Swale National Nature Reserve
Swale National Nature Reserve
Swale National Nature Reserve
4.5
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Duration: 2-3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
19 within 3 miles
Attractions
84 within 6 miles
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
10 reviews
Excellent
7
Very good
1
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
1
janonymous f
4 contributions
Sep 2024 • Couples
Never found it. Initially sat sent us in our motohome along a farmers field but once I'd made the turning I couldn't find a place to turn around. After reversing miles and nearly killing my clutch, we eventually plarked up Leysdown to walk. Sat nav walked us back to the same farmers field. Moral. Don't trust sat on Sheppey, get a map or OS app or something
Written September 4, 2024
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.
Val601
Kent, UK46 contributions
Feb 2018 • Friends
Visited 1st February and walked from the Ferry House Inn to Shellness beach. Saw many species of raptors including Marsh Harrier and also a barn owl in flight at sunset - magical!
Written February 2, 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.
Kenneth N
Pinner, UK138 contributions
Oct 2016 • Solo
I'm probably making a mistake even reviewing this litle known place. It's probably the closest you can get to a wilderness experience in SE England. It's on the Isle of Sheppey and you reach it via one of the worst tracks you'll come across. Take it easy or you could easily damage your car.
It's a birdwatcher's paradise. I've only been a couple of times in the last two years but I've more or less had the birds to myself when I've been - and what huge numbers of birds. Flocks of golden plovers, hen harriers, merlins, marsh harriers, all sorts of shorebirds.
But it's the ambience as much as the birds - I just love the long views, the wind-swept marshes, the dykes and the reedbeds.
Dress up warm - it's very exposed.
And don't forget to look at Shellness, the spit of land that sticks out into the sea at the south-eastern corner of the nature reserve - it really is a lovely place to take a child shell-hunting. And binoculars are also recommended.
It's a birdwatcher's paradise. I've only been a couple of times in the last two years but I've more or less had the birds to myself when I've been - and what huge numbers of birds. Flocks of golden plovers, hen harriers, merlins, marsh harriers, all sorts of shorebirds.
But it's the ambience as much as the birds - I just love the long views, the wind-swept marshes, the dykes and the reedbeds.
Dress up warm - it's very exposed.
And don't forget to look at Shellness, the spit of land that sticks out into the sea at the south-eastern corner of the nature reserve - it really is a lovely place to take a child shell-hunting. And binoculars are also recommended.
Written October 27, 2016
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.
Kenneth N
Pinner, UK138 contributions
Dec 2021
I reviewed this nature reserve a few years ago so I thought I'd do an update. I visited yesterday, mid-December, arriving as the day was beginning to brighten up a bit. I had a lovely few hours, walking along the raised 'bund' towards the bird hide. I met the voluntary warden who is a mine of information - I hadn't known about the wildfowlers and the areas where they can and cannot shoot. (They are there twice a week, apparently, and use steel shot as lead is so polluting.) I could have done without the sound of guns but otherwise the walk was lovely. Bird highlights were a flock of bramblings and a lovely male hen harrier (look it up!). For once there was very little wind and so I wasn't chilled even though I spent a fair while standing still, looking at all the waders roosting on the tide line. (About ten species, I reckon.)
The access track is bad - still - but apparently the people who live in the hamlet like it like that as it deters visitors. For those who persist, the reward is one of the most atmospheric walks that I know.
The access track is bad - still - but apparently the people who live in the hamlet like it like that as it deters visitors. For those who persist, the reward is one of the most atmospheric walks that I know.
Written December 17, 2021
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.
megzy4chelsea
Isle of Sheppey, UK6 contributions
Aug 2018 • Couples
A lovely place to take the dog for a walk, not very sheltered in bad weather but you get to see some beautiful wildlife. Definitely one of my favourites to take my two dogs
Written August 28, 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.
John G
Aviemore, Scotland, United Kingdom45 contributions
Oct 2019
Great place for walk and a bit of birding. Seriously spoiled by the state of the road down to the carpark at the reserve. It will certainly test out your suspension and tyres
Written October 14, 2019
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.
Kings and Queens London
London, UK961 contributions
Jul 2017 • Couples
As one reviewer stated this was a lovely nature reserve.Most holidaymakers simply go to the Leysdown public beach but if you follow the coast road to the right you will come across beautiful isolated beaches, a nudist beach ( yuk....where we saw three naked old men, fat and nasty) , quickly passing that , you find lovely quiet clean beaches and this nature reserve with lots of wildlife.take drinks and a picnic and plot up for the day.you will also see a few beach huts and a tiny private hamlet of houses which have gorgeous views.it is a very peaceful place where you may see a handful of people walking dogs or taking a peaceful walk x
Written July 24, 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.
Is there an area where dog walking is permitted? I've looked at two websites for Swale nature reserve, one says no dogs not ever, not even on leads unless they're assistance dogs, and the other site says ok to dogs but on a lead. I'd like to visit but don't want to bring my dog somewhere where he's unwelcome.
Written March 30, 2019
We're staying at Ferry House Inn for 3 nights - what routes would you recommend for keen birders from here, on foot?
Written February 14, 2018
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