Birdwatching Break at Elmley

Tuesday 3rd to Friday 6th February 2026

We're very excited to announce the Elmley Winter Birdwatching Tour. Hosted and led by Simon Ginnaw, Elmley's lead guide, this is an incredible opportunity to experience North Kent birds over Winter with an intimate group.

Winter is a wonderful time to enjoy the North Kent Coast, and our North Kent winter birdwatching tour is the perfect immersive experience.

• Based at Elmley Nature Reserve
• Staying in Kingshill Farmhouse, right in the heart of the Elmley National Nature Reserve - with views across the marshes and Swale, this offers the unique experience of birdwatching over breakfast, dinner and even from bed!
• Explore the birding highlights on Sheppey
• 3 nights, 4 days
• Fully catered
• Small group

During this break, based at the wonderful Elmley Nature Reserve, we will explore the Isle of Sheppey, from the spectacular Elmley National Nature Reserve and Swale National Nature Reserve NNRs, along with the Capel Fleet and Harty Marshes in between.

Guests can expect large flocks of ducks and geese, including Wigeon, Teal, and Barnacle, Russian White-fronts and Dark-bellied Brents, along with spectacular flocks of waders at their high tide roosts.

The Isle of Sheppey holds one of the highest densities of raptors in the UK, and we have a very good chance of enjoying great views of these incredible birds. From the small but mighty Merlin to the magical four species of Owl (including the secretive Long-eared Owl), to the spectacular Marsh Harrier roost.

As well as these, guests will have a great chance to catch up with Bitterns, Bearded Reedlings, Woodcock, Water Pipits, Corn Buntings, and a chance of seeing Shore Lark, Snow Bunting, and Hen Harrier, as well Common Goldeneye and Red-breasted Merganser. All this, whilst staying in the luxurious nature enveloped Elmley Nature Reserve.

DAY ONE – 3 February 2026
3pm - arrival. Check into our accommodation in Kingshill Farmhouse by the friendly Elmley team, settle in
4pm - Simon, your tour leader will meet you in Kingshill Farmhouse. Enjoy a complimentary welcome drink and and an introductory talk outlining the programme for the next few days, and some of the wildlife we will hope to see, before enjoying our first meal together.
Note: Sittingbourne Station pickup is optional, please enquire.

DAY TWO – 4 February 2026
After a delicious breakfast overlooking the Reserve, you will depart Elmley National Nature Reserve spending the first half of the morning slowly exploring the entrance track of the Reserve – often the best area for raptors.

At approx.10:45am we will depart Elmley with picnic lunches to the Swale NNR, where we will walk to Shellness Point to watch the tide come in and the waders arrive at their roosts. We hope that a raptor may choose to hunt and the group will be treated to some spectacular murmurations. The Swale National Nature Reserve is one of the main haunts for Hen Harriers in the area, along with Short-eared Owls and Snow Bunting, if we are lucky. This area of the Isle is the main spot for waders such as Sanderling, and the occasional Purple Sandpiper.

Around mid-afternoon we will return to Elmley, where after a short comfort stop, we will take a safari out to the farthest corner of the Reserve, at Spitend, to look for raptors and geese. We will check favoured areas for Merlin and Peregrine, and if we are lucky, perhaps one of the Isle of Wight’s White-tailed Eagles will be residing here to enjoy.

DAY THREE – 5 February 2026
We spend the morning at Capel Fleet and the Harty Marshes, where we will enjoy flocks of Corn Buntings, hunting raptors, and more wintering wildfowl. This is often the main wintering spot for Bewick’s and/or Whooper Swans in North Kent, along with scarcer geese species, whilst we also have a chance of finding Spoonbills, and Egrets. We will return to Elmley for lunch.

In the afternoon we will explore Elmley until the sun has set, searching for owls, waders and wildfowl, and hoping to enjoy some species that we have not had a chance of seeing yet. Our day will end with the spectacular Marsh Harrier roost, the largest of its kind in the UK, and probably western Europe. We will wrap up warm, and enjoy this from the comfort of a vehicle, where we will toast our trip with a sundowner, drink of your choice.

DAY FOUR
Our final morning will be spent exploring parts of Elmley that we may not have been before, along with enjoying views of an owl or two.

As you'll be aware Nature is unpredictable, both the weather and the wildlife, so please bear in mind that the above itinerary may be tweaked to ensure the best experience. This will be communicated with the group throughout the break.

You will have the unique experience of staying in Kingshill Farmhouse right in the heart of Elmley National Nature Reserve. This is the only place in the country where you can spend the night within a National Nature Reserve.

In Kingshill Farmhouse the birdwatching experience continues through evening, night and the incredible dawns! Waders and wildfowl gather in ponds in front of the house, and owls quarter over the grasses, enjoy direct views from the house as you relax in the evenings and mornings.

