The Isle of Sheppey is an island off the northern coast of Kent, neighbouring the Thames Estuary, and just 42 miles from central London. It is reached via a road bridge, and trains come in from London. It has an area of 36 square miles. Being an island, Sheppey has plenty of beaches, small towns, nature reserves and a few museums to explore. It is a lovely spot to catch a sunset, and caravan parks are abundant if you plan on staying for a holiday.
Things to do on the Isle of Sheppey
We have put together a little list of things to do on the Isle of Sheppey.
Barton’s Point Coastal Park
https://www.visit-swale.co.uk/attractions/bartons-point-coastal-park-1858/
Marine Parade, Sheerness ME12 2BE
Barton’s Point Coastal Park has 40 acres of natural beauty, a salt-water lake and a section of the Sheppey Cycle Route. It is a great spot for camping, bird watching, fishing, geo-caching, flying a kite, water sports, picnics or dining out in the Boathouse Cafe. There is a 9-hole pitch, putt course, a great adventure playground, miniature steam railway, and you can hire a paddle board or a canoe on the lake. The Boathouse Cafe is rustic inside, with many old curios on display, and offers ice creams, food and drinks.
Minster Abbey and Gatehouse Museum
Minster on Sea, Sheerness ME12 2HW
The Minster Gatehouse Museum is housed in the 12th-century gatehouse building, originally the gatehouse to the Minster Abbey of SS Mary and Sexburga. Inside the museum, there are many radios in the collection dating back to the early 20th century. Sheppey is also famous as a ‘fossil island’ where in the Lower Eocene, 50 million-year-old fossil remains of marine animals can be found quite commonly. The fossils found here are unique to the London clay deposits and are found nowhere else in the world preserved as beautifully. Apart from shark teeth and individual fish vertebrae, it is possible to find the remains of crabs, lobsters, ancient fish, reptiles like turtles, and rarely crocodiles.
Please visit their website for further details
Shellness Beach
Sheerness ME12 4RL
Shellness Beach is just under a mile along the coast from the resort of Leysdown. This is a quiet, shingle beach with a few ramshackle beach chalets and old, land-bound boats. Shellness beach is quite well known as it has an official nudist beach. The naturist section of the beach is known as “Shell Beach” and is located before you reach the hamlet of Shellness (which is surrounded by private land).
Elmley Nature Reserve
https://www.elmleynaturereserve.co.uk/
Elmley, Minster on Sea, Sheerness ME12 3RW
Elmley Nature Reserve has 3,300 acres of wonderful wilderness and breathtaking beauty. It is a family farm, and 40 years ago, Philip and Corinne Merricks were pioneering farmers who worked tirelessly to make Elmley such an important site for wildlife by restoring nature to the entire estate. It is one of the most important UK sites for breeding wading birds, but also renowned for raptors, owls and hares, rare bees, dragonflies and flora.
Please visit their website for further details
Leysdown Beach
Leysdown-on-Sea
Leysdown-on-sea is situated towards the eastern end of the Isle of Sheppey on Kent’s north coast. It is a very old-fashioned British seaside town with a sandy beach, promenade, and sea defences. There are plenty of arcades, a small funfair, a play park, cafes and little seaside shops. As a winner of the Blue Flag award, you can be sure of clean, safe bathing.
Eastchurch Aviation Museum
https://eastchurchaviationmuseum.org.uk/
Mill Green Village HMP Standford Hill, Eastchurch ME12 4AA
Eastchurch Aviation Museum is a very small museum full of aviation history and the history of the aircraft industry on Sheppey. The Museum is about preserving and maintaining the rich history of aviation. They appreciate a minimum donation of £1 per person to help with running costs and future development.
Please visit their website for further details
Rose Street Cottage of Curiosities
10 Rose St, Sheerness ME12 1AJ
Rose Street Cottage and its two neighbouring properties are the only remaining homes built for Sheerness Dockyard workers in the 18th and 19th centuries. They are weatherboarded, roofed with Welsh slate and are Grade II listed. The Cottage has been a furniture shop and Curd’s Wet and Dry Fish’n’Chip shop. It is dressed with objects brought by locals over many years to evoke the Island’s quirky stories. On Saturdays, you can treat yourself to a cream tea in the Cottage Garden.
Please visit their website for further details
Swale National Nature Reserve
Leysdown-on-Sea
Swale National Nature Reserve and its surrounds are remote spots. The main attractions in winter are a high tide roost of waders, including Sanderling, Dunlin, Grey Plover and Bar-tailed Godwit and wide open areas that are attractive to hunting birds of prey like Merlin, Hen Harrier and Marsh Harrier. The wet meadows attract thousands of wildfowl and waders.
Queenborough Harbour
Queenborough ME11 5AF
Queenborough Harbour is at the Medway, the Swale and the Thames confluence, with good access to London and the Continent on the Isle of Sheppey. The harbour has always enjoyed a reputation as a haven and today is very popular with visitors and busy with yachts and other craft. This is a lovely place to watch the sunset in the evening.
Sheerness Beach
Sheerness
Sheerness Beach is a shingle beach with a promenade; there is a sandy play area, an arcade, and ice cream stands, and being close to a Mcdonald’s and within walking distance of the town. From the shore, there are views across the estuary, towards Southend-on-Sea and the Essex coastline.