Kent Beauty Spots
Whether ancient woodland, cattle-grazed countryside or stretches of stunning coastline, Kent is home to a variety of must-visit natural destinations from Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Natural Landscapes) to secret viewpoints and photo-worthy hotspots. For those wanting to escape into the county’s scenery and find themselves inspired by nature, here are Kent’s most beautiful places to visit this summer…
For the artistic…
Famous for its stunning views of Kent’s white cliffs and chalk stacks, Botany Bay is one of the county’s most inspiring coastal landscapes. Perfect for creatives looking to finish the next chapter of their novel, capture the shoreline on their latest digital camera or bring along a notebook to sketch their surroundings, Botany Bay boasts an unmatched serenity even in the busier summer months. When the tide is out, the area is excellent for fossil hunting and rockpool exploration, so a day visit can easily be packed with low-impact activities to get that all-needed inspiration flowing.
Best reached on foot or by cycling through the Viking Coastal Trail, Botany Bay is just a 45-minute walk from Broadstairs or Margate, though has free parking just a cliff-top walk away at Palm Bay Avenue. For those wanting to extend their visit to a weekend escape, the Botany Bay Hotel & Pub overlooking the water offers an experience like none other in the area. With a welcoming lounge bar, 30 luxurious en-suite bedrooms and a restaurant with stunning sea views, it promises stylish stays in one of Kent’s most beautiful coastal stretches.
For four-legged visitors…
Named for its bowl-shaped appearance after being carved out thousands of years ago by glacial meltwater, this iconic viewpoint is situated within the heart of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. One of the largest steep-sided dry valleys in the county, the Devil’s Kneading Trough welcomes walkers and their four-legged friends to explore the chalk grassland landscape and discover the wealth of wildlife its home to, including rare orchid species like the early spider orchid and insects such as the black veined moth. Marbled white and common blue butterflies also frequent the area, with birds like skylarks and kestrels often hovering overhead the valley.
To explore the very best of the local area, there’s a 7.5 mile walk that rewards visitors with magnificent views, crossing through fields of livestock, leading down into the base of the trough and back up through the woods. Dogs are allowed off their leads in certain areas, depending on the presence of nearby livestock, and the walk is clearly signposted for amateur and seasoned hikers alike, though the terrain is variedly steep in some places so make sure to choose your footwear accordingly!
For wild photography…
Oare Marshes Nature Reserve, Oare
Internationally important for migratory, breeding and overwintering birds, the Oare Marshes Nature Reserve is one of few grazing marshes left in Kent with freshwater dykes and open water scrapes. Open year-round, visitors to this 81-hectare site can explore the circular footpaths and various viewing hides, with plenty of interpretation boards on site to ensure every visit is educational. The species that visitors may encounter through the seasons include the avocet, bearded reedling, black-tailed godwit, peregrine falcon, and short-eared owl.
Part of the Oare Marshes Circular walk (explorekent.org), those wanting to capture the surrounding landscape with their cameras can head inland through green fields and country lanes, passing Luddenham Church and picturesque farming fields before coming full circle back to Oare, following a creek towards its coastline shipwrecks and mudflats. After working up an appetite photographing Kent’s stunning flora and fauna, the Three Mariners is close by with its crackling fire and rustic restaurant area, serving delicious and hearty pub classics to warm even the most weary of walkers.
For family fun…
An Edwardian estate once owned by the banker and plantsman, Frederic Lubbock, Emmetts Garden was first laid out between 1893 and 1895. Now under the ownership of the National Trust, the six-acre garden occupies a sandstone ridge overlooking the Kentish Weald from one of the highest points in Kent, offering panoramic views as well as great walking opportunities. Across the estate, visitors will find an expansive collection of multi-coloured flowering shrubs and rare trees alongside a formal 20th-century Rose Garden and varied alpine plant collection in the popular Rock Garden.
With access into the adjoining woodland, there are unique specimens of pine trees to wander between as well as a wild play area for children with swings, a climbing frame, den building areas and balance beams. For a whole-family adventure, make sure to bring a picnic or packed lunch with you before exploring the beautiful sights of Emmetts Garden.
