Sandwich & Pegwell Bay National Nature Reserve

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Overview

Sandwich and Pegwell Bay NNR, with its spectacular stretch of fragile windswept coastline, is internationally important for migrating and over-wintering waders and wildfowl. It is the Kent Wildlife Trust’s largest and one of its most important nature reserves, and the only ancient dune pasture in Kent. The reserve is made up of a complex mosaic of habitats which include inter-tidal mudflats, saltmarsh, shingle beach, sand dunes, ancient dune pastures, chalk cliffs, wave cut platform and coastal scrubland. Wildlife and flora of the dunes and coast include the rare natterjack toad and sand lizard, while flowers include the yellow horned poppy and the lizard and bee orchids. The reserve is of international importance for its waders and wildfowl, best seen during winter or during the spring and autumn migrations. Species seen here include oystercatcher, dunlin, curlew, sanderling, grey plover, redshank, ringed plover, barnacle goose, sandwich and little tern and shelduck.

Location

Cliffsend

About the area

Kent is home to the White Cliffs of Dover, an English icon that marks the point where the Kent Downs AONB stretches from the Surrey Hills down to the sea. Visitors can explore historic parklands, including Knole Park and Sir Winston Churchill’s former home at Chartwell, or beautiful nature reserves, such as the coppiced woodlands of Denge Wood and Earley Wood and the ancient fine chalk woodland of Yockletts Bank.