One Tree Hill

One Tree Hill is a wooded hilltop above Underriver, near Sevenoaks, rising some 680ft (207m) and looking south over the Weald of Kent. The National Trust bought it in 1911 with money given by Dr and Mrs Jamieson Hurry in memory of her father Arthur Hill, half-brother of the Trust founder Octavia Hill. Nearly 90 per cent of the trees came down in the great storm of 1987, but the wood has recovered and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest within the Kent Downs: dormice live in the branches, two very rare snails hide in the leaf litter, and it is the only known Kent site for the bristletail Dilta hibernica. Paths shared by walkers and horse-riders are lined with bluebells and wild garlic in spring. Dogs are allowed across this unstaffed, free-to-enter site. Reviewers describe a short climb through the trees from the small free car park to the viewpoint, where benches face the view. Tips from visitors: choose a clear day, and expect uneven ground that the Trust says is unsuitable for wheelchairs or buggies.