Going On A Bear Hunt in Dartford

Finally! After months of waiting, a brand new art trail has arrived in Dartford and, as you know, I love an art trail.

Character Bear by Scott Cooper | Dartford Bear Hunt

After walking with the Snowman, trailing Morph, tracking down the Books About Town and finding every single one of the London 2012 Olympic mascots, it's time to put my super sleuth skills to work in my own hometown.

The Dartford Bear Hunt – 17 July to 13 September 2026

Bearly Bee-Having by Ali Elly | Dartford Bear Hunt

This art trail means a lot to me for two reasons. First, it's a Bear Hunt and my mum absolutely adored bears. Second, it's sponsored by Ellenor, the local hospice charity we supported after my mum passed away. With that in my heart, I headed out on Friday for the first part of the Dartford Bear Hunt trail and I am pleased to say: my mum would have loved this.

Toffee Bear Cub by Wilmington Primary School | Dartford Bear Hunt

The trail has been created to raise money for Ellenor Hospice, with many of the sculptures due to be auctioned once the event finishes.

There are 31 Big Bears, 51 Bear Cubs and 1 special book bench across Dartford town centre and Bluewater Shopping Centre. I only managed to track down around a quarter of them on my first outing. I thought I’d take the time to tell you a bit more about my hometown, alongside some of my favourite bears I've tracked down so far. Thankfully, I have the entire summer to complete the quest!

Echoes of Dartford by Henrika & Barbora Stasiule | Dartford Bear Hunt

Each of this bear's honeycomb cells contains a historic photograph of Dartford.

Blum by Ana Zoob | Dartford Bear Hunt

Blum stands in front of Holy Trinity Church, a Grade I listed building with Norman origins dating to around 1080. The church's original Norman tower still survives and today houses a ring of eight bells, which can be heard on special occasions and during the weekly bell-ringing practice every Thursday evening.

Dartford Central Park is my happy place and I love that they let the wildflowers thrive in the botanical gardens each summer.

Bear in Bloom by Amy Wormald | Dartford Bear Hunt

Pastoral by Stephen Oliver | Dartford Bear Hunt

Local artist and gallery owner Stephen Oliver's Pastoral bear stands in front of the bandstand in Central Park, where we have free concerts every Sunday in the summer.

Buccaneer Bear by Mik Richardson | Dartford Bear Hunt

Buccaneer Bear poses at the entrance to Buccaneer Bay, Dartford's free pirate-themed children's play area, complete with a pirate ship. I was especially proud of myself for avoiding children in this photo.

Wander Bear by Gemma O'Malley | Dartford Bear Hunt

You can just make out the Dartford Museum and Library behind Wander Bear.

Teddy-Bears Picnic by Megan Spencer | Dartford Bear Hunt

There will be a real live Teddy Bear's Picnic this year on 5 August 2026. Admission per child is £10 including a lunch box and activity pack, or £7 with no lunch box.

Mick Jagger & Keith Richards with the Sir Peter Blake Bear | Dartford Bear Hunt

On 17 October 1961, 18-year-old Mick Jagger and 17-year-old Keith Richards met at Platform 2 of Dartford train station. Richards was intrigued by the R&B and blues records Jagger was carrying and sparked up a conversation with him. Amy Goodman designed the statues above, titled “The Glimmer Twins”.

Sir Peter Blake Bear by Jack Bennett | Dartford Bear Hunt

Sir Peter Blake was born in Dartford and is widely regarded the Godfather of British Pop Art. He co-designed the iconic Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover and remains one of the town's greatest cultural icons.

He's Such a Sweety by Lynne Hollingsworth | Dartford Bear Hunt

This was my final find before stepping into Costa for an ice cold iced matcha. It was a hot and sticky day but I was delighted to have tracked down so many of the bears. I'll need to travel up to Bluewater soon to see more of them and there are still plenty more in Dartford for me to find too.

Tips for Visiting the Dartford Bear Hunt

• It is best to travel by train or bus into Dartford rail station or Greenhithe rail station (for Bluewater)
• If you travel by car, Acacia Car Park and Westgate Car Parks are the best choice. Always make sure you read and understand parking conditions in Dartford – even locals get caught out!
• Download the official app for £1.99 to track all the bears and unlock rewards. All proceeds go to Ellenor.