Buckmore Park
Buckmore Park
4.5
Wednesday
1:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
1:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Friday
1:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
About
Nestled in the North Kent downs and surrounded by picturesque woodland lies the beating heart of British karting and following the recent redevelopment by the late John Surtees CBE, it is put simply, one of the most stunning motorsport locations in the United Kingdom. Buckmore Park has been making pulses race for over fifty years. Since its launch in 1963, it has become the breeding ground for many young drivers, eager to cut their teeth before moving on to different types of motorsport, this list includes Triple F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton & Jenson Button. But aside from being a bona fide, blue-blooded race circuit, Buckmore has something to offer everyone, no experience necessary. Whether it’s for that first taste of motorsport or just another box checked on the bucket list, thousands of adults and children flood to the circuit each year to experience the twist, turns and adrenaline rush of driving on hallowed tarmac.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
210 reviews
Excellent
150
Very good
37
Average
8
Poor
5
Terrible
10
Rebeca O
Kent, UK50 contributions
Dec 2019
Good value for money. The instructors are attentive and friendly. Make sure you book in advance as very rarely there are last-minute places available.
There is a bar on-site for the waiting, it serves a variety of drinks and hot food.
There is a bar on-site for the waiting, it serves a variety of drinks and hot food.
Written January 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rachel G
Ashford, UK1 contribution
Dec 2014 • Family
We went for the "Turn Up n Drive" session with our kids today and both of them don't want to ever go back to Buckmore again. The staff on the tracks were very intimidating and kept threatening to take them off the tracks. When we asked the staff we were told "Maybe your kids aren't ready for something like this.. They were driving dangerously!". We spent £80. This was the first time for the kids, they are 8 years old. It seems only aspiring Hamiltons and Buttons are welcome at this park, other less experienced kids are just discouraged from returning at all.
Written December 13, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Donna Marie
Chatham, UK42 contributions
Apr 2015 • Family
Members of my family took part in the 30/30 duo experience. They said they loved the experience but it was other drivers who let it down. They were all told no contact yet on multiple occasions people were rammed on purpose. Their car number would be called in but they do not listen, they just keep going.
As a spectator it was very annoying to see that the staff just don't really care about what happens even if rules are broken. They need to keep it fair for the people who have never done it before.
Place looks very tired. Could do with a brighten up. One thing that really annoyed me was I charged £1.95 for a black coffee in a polystyrene cup that's half a size of a mug. Seeing as paid out £110 for the race, they are obviously trying to take advantage of the spectators.
As a spectator it was very annoying to see that the staff just don't really care about what happens even if rules are broken. They need to keep it fair for the people who have never done it before.
Place looks very tired. Could do with a brighten up. One thing that really annoyed me was I charged £1.95 for a black coffee in a polystyrene cup that's half a size of a mug. Seeing as paid out £110 for the race, they are obviously trying to take advantage of the spectators.
Written April 14, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rich & Beth
Herne Bay, UK112 contributions
Our first and last experience.
Do not be fooled by the website and call centre which appears professional.
Buckmore park has zero regard for its youngest drivers because it employs morons.
If you value the safety of your child please find another place.
The staff would rather be sodding about behind the building than watching the children. It took the parents to alert the staff when children had crashed. To which one boy replied "we are not the only ones you know." Unfortunately for us all they were the only ones that should have been doing their jobs.
The track is on a camber so it is impossible to see the entire track therefore any business with common sense and consideration for the safety of its customers would position their staff appropriately.
A few of the staff were friendly but two in particular spoke in a very derisory way to the children.
During a crash a childs safety harness came undone and the child was injured.
We had high hopes for many future events here.
Do not be fooled by the website and call centre which appears professional.
Buckmore park has zero regard for its youngest drivers because it employs morons.
If you value the safety of your child please find another place.
The staff would rather be sodding about behind the building than watching the children. It took the parents to alert the staff when children had crashed. To which one boy replied "we are not the only ones you know." Unfortunately for us all they were the only ones that should have been doing their jobs.
The track is on a camber so it is impossible to see the entire track therefore any business with common sense and consideration for the safety of its customers would position their staff appropriately.
A few of the staff were friendly but two in particular spoke in a very derisory way to the children.
During a crash a childs safety harness came undone and the child was injured.
We had high hopes for many future events here.
Written July 12, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your posting and I am sorry that you did not have a good experience with us at Buckmore Park.
I can assure you that we take safety very seriously and we have started a full investigation with regard to your visit.
