690. Access from A222 Bickley Park Road via Blackbrook Lane/Barfield Road or Coates Hill Road (unmade road).
St Paul’s Cray– various footpath entrances off A208 Orpington Road/St Paul’s Cray Road to Petts Wood or adjoining St Paul’s Cray Common. TQ454690
Petts Wood (approx 0.6 miles / 0.9 km) - turn right at the top of the footbridge and exit to the east side of the station. At bottom of steps turn left into Station Square and follow the road around past the parade of shops. Turn left out of the Square and continue on to Woodland Way. Turn right into Towncourt Crescent. At end road turn left into Hazelmere Road for 30m. There is a signed footpath on the right-hand side of that leads to the woods via an underpass. TQ447683
Chislehurst (approx 0.33 miles / 0.5 km) – on leaving station turn right into Station Approach. Cross Summer Hill (A222) via the footbridge. Follow Gosshill Road, an unmade roadway, until the end of the public road. On the left-hand side is a footpath that leads to the estate – cross bridge over the Kydd Brook to Pond Wood, or turn right and follow footpath alongside the Kydd Brook. TQ436690.
St Mary Cray (approx 1 mile / 1.5 km) – turn left and exit to the north side of the station. Turn left into Sayes Court Road. At the end of the road bear right and turn left into Lessons Hill. At the top of the hill cross Orpington Road and enter woods via St Pauls Cray Common. TQ 454690.
The estate is situated with the A222 to the north, the A208 running along the eastern boundary and railway lines forming Chislehurst and St Mary Cray junctions to the south.
No.61 Chislehurst – Bromley North Station. Alight Orpington Road stop and enter woods. TQ453683
No. 162 Beckenham Junction – Eltham Station. Alight Chislehurst Station. Turn into Gosshill Road (unmade road), and follow until the end of the public road. On the left-hand side is a footpath that leads to the estate – cross bridge over the Kyd Brook to Pond Wood, or turn right and follow footpath alongside the Kyd Brook. TQ436690.
No. 269 Bexleyheath - Bromley North Station. Alight Chislehurst Station. Turn into Gosshill Road, an unmade roadway opposite Station Approach, and follow until the end of the public road. On the left-hand side is a footpath that leads to the estate – cross bridge over the Kyd Brook to Pond Wood, or turn right and follow footpath alongside the Kyd Brook. TQ436690
No. 273 Petts Wood Station - Lewisham (Tesco). Alight St Pauls Cray stop and enter woods via St Paul’s Cray Common. TQ453691. R1 Green Street Green – St Paul’s Cray (Grovelands). Alight Bridgewater Close, walk to top of Lessons Hill, cross Orpington Road and enter woods via St Pauls Cray Common. TQ453690
R2 Petts Wood Station – Biggin Hill Valley. Alight at Crossway stop. Walk along Crossway, turn left into Hazelmere Road. 60m ahead there is a signed footpath on the right-hand side that leads to the woods via an underpass. TQ447683
R3 Locksbottom (Princess Royal Hospital) - Chelsfield Village. Alight at Crossway stop. Walk along Crossway, turn left into Hazelmere Road. 60m ahead there is a signed footpath on the right-hand side that leads to the woods via an underpass. TQ447683
Most of our places run the Gift Aid on Entry scheme at their admission points.
Under this scheme, if you're not a member you have the choice of two entry tickets:
If the place runs Gift Aid on Entry, we'll offer you a clear choice between the Gift Aid Admission prices and the Standard Admission prices at the admission point. It's entirely up to you which ticket you choose.
Gift Aid Admission includes a 10 per cent or more voluntary donation. Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid - an extra 25 per cent - potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.
An extra £1 paid under the scheme can be worth over £3 to the National Trust as shown below:
Gift Aid | Standard | |
---|---|---|
Amount paid by visitor | £11.00 | £10.00 |
Tax refund from Government* | £2.75 | £0.00 |
Total received by the National Trust | £13.75 | £10.00 |
*Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid - an extra 25 per cent - potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.