Lesnes Abbey and its woods are a great day out - an escape to the countryside easily accessible to those who don't have a car. If you would like to have a private tour for your group then we are happy to arrange that for a donation. 

The walks are summarised below.

If you would like to book one or get more information then please contact us for details using the form below.

This tour is ideal for anyone interested in the story behind Lesnes Abbey and how archaeology allows us to piece together the past and infer historical events. Explaining the clues within the walls during the walk brings the archaeology of the site to life.

Not much has been written about Lesnes Abbey since the excavations of the Woolwich Antiquarian Society by Alfred Clapham between 1909 and 1913. Tony Thomas has been studying and surveying the ruins for several years and been involved in new excavations when buildings have been replaced. 

In this walk through the ruins, Tony will explain what they reveal about the development of the abbey, pointing out features in the walls and landscape that show how the abbey changed over the course of its life between 1178 and 1525. The talk covers aspects not explored in the available publications and sheds light on ​how it may have ​fallen into disrepair.

To join this tour come to the Friends of Lesnes Abbey and Woods stall in the Farmer's Market or wait on the paving outside Chestnut's Coffee Kiosk five minutes before the tour is due to start.

This walk is ideal for anyone interested in either the history of Lesnes Abbey or how archaeology can reveal clues about the past in mediaeval stonework. It is also a great opportunity to ask Tony questions about the aspects of the site that might have puzzled you. 

This tour is ideal for anyone interested in understanding the story of how an abbey came to be built here and what life was like for the canons who lived in it for 350 years. 

We will walk around the ruins of what was once a large Augustinian abbey that has its floor plan remarkably intact. This allowing us to follow in the footsteps of the canons.

We will cover:

• The founder, his relationship with Thomas Becket and why this abbey was important to him

• The various buildings and room of the abbey and what happened in them

• What attracted pilgrims to Lesnes Abbey on their way to Canterbury

• Why there is a heart still buried in one of the chapels

• Why the abbey struggled to make ends meet

• Why it was one of the first abbeys closed, and not by Henry VIII.

• How the ruins survived and were uncovered at the start of the 20th century

This tour is suitable for all ages. Educationally it relates the abbey to the national curriculum KS3 on the development of the church, state and society in medieval Britain.

A guided circular walk of about one hour through ancient woodlands on well-trodden paths chosen to avoid steep gradients that take you on a journey of discovery as the landscape is revealed and its history explained.

• Walk through peaceful natural surroundings enjoying the every changing backdrop of each season.

• Travel back in time 55 million years to meet ‘Claude’ and try your hand at finding seashells and sharks teeth.

• Find out what the Romans did for the woods, and their continuing legacy.

• Understand the trees and how they adapt to survive.

• Learn how the abbey obtained its water from the woods.

• Discover sculptures by nature and sculptures by man, against the backdrop of ever changing scenery.

Seasonal Notes: February and Early March - See the abundance of wild daffodils creating a carpet of yellow. Late March and April - Enjoy the deep green and blue of native English bluebells filling the gaps between the trees.

A longer two hour option for this walk is also available

With so much happening everyday and our switched-on lives never letting us escape, we all need some time to recharge our batteries by leaving those things behind. One great way to do that is to let your mind be filled by the sights and sounds of the natural world.

Take a gentle and refreshing walk through the award winning woodland at Lesnes Abbey and let yourself empty your mind and be absorbed  in the beauty and calming effects of the natural world around you. 

This walk involved frequent stops where you are invited to focus on an aspect of your surroundings.

Every walk is different as nature does not stay still, with wild daffodils and bluebells in the spring, lush greens and butterflies in the summer and, even in the winter, the leafless trees and wide variety of fungi provide things to reflect on.

Your host is an experienced wellbeing guide and by the end of this walk you should have plenty of that 'feelgood factor' that getting closer to nature always gives you.

There is a lot more to trees than bark, leaves and blossom and if you want to find out just how interesting trees are, or just be able to identify them more easily, then this is the ideal walk for you.

Lesnes Abbey Woods has almost one hundred different varieties of tree from around the world. In this walk we will focus on the area known as the arboretum which was specifically planted with a selection of rare native trees as well as globally sourced exotics.

You will find out all about the trees: where they come from, what makes them unique and how they have impacted our world. 

• The three native pine trees of Britain

• Fossil Trees

• What their wood is like and how it is used

• Folklore and mythology