Again we are sorry that you did not have an enjoyable experience.
Written July 14, 2014
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Peschie
15 contributions
Jun 2013 • Family
My son had his 13th Birthday party here. He and his friends did laser tag in the woods and then karting followed a presentation with a trophy for the fastest lap time and then by a meal. We found all staff to be very pleasant, totally taking control of 10 very excited teens which left two very relaxed parents to have a coffee. The day was very well organised and my son was made to feel a million dollars. Apparently there were 8 separate parties on the same day as my son's but you never would have known it as it was so smooth. Food choices were great and all the boys had a great time. Thank you so much to the Buckmore Park team for making my son's milestone party so special.
Written June 29, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephen C
Ashby de la Zouch, UK88 contributions
Apr 2018 • Couples
This was our very first karting experience but it was very clear that Buckmore Park is a remarkable facility. The track was very well signed off the major routes, making it easy to find. There was ample parking, too. Upon arrival, we found our way to the clubhouse where we were able to sign in using the supplied iPads. Refreshments were available t purchase and were of good quality and well priced. The building was modern and well equipped. The changing rooms were excellent and had lockers to store valuables. The race suits, helmets and all accessories were of very good quart and in good repair. The karts were excellent and everything worked with no break-downs experienced at all. The briefing was very professional and provided clear instructions. Out on track, the circuit was absolutely brilliant, with plenty of hairpin bends, fast flowing turns and some good undulations. The karts were quite fast so it was fairly easy to push on and get them drifting and even go sideways! The overall experience was fantastic from start to finish. If you are within 500 miles of Kent, Buckmore Park is the place to kart!
Written April 7, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Stephen,
Thank you for such a positive and detailed review of your experience. We're glad to hear you all enjoyed your event and we hope to see you back at the circuit again soon.
Kind Regards
Matt
Marketing Manager
Written April 10, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Brenda W
Maidstone, UK12 contributions
Aug 2015 • Family
What a rip off this place is, 15 minutes for £15,what a disgrace.
Well by the time my grandson got his gear on he had 6 minutes after all the starting and stopping by the marshall who spent most of his time on what looked like a phone.
Once my grandson had finished I asked the marshall if i could take a photo on the track and he said NO !!!
When I spoke to what I thought was a manager (Chris) he said this was the norm and walked off with a coffee in his hand talking on a walkie Talkie
Also the whole area of the track is in need of serious money as it is looking tired
Where has all the customer service gone, if I could mark this down as a big fat 0 I would.
Don't waste your money and if you do, take a pack lunch as the fast food is worse then terrible and the coffee cheap and nasty.
Well by the time my grandson got his gear on he had 6 minutes after all the starting and stopping by the marshall who spent most of his time on what looked like a phone.
Once my grandson had finished I asked the marshall if i could take a photo on the track and he said NO !!!
When I spoke to what I thought was a manager (Chris) he said this was the norm and walked off with a coffee in his hand talking on a walkie Talkie
Also the whole area of the track is in need of serious money as it is looking tired
Where has all the customer service gone, if I could mark this down as a big fat 0 I would.
Don't waste your money and if you do, take a pack lunch as the fast food is worse then terrible and the coffee cheap and nasty.
Written October 21, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Brenda,
Thank you for taking the time to review us, we welcome all feedback.
We are sorry to hear about your experience. I would like to discuss this further, could you kindly contact myself on 01634 661616.
Marcia
Sales Director
Buckmore Park
Written October 23, 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Obeyine
1 contribution
Jan 2015
Walking around the venue,there is a real sense of interest and nostalgia with all the old photo's an write ups mounted on the walls...
Enter latter day Britain...
The staff appear to be in a constant state of panic or trance with no happy medium,the heavy set young chaps we spoke to were track marshalls,very we'll mannered and polite,but when their radios skwarked they showed total misery and disregard...it would seem toilet breaks on minimum wage are not permitted!!
It's no wonder some of the previous reveiws report dispondant staff with that sort of treatment.
The cafe staff were very nice,kitchens appeared clean and seating area we'll kept.
The 'suit room' was a little disorganised and the briefing was brief.
The actual karts were not in a fret state of repair with some of the competitors complaining about the ability to actually race.
Then came the carnage,it would appear 'karting' was not on the menu but 'bumper cars' at high speed is acceptable !!
The offending idiots were not removed from the track under track rules but left to run out the remainder if their paid time terrorising the patrons on track at the time.
