Sheerness

Working ferries chug across the Medway estuary all day long, reminding you that this isn't your typical seaside resort. Sheerness sits at the tip of the Isle of Sheppey, where proper industry meets proper coastline - no sugar-coating here. The town has that honest, slightly windswept character of a place that earns its living from the water.

Climb up Pump Hill and you'll get the best sense of where you are. The views take in the Thames estuary, container ships heading to London, and miles of marshland stretching inland. It's not pretty in a chocolate-box way, but there's something compelling about watching Britain actually working. The Memorial to the Home of Aviation marks Sheerness's role in early flight history - this was where aviation pioneers first took to the skies from British soil.

All Saints' Parish Church sits quietly in the town centre, while the World War memorial tells the story of a community that's seen its share of history. The seafront has a no-nonsense promenade where you can walk and think, with the Kentish coastline stretching away towards Whitstable.

Getting here means crossing the Swale via the A249 - it's about an hour from Canterbury or Dover. The nearest proper town is Sittingbourne, back on the mainland. Staying at one of the holiday parks around Sheerness makes sense if you want to explore the wider Isle of Sheppey without the fuss of daily travel. You're close enough to Canterbury's attractions but far enough away to escape the crowds.