• Luxury bedrooms, with large bathrooms
• Dining room
• Large kitchen with fully glazed end facing the sunrise over the marshes
• 3 further reception rooms - snug, library and drawing room - for exclusive use by birdwatching tour guests

Elmley is regularly featured in national newspapers as a top place to stay for wildlife breaks. And in September 2025 The Times called Kingshill Farmhouse "a luxurious place to nest for the night", "staying overnight means not only being fully immersed in the reserve's rhythms but also doing so in considerable comfort"
This small group will have exclusive use of Kingshill Farmhouse

Choose from one of the 4 beautiful Farmhouse rooms sleeping two guests, or the two-bedroom Lookout Suite sleeps up to 4 guests (adults only).

The tour is fully catered and all meals are enjoyed privately with the small group:

• Breakfast - hearty continental breakfast (option to upgrade to cooked) - served in Kingshill Farmhouse kitchen with incredible morning views over the Reserve
• Packed lunches to enjoy during birdwatching days, sandwiches or warming soup and cheese, plus cake/fruit and soft drink
• Dinner - 2 delicious two course suppers cooked by a private chef and served in Kingshill Farmhouse dining room. The chef is a keen birdwatcher and knows Elmley very well

Drinks and extras:

• Complimentary welcome drink on arrival
• Unlimited teas and coffee provided in Kingshill Farmhouse
• Soft drinks or juice provided with lunch
• Local apple juice, tea and coffee provided with breakfast
• Additional soft drinks, wines, beers and ciders, and snacks available to purchase

Note we can cater for various dietary requirements, please confirm your needs on booking

Simon Ginnaw is an experienced Wildlife Tour Leader, and joined Elmley as our Lead Guide in 2023 with 15 years of tour-leading experience in the UK, across Europe and further afield. He has been guiding around UK and Europe for over 16 years, and has known Elmley and the North Kent Marshes his whole life.

There will be easy to moderate walking on this holiday, covering between three and five miles per day on generally flat ground. We will spend most of our time during the day scanning and looking for various bird species.

The weather may be cold, wet, windy and even snowy so please be prepared. Bring several layers, including a thermal base layer and waterproof coat and trousers are required. Footwear should be sturdy, waterproof walking boots and a hat and gloves will be essential. Comfortable, casual clothing and shoes are suggested for the evenings in Kingshill Farmhouse.

The following is our recommendation of general equipment that you should bring with you:

• Telescope (strongly advised, but optional)
• Small waterproof rucksack/day pack
• Wash kit and medication
• Camera and accessories (optional)
• Refillable water bottle
• Binoculars (can be provided from Elmley if required)

• Guiding services of experienced tour leader, and use of field guides
• Private en-suite accommation in Kingshill Farmhouse
• Breakfasts, lunches and evening meals are included in the holiday cost, beginning with the evening meal on Day 1, and finishing with lunch on Day 4
• All transport throughout break once at Elmley Nature Reserve, including to offsite locations within the itinerary
• Personalised birdwatching map
• Elmley reusable Coffee Cup

We are more than happy to book additional nights at the Reserve at an additional cost. Please request this at the time of booking.

• Transport to/from Elmley (Sittingbourne station pick up is available on request)
• Items of a purely personal nature.
• Cooked breakfast – optional upgrade

• Please assist our leader in ensuring that there is a rotation of seats around the vehicle to allow each participant to enjoy approximately equal time in the front.
• Please also be considerate of others throughout the tour, sharing views through the leader’s telescope.
• We expect all clients to have consideration for other people.
• Smoking is not permitted in any inside area (house or minibus). Please note the overwhelming majority of our guests are non-smokers and vapers, so request that smokers refrain from smoking in the proximity of all other group members, and whilst watching wildlife, at all times.
• If in our reasonable opinion or in the reasonable opinion of any other person in authority, you or any member of your party behaves in such a way as to cause or be likely to cause danger, upset or distress to any third party or damage to property or fauna (including the collecting of any specimen from the natural world for example any plants or insects), we are entitled, without prior notice, to terminate the holiday of the person(s) concerned. In this situation, the person(s) concerned will be required to leave the accommodation or other service. We will have no further responsibility toward such person(s) including any return travel arrangements. No refunds will be made and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of the termination.
• All our guests are expected to conduct themselves in an orderly and acceptable manner and not to disrupt the enjoyment of others. If in our opinion or in the opinion of any Tour Leader, General Manager or any other person in authority, your behaviour or that of any member of your party is causing or is likely to cause distress, danger or annoyance to any other customers or any third party, or damage to property, or to cause a delay or diversion to transportation, we reserve the right to terminate your booking with us immediately. In the event of such termination our liability to you and/or your party will cease and you and/or your party will be required to leave your accommodation or other arrangements immediately. We will have no further obligations to you and/or your party. No refunds for lost accommodation or any other arrangements will be made and we will not pay any expenses or costs incurred as a result of termination.
• When you book with us, you accept responsibility for any damage or loss caused by you or any member of your party. Full payment for any such damage or loss must be paid direct at the time to the accommodation owner or manager or other supplier. If you fail to do so, you will be responsible for meeting any claims subsequently made against us (together with our own and the other party’s full legal costs) as a result of your actions.
• We cannot be held