About
Petts Wood and Hawkwood covers 338 acres of woodland, streams and farmland 13 miles south-east of central London, kept rural because it was saved from development before the Second World War. The eastern Willett Memorial Wood came to the National Trust in 1927 and remembers William Willett, the Chislehurst resident who campaigned for British Summer Time, with a Cornish granite sundial set an hour ahead of GMT. The rest, including the Hawkwood Estate, was given in 1957 by Robert and Francesca Hall; another stone honours Colonel Edlmann, who bought the western woods to save them from building. A points-of-interest trail links the lime avenue and spring bluebells of Pond Wood, Flushers Pond, the Kyd Brook, veteran oaks and a hedge recorded in the Domesday Book. Reviewers value the quiet and the well-signposted paths. There is no car park or toilet; the main pedestrian entrance is the Hazelmere Road underpass near Petts Wood station. Dogs are allowed in the woods.
Check today’s timesSee all times
- CountrysideDawn to dusk
Opening times may change at short notice.
Countryside open dawn to dusk on NT's calendar.
Pedestrian entrances: the Hazelmere Road underpass (Petts Wood station, about 0.6 miles), the end of Gosshill Road (Chislehurst station, about 0.33 miles) and St Paul's Cray Common off Orpington Road (St Mary Cray station, about 1 mile).
Paths, rides and a bridle path cross the estate, but there is no right of access across the pasture or arable fields of the working farm. Cyclists and horse riders should use only the bridle path, marked with blue and white markers on trees.
Steps and uneven terrain; the woodland floor can be uneven and muddy. No toilets on site.
Photo: The London Loop path at a National Trust sign in Petts Wood. Des Blenkinsopp, CC BY-SA 2.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:London_Loop,_Petts_Wood_-_geograph.org.uk_-_4482636.jpg. Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0. Resized and cropped for display; derivatives retain the source licence.
Dogs at the location: Allowed. Pet dogs allowed in the woods; no lead rule is stated on the place page.
Dog walks in the grounds: Allowed. Dogs allowed on the estate's paths, rides and bridle path; the working farm's fields have no right of access for anyone.
PricingFreeFree for all visitors
Free entry for everyone
Entry
Free for everyone
Pricing details
Free for everyone. There is no NT car park; roadside parking is outside NT control.
ParkingNo car park
Arrive on foot, by bike or by public transport.
Parking details
NT states there is no on-site parking. Its event pages say parking is on the highway: observe all parking restrictions and do not obstruct driveways or entrances. Petts Wood, Chislehurst and St Mary Cray stations are all within about a mile.
Driving pin: Google's geocode of the Hazelmere Road and Towncourt Crescent junction (BR5 1NZ, NT's postcode); NT puts the main footpath entrance through the Hazelmere Road underpass 30 m from this junction (grid ref TQ447683, what3words ///create.funny.movie). There is no on-site parking; NT's event pages say parking is on the highway, observing restrictions.
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Walking routes1 route
Points of Interest at Petts Wood and Hawkwood(opens the full route on the National Trust site)
WalkDog friendly1 km distance
