Isle of Sheppey

Previous blog posts have covered bits of the Thames Estuary, for example Grays, Southend, Dartford. This ride adds another location, the Isle of Sheppey, between Rochester and Whitstable and separated from 'the mainland' by the Swale. It was the warmest day of the year so far, and we had a fairly leisurely day - see map here.

We loaded our bikes on the bike rack on my car to drive down to the island, and parked first at Leysdown. We started by riding down to the (private) Hamlet of Shellness (be prepared for a section devoted to nudists, fortunately its not compulsory). Then we followed the Harty Cycle Trail on good bridleways to the Ferry House Inn, where we took a longish and rather late lunch break. This is Sheppey at its rural best, with good views over the Swale marshes (excellent for birding), and across to Whitstable.

Then, for a contrast, we re-loaded the bikes and drove round, to the port town of Sheerness, stopping on the way to view the Minster church, and then parking on the front road overlooking the sea at Minster (the town). We then did the Sheerness Cycle Route which circles the town, making use of the Queenborough Line (a nineteenth century defensive moat), and returning along the sea front.

Unloading at Leysdown

Short brothers had an aircraft factory near here

Beach near Shellness (looking to Whitstable)

Hamlet of Shellness

Bridleway across a field (Swale in background)

Blackthorn (or hawthorn?) blossom 

Harty church

Harty Ferry House Inn

On the Harty Cycle Trail

Drainage ditches (marsh harriers hereabouts)

Minster Minster

Sea front at Minster

Queenborough Line behind Sheerness

Sheerness sea front

Fortifications (WW2?) for Sheerness naval dockyard

Sheerness prom

View to Southend across the estuary