I think this venue is best suited to rough and ready types as apposed to adventurous youngsters with aspirations or anything of the type.
Enter latter day Britain...
The staff appear to be in a constant state of panic or trance with no happy medium,the heavy set young chaps we spoke to were track marshalls,very we'll mannered and polite,but when their radios skwarked they showed total misery and disregard...it would seem toilet breaks on minimum wage are not permitted!!
It's no wonder some of the previous reveiws report dispondant staff with that sort of treatment.
The cafe staff were very nice,kitchens appeared clean and seating area we'll kept.
The 'suit room' was a little disorganised and the briefing was brief.
The actual karts were not in a fret state of repair with some of the competitors complaining about the ability to actually race.
Then came the carnage,it would appear 'karting' was not on the menu but 'bumper cars' at high speed is acceptable !!
The offending idiots were not removed from the track under track rules but left to run out the remainder if their paid time terrorising the patrons on track at the time.
I think this venue is best suited to rough and ready types as apposed to adventurous youngsters with aspirations or anything of the type.
Written February 28, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi,
Thank you for taking the time to review your Buckmore Park experience. We appreciate your feedback.
I can assure you health & safety is of a paramount importance here at Buckmore Park, if you could contact the office on 01634 201562 and provide details of the session in question, we will launch an investigation into your comments.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Regards
Marcia Child
Sales Director
Buckmore Park
Written March 3, 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
TracyR007
United Kingdom41 contributions
Feb 2017 • Family
Where do i begin. This place could be great ..but it wasn't. Booked our 7 year old in for the 15min circuit. It starts at 10, was told to be there at 9, no idea why we sat there drinking coffee till 10....ah maybe that was the reason. Now my 7 year old is only just 7 but the carts were way too small and babyish. She was bored after 3 laps. It was certainly nothing to 'ride home about' the wet weekend that greeted us could have done so much more to make it enjoyable. Even the managers/owners could help themselves as it's £15 maybe all the kids could be given a flag or maybe a certificate or a group photo etc. Think outside the box and you may have more returning children. They should not be charging any more than £10 for this mini circuit it certainly isn't worth any more and that was the feeling fron all the parents in our group. A little bit of thought could have made it so much more enjoyable.
Written February 15, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Simon T
1 contribution
Drove an hour to Buckmore Park Karting with 3 young kids to be told sold out for the day!!
Turn up and drive? No... Turn up and Waste of time.
They appeared under staffed... And staff onsite totally unhelpful.
STEER CLEAR!!!
Turn up and drive? No... Turn up and Waste of time.
They appeared under staffed... And staff onsite totally unhelpful.
STEER CLEAR!!!
Written May 9, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi,
Thank you for taking the time to review your experience, we appreciate the feedback.
We are sorry to hear that you did not have the opportunity to drive with us on this day. We are well aware of the popularity of our Turn Up ‘n’ Drive days, this is why our website suggests calling the office before you leave if you’re planning on coming to us later in the day.
We have also introduced bookable sessions as an additional measure to combat this kind of issue, all of these dates can also be found on the website.
Written May 12, 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
tinaharley2014
London, UK
What are the prices
Sebastian L
Bristol, UK38 contributions
The prices vary depend on what type of event you book, how many of you etc. we paid £75 a head for 22 of to have the track to ourselves with a 10 minute practice/qualifier and then a 40 minute Endurance Race.
Call them to find out what package suits you.
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Claim your listingBuckmore Park - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Buckmore Park
- Buckmore Park is open:
- Wed - Fri 1:00 PM - 8:00 PM
- Sat - Sun 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
- Hotels near Buckmore Park:
- (0.24 mi) Bridgewood Manor Hotel & Spa
- (1.33 mi) Kits Coty Glamping
- (0.46 mi) Holiday Inn Rochester - Chatham, an IHG Hotel
- (7.44 mi) Pretty Maid House Bed & Breakfast
- (0.71 mi) Blue Bell Hill Bed and Breakfast
- Restaurants near Buckmore Park:
- (0.22 mi) Rochester Airpot Cafe
- (0.22 mi) Squires Bar At Bridgewood Manor
- (1.10 mi) The Oak
- (0.68 mi) Tiger Moth
- (0.39 mi) Traders Restaurant at Holiday Inn
Buckmore Park Information
Excellent Reviews | 150 |
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Very Good Reviews | 37 |
Buckmore Park Photos | 90 |