Explore The Isle of Sheppey Walking & Cycling Map
The Isle of Sheppey is a small island off the north Kent coast with a fascinating variety of landscapes and places to explore. With Sheerness-on-sea, a busy market town and international port located to the north-west of the island, southwards lies the historic town of Queenborough with its excellent harbour, central of the island is the villages of Minster with a stunning stretch of coastline and abbey, as well as Eastchurch and to the east there is Leysdown-on-Sea and warden which includes a seaside resort and uninterrupted views along the coast of Kent.
Actively Traveling!
Visit for the day and hit the rail either Queenborough or Sheerness which are links to the mainland at Sittingbourne on the Chatham Main Line and high-speed rail services to London via St Pancras Station. Bus services provide links and access to the wider island for pedestrians to the local attractions and employers in the area through a network of foot and cycling paths which are shared access routes. With plans to improve cycling and walking links in the upcoming years, the island is going to get more stunning and will improve the landscape immensely.
By Bike…
If you crave more adventure but still want to explore the beautiful island of Sheppey, why not saddle up and explore to island on a bike. With two adventurous cycle routes, Sheerness Way Cycle Ride and The Isle of Harty Trail, why not chose to wild side and explore the Isle of Sheppey for all its beauty.
Venture on the Sheerness Way Route which gives you the chance to experience all that Sheerness has to offer. Explore some of the local attractions, including Barton’s Point Coastal Park, Sheerness Beach and the Blue Town Heritage Centre where you can discover the history of the island. The Isle of Harty Trail is a tranquil, traffic-free route which makes a perfect day out to explore the beautiful area of Sheppey. Enjoy a picturesque bike ride from the lively seaside resorts of Leysdown-on-Sea to the peaceful Isle of Harty, enjoy a yummy lunch and spot the beautiful birds that thrive on the Harty Marshes.
Exploring the Island…
When exploring the beautiful island of Sheppey why not visit the two National Nature Reserves of international importance Sheppey is home to, Elmley National Nature Reserve and Swale National Nature Reserve, protecting a variety of flora and fauna. At certain times of the year, you can catch a glimpse of a population of marsh harriers, lapwing, redshanks and oystercatchers to name a few.
When venturing around Elmley National Reserve, discover some of the wonderful wildlife that thrives off the Nature reserve on the nature trails or the get-up close and personal with the wildlife, why not venture up to the 4 viewing hides of Elmley which offers many stunning different views and wildlife spotting opportunities! Swale National Nature Reserved, located right at the edge of the island and is a very coastal landscape for all those beach lovers! Marine birds and other wildlife that thrive off the coastal area can be spotted all over the beautiful reserve, you can also explore the marshes and discover the abandoned saltworks which lends itself to the island.
As well as the beautiful National Nature reserves, there are also many other places to visit that the whole family will enjoy on the Isle of Sheppey. These include the beautiful beaches that the island is home to, Leysdown Beach, Minster Beach and Sheerness Beach, with all hidden qualities and gems to uncover, a day to the beach while exploring the island is a must! Remember to be aware of tide times when visiting the beaches, check out the tide times for Sheerness Beach.
For more places and activities to do while exploring the stunning island, head over to Visit Swale where you will find many more places to explore and go!
