Isle of Sheppey, Island in Thames Estuary, England
The Isle of Sheppey is an island off the northern coast of Kent, separated from the mainland by the Swale and Medway tidal channels and bordered to the north by the Thames Estuary. The landscape alternates between flat saltmarshes in the south, grazing fields inland, and gently elevated hills in the north where the ground slopes down to the shore.
The island experienced the first major Viking attack on Southern England in 835, when warriors in longboats raided monasteries and settlements. In the 19th century, Sheerness grew as a naval base and became the gateway to the island, while in World War II airfields and defensive installations shaped the terrain.
The name Sheppey comes from Old English and means "sheep island", a reminder of the centuries of sheep farming along the coastal pastures. Small villages like Minster and Leysdown shape the character of the place today, while Sheerness as a port town still moves to the rhythm of ferries and cargo vessels.
The island connects to the mainland via the A249 motorway and the B2231 road, with access provided by a high bridge near Queenborough. Coastal paths and villages are easy to explore on foot or by bicycle, and at low tide wide mudflats and birdlife along the northern shore come into view.
A small population of the yellow-tailed scorpion, otherwise found only in the Mediterranean region, has lived in the harbour walls of Sheerness since the mid-19th century. The animals likely arrived with cargo from Italy or southern France and survived here at their northernmost location in the world.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