For a romantic afternoon…
A family-run, working farm based in the picturesque village of Shoreham, Castle Farm has been managed by the Alexander Family since 1892. With a lavender enterprise that began in 1998 in an effort to produce essential oils, this 1,100 acre stretch of Kentish countryside is renowned for growing the fragrant purple flowers and even has an on-site specialised distillery. Now run by William and Caroline Alexander with the help of their three children and hard-working team, Castle Farm is renowned for being the largest lavender farm in the UK.
Perfect for a romantic afternoon out with the most special person in your life, visitors can soak up the summer sunshine with the most gorgeous lilac backdrop. To make the most out of a daytime date at Castle Farm, couples can swing by the Farm Shop Coffee Cart on their walk for a cup of something soothing and delicious, before browsing the farm shop’s local artisan crafts, seasonal produce, decorations and wonderful range of lavender products sourced directly from the farm. With lavender in bloom from late June to late July, there’s never been a better time than now to visit Castle Farm!
For the best hiking trails…
Barton’s Point Coastal Park, Sheerness
An attractive park with walking trails, bridle ways and cycle path with a stunning saltwater lake, Barton’s Point Coastal Park is a hidden gem for hikers in Kent. During the summer months, visitors can fish, sail, windsurf or kayak on the water, and The Sheerness Way cycling route runs directly through the park for those wanting to explore their surroundings on two wheels. Facilities at the park include The Boat House Cafe, designated areas for camping with changing rooms during the summer season, and a pirate-themed adventure playground for little ones to enjoy.
Adjoining Barton’s Point Coastal Park are the Queenborough Lines, known locally as Canal Bank. An earthwork defensive line built in the nineteenth century in an effort to protect the dockyard from attack, the Queenborough Lines are a serene, open space with waymarked trails and rest points for those looking to expand their outdoor adventure. Offering sweeping views across the Sheerness Peninsula, a hike across the Queenborough Lines is unlike anything else in Kent.
For wildlife lovers…
An 81-hectare stretch of woodland that forms part of the Greensand Ridge, Toys Hill is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest thanks to its abundant wildlife and national importance for nature conservation. The perfect place for wildlife lovers to enjoy a peaceful and relaxing walk over the Weald of Kent, the extensive woodland nearby is home to a variety of rare and unique flora and fauna. For those who can navigate their way to the nineteenth century well sunk by the National Trust’s founder, Octavia Hill, the reward will be panoramic views of the county’s beautiful scenery.
With a landscape primarily consisting of lowland heath, woodland and sandy soil, the wildlife that Toys Hill supports varies from dormice and reptiles to fungi and bats. This time of year in particular, the golden marsh marigolds and pink ragged robins will likely catch your eye, with wildflowers aplenty to make some photo-worthy backdrops. To keep yourself and the surrounding wildlife safe, make sure to leave gates as you find them, steer clear or disturbing circular dormice nests and take care not to touch any toadstools as many fungi can be poisonous!
For picturesque viewpoints…
An entirely man-made nature reserve created from chalk marl excavated during the building of the Channel Tunnel, Samphire Hoe is a 30-hectare site with rich biodiversity and wildlife.
Offering spectacular views of the iconic White Cliffs of Dover, there’s no better viewpoint on the South Kent coastline to see one of Earth’s most simple sights – the sun rising and setting across the horizon. Set against a scene of dramatic cliffs and rolling waters, Samphire Hoe is often frequented by locals wanting to enjoy a gentle stroll or picnic in the fresh sea air. Though, with a vivid landscape that attracts over 220 species of birds and 30 types of butterflies, Samphire Hoe is equally beloved by Kentish wildlife.
Wheelchair and pushchair friendly with toilet facilities, a rangers office and tea kiosk open every weekend, it’s easy to plan a day’s adventure in and around Samphire Hoe. At the Education Shelter, visitors can even meet the area’s volunteer ranges to discover more about Samphire Hoe, with regular exhibitions and events taking place there. A must-visit location for picturesque viewpoints, Samphire Hoe can be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike who want to embrace the natural wonder of Kent’s coastline.
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