Wye Welcomes
The Devil's Kneading Trough, and Broad Down, part of the Wye National Nature Reserve
Wye Welcomes is a rolling project to inform and improve the visitor experience of Wye and its surrounding AONB countryside, in liaison with Natural England and the Wye National Nature Reserve, and other partners.
The Wye National Nature Reserve (NNR) is also a designated Special Area of Conservation (a site of international importance) for its chalk downland and the 21 species of orchids including the lady orchid, fly orchid, late and early spider orchid and man orchid.
The mosaic of grassland and woodland habitats support around 50 breeding bird species including nightingale, reptiles including adder, grass snake, slow worm and common lizard.
On a clear day Broad Down provides views of some 40 miles across the High Weald to Fairlight Cove in East Sussex. The NNR is also a Site of Special Scientific Interest and the reserve also known for its dramatic dry valley the Devil's Kneading Trough, which is a nationally important periglacial landscape feature.
Wye is located at the intersection the North Downs Way National Trail, the National Cycle Route 18 and the Stour Valley Walk. The Cantii Way long distance cycle route starts and ends in Wye. This new 145 mile route launched in 26th May 2022 (Kent Day) and it takes in the Garden of England. (The Cantii Way, Kent and the city of Canterbury are all named after the Iron Age tribe of Kent. Julius Caesar described the Cantii as "the most civilised" of the British tribes - some things haven't changed). On the other side of the Stour valley the Pilgrims' Way from Winchester to Canterbury passes nearby through Boughton Aluph.