Peene Quarry Picnic Site
Folkestone, East Kent
Photo: David Anstiss, CC BY-SA 2.0
Peene Quarry is a former chalk quarry in the Kent Downs above Folkestone, now chalk grassland with wide views over the coast towards Dungeness. Walkers come for the North Downs Way, summer orchids and butterflies including the scarce Adonis blue. It suits more adventurous walkers and takes an hour or two.
Highlights
- Views over Folkestone and the coast to Dungeness
- Chalk grassland with orchids, cowslips and thyme in summer
- Rare butterflies including the Adonis blue
- The North Downs Way passes through
- Old lime kiln beside the lane
Good to know
- Paths are steep-sided and uneven
- The site is part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Getting there
Peene Quarry Picnic Site, Peene, near Newington, Folkestone, Kent, CT18 8BGParking: Parking is limited to a small lay-by beside the entrance.
Get directionsChecked on 15 October 2026 against kentdowns.org.uk. Details change, so please confirm with the venue before you travel. How we check
Nearby
Image: Kent Downs National LandscapeFolkestone Downs
Folkestone Downs is 72 hectares of steep chalk hills above Folkestone, including Castle Hill, Sugarloaf Hill, Round Hill and Cheriton Hill. Climb for huge views over the town and Channel, trace the earthworks of a Norman motte-and-bailey fort and look for butterflies and orchids. It suits walkers with good footwear and a couple of hours.
Image: Kent Battle of Britain MuseumKent Battle of Britain Museum
The Kent Battle of Britain Museum on the former RAF Hawkinge airfield holds what it calls the world's largest Battle of Britain collection, with artefacts from over 700 crashed aircraft. Explore hangars, the armoury and original airfield buildings, then the aircraft displayed in the grounds. It suits families with older children and aviation fans, and deserves two to three hours.
Paraker Wood
Paraker Wood is a steep-sided ancient woodland pocket park in the Seabrook Valley between Hythe and Cheriton. Follow the public and permissive footpaths, enjoy spring wildflowers and listen for nightingales on summer evenings. It suits a short, quiet walk of around an hour.