welcome

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Welcome to Hambrook Marshes: a unique wildlife haven in the city of Canterbury

The beautiful landscape of Canterbury’s biggest green open space is a natural wildlife haven, home to thriving bird life and a wealth of plants and wildflower species. Open all year round, its tranquil riverside paths and wetlands are the perfect way to enjoy nature in the city.  

Visiting hambrook marshes

Hambrook Marshes is close to Canterbury city centre, easy to get to, and open at all times.

NB As a wetland, areas of Hambrook Marshes may be flooded after heavy rain, including sections of the path.

Full information for visitors, including location, travel options, facilities and accessibility.

get involved

Volunteers at work

If you love Hambrook Marshes there are plenty of ways to help out.

Make a donation | Volunteering

about hambrook

Did you know that the land by the River Stour that is now Hambrook Marshes was once a 40 feet deep quarry?

Find out more about the history, and the plants, birds and wildlife that now thrive here.

WILDLIFE TO LOOK OUT FOR IN JANUARY

Lapwing
Little grebes
Little grebe
Snipe

latest news

  • DECEMBER NATURE NOTES
    The marshes remained rather quiet throughout the cold snap. Before the weather closed in, a small wintering population of up to 14 snipe had been present, but these dispersed when their favoured feeding areas were iced over. A jack snipe,…
  • NOVEMBER NATURES NOTES
    The highlight of the month was undoubtedly the return of squelchy conditions, meaning that the Marshes are no longer in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Act. Flooding on November 17th led to 31 black-headed gulls and 17 mallard making use of the…
  • OCTOBER NATURE NOTES
    A blackcap on October 3rd provided what may well be the last link with summer, memories of which are now being pushed out by the first winter snipe on the 12th, and the first little grebe on the river on…
  • POND CLEARING
    Kentish Stour Countryside Partnership (KSCP) volunteers spent a day raking up hay in the meadow and removing bulrushes from a pond in the boardwalk field. It can quickly choke shallow, open water, leaving nowhere for dragonflies to lay their eggs or…
  • DROUGHT CONTINUES
    The drought in England may last well into next year, warns the National Drought Group (NDG), made up of government agencies, water companies, farming and environmental groups. Rainfall returned to normal in September, but not enough to kick-start the process of recharging…
  • SEPTEMBER NATURE NOTES
    September was a quiet month. The female tufted duck was still on the river on September 25th, but still no sign of her offspring, so all of them have probably been predated. Such outcomes seem sad, but nature is remarkably prodigal and,…
  • MONOPRINTING ON THE MARSHES
    On 25th September Liz and Vicky from the Rock Paper Scissors shop in Canterbury held five short outdoor sessions on monoprinting for a total of twenty people. Natural material collected on the Marshes was inked in a simple printing press and…