Riverbank Park wildlife area

The walk along Riverbank Park's wetlands near Sheerness is genuinely absorbing if you're into birds and plants rather than amusement arcades. You get proper views of the marshland - reed beds, dykes, the slow water reflecting grey skies - and on a decent day you'll spot herons, egrets, and wading birds that most people driving past the Isle of Sheppey completely miss.

It's a nature reserve run with serious intent, not a manicured park with benches every fifty metres. The paths are straightforward but can get muddy, particularly after rain. Allow a couple of hours if you're photographing or birdwatching; half an hour if you just fancy a brisk constitutional. Spring and autumn are when the migration brings the most interesting sightings, though winter can be equally rewarding if you don't mind the wind.

Families with young children might find it a bit flat and uninspiring unless the kids are already keen naturalists - there's not much to do except walk and look. Older children or adults who enjoy quiet observation will find it properly peaceful, which is rare this close to Sheerness town.

It slots well into a caravan holiday at either Ashcroft Coast or Shurland Dale, both within a few miles. You're not coming here for spectacle; you're coming because you want to step away from the holiday park routine and actually see what lives in the marshes. That's the whole point.