Denbies Hillside

Summary

Location	easy parking	all weather	toilets	refreshments
Denbies Hillside	true	false	false	true

Website

Denbies hillside, National Trust

Parking

What is the parking like?

Easy, there is plenty of parking

What are the parking charges like?

Free for National Trust members

Walks

In summer, walk across the first field to access the larger second field; then walk around or along this depending on the distance and elevation desired; with returning via the North Downs Way an option.

Description

There is a big field at the top of the hill by the car park, which gradually slopes further downwards towards a gate. Beyond the gate is a very large field that stretches down all the way to the railway line and even further across the hill The sunny wild grassland is a perfect environment for many butterflies which can be seen throughout the summer.

Wet weather

The North Downs Way passes the top of the area near the car park and is flinty, and most of the area doesn't get excessively muddy even in winter as it benefits from being at the top of the hill.

Info

This is where, in the larger field at the top close to the wooded area, Nick, Eve and Chris saw three swallowtail butterflies on 6 August 2022, mostly flying around and occasionally settling. Swallowtails are the largest butterflies we see in Britain and quite rare, so Nick recorded the sighting in the "Butterflies for the new millennium" national database.

Info

The bigger second field is the only place grandad Eric and nana Susan would let their pedigree English Setters off the lead outside their home garden, as they felt the field was well contained and far from traffic. Their dogs would frequently need catching in the far corners running madly around!