Dungeness National Nature Reserve
Romney Marsh, Coast
Photo: Dr Astrid Stilma, CC BY-SA 4.0Photo: Dr Astrid Stilma, CC BY-SA 4.0
Dungeness is one of the largest shingle landscapes in the world, a strange and beautiful place of wooden houses, lighthouses, power stations and gravel pits. The National Nature Reserve is home to around 600 plant species and is a great spot for migrating birds in spring and autumn. Spend a few hours walking the paths, then visit the Old Lighthouse, the RSPB reserve or the miniature railway terminus.
Highlights
- Vast shingle landscape unlike anywhere else in Britain
- Around 600 plant species, a third of those found in the UK
- Migrating birds in spring and autumn
- Old Lighthouse, lifeboat station and Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway nearby
Good to know
- Drive only on roads and walk on established paths to protect the fragile shingle
- Dungeness is a lived-in place, so respect residents' privacy
- The RSPB reserve with hides and visitor centre is a separate site within the NNR
Getting there
Dungeness National Nature Reserve, Dungeness, Romney Marsh, Kent, TN29 9NE
Get directionsChecked on 15 October 2026 against dungeness-nnr.co.uk, dungeness-nnr.co.uk. Details change, so please confirm with the venue before you travel. How we check
Nearby
Image: Creative FolkestoneProspect Cottage
Prospect Cottage is the former home of the artist, filmmaker and gardener Derek Jarman, set on the shingle at Dungeness with his famous garden around it. Guided, timed visits let you step inside to see the rooms and artworks where he lived and worked. It suits art and film lovers and needs about an hour, with time to look at the garden afterwards.
Image: The Old Lighthouse DungenessThe Old Lighthouse
The Old Lighthouse is a Grade II listed tower on the shingle at Dungeness, opened in 1904 and in service until 1960. Climb the 169 steps for panoramic views over Romney Marsh and the Channel, and see the Great Lens and Sector Light on the way. It suits families and anyone exploring Dungeness, and takes about an hour.
Image: RSPB DungenessRSPB Dungeness
RSPB Dungeness protects a wide stretch of shingle, freshwater pits, wet grassland and wildflower meadows on the Dungeness peninsula. Follow the level Discovery Trail between the hides to watch the birdlife, and pick up sightings at the visitor centre. It suits birdwatchers and anyone curious about this unusual landscape.