Herons

Two nuclear power stations dominate the horizon here, their concrete bulk rising from the shingle like something from a science fiction film. This is Romney Marsh country - flat, windswept, and utterly unlike anywhere else in England. The landscape feels almost otherworldly, with its endless expanse of grazing marsh stretching inland from Dungeness beach.

Birdwatchers flock to this corner of Kent for good reason. RSPB Dungeness offers some of the finest wildlife watching in southern England, while the network of hides scattered across the reserve - Dennis's Hide, Scott Hide, and Christmas Dell hide among them - provide front-row seats to migrating waders and wintering wildfowl. The Hanson ARC Hide overlooks gravel pits that attract everything from great crested grebes to bitterns.

Dungeness itself is properly wild. The shingle beach stretches for miles, littered with weathered fishing boats and railway carriages converted into weekend retreats. Derek Jarman's garden here has become a pilgrimage site for those who appreciate beauty in the most unlikely places.

For a dose of local history, Lydd Town Museum tells the story of this ancient Cinque Port, while the Church of All Saints towers over the small town with its impressive 132-foot spire. Getting here requires a bit of planning - the nearest mainline station is Ashford, about 20 miles north, though the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway provides a more atmospheric arrival route from the coast.

Staying at one of the nearby holiday parks like Romney Meadows or Herons Park Campsite puts you right in the heart of this extraordinary landscape, with the coast just minutes away and some of Kent's most unusual countryside on your doorstep.