Romney Marsh

Flat as a pancake and twice as intriguing, Romney Marsh stretches across southeastern Kent like a living piece of history. This extraordinary landscape - reclaimed from the sea over centuries - feels otherworldly, with its endless sheep pastures, drainage channels, and enormous skies that seem to go on forever.

Dymchurch Beach sits just minutes away, offering proper seaside fun with its long stretch of sand and traditional amusements. The kids will love Dymchurch Amusement Park, while Dymchurch Martello Tower 24 provides a fascinating glimpse into Napoleonic coastal defences. For something completely different, head to Alpaca Annie where these charming South American residents have made themselves thoroughly at home in Kent.

The Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway - known locally as the world's smallest public railway - chugs through this unique landscape, though you'll need to catch it from nearby stations. Marsh Maze & Fun Yard offers outdoor adventures when the weather plays ball.

This is sheep country, pure and simple. Ancient churches like St Peter & St Paul's Church in Dymchurch and All Saints Church in Burmarsh dot the landscape, many dating back centuries when this was a prosperous wool-trading region.

Getting here is straightforward from the M20, though the final approach on narrow marsh roads requires a bit of patience. Ashford makes the nearest proper town for supplies, about 20 minutes inland. The beauty of staying at one of the local parks is having this remarkable landscape right on your doorstep - somewhere you can cycle for miles along flat paths, spot rare birds, and experience one of England's most unusual environments without the usual tourist crowds.