Lesnes Abbey Woods

Welcome to Lesnes Abbey Woods. This is a fantastic place to explore with your friends and family and it’s often been referred to as ‘a hidden jewel’ of South East London.

What’s brilliant about the site is that there’s so much to see and do, and activities that will appeal to everyone. So where to begin?

Well you could explore the ruins of Lesnes Abbey and find out about the medieval life of the monks who lived here.

You can hear a story about a young girl who loved the Abbey so much that when she died her heart was put in a casket and buried here.

You could also take a path into the woodland areas - there’s a fossil pit to look for, a very special spring wildflower, a chalk pit and, if you climb high enough, a ‘heathland classroom’.

Oh and you just might come face to face with the famous Abbey Wood, ‘Green Man’!

Plus there’s a children’s playground, an outdoor gym if you want to get fit, and a viewing platform that allows you to take in 180 degrees of the London Skyline. The list is endless!

And to help you explore the area, this app suggests some trails for you to follow.

You can dip in and out of the routes at random, and if you need a map to see where things are - just tap the Map button on your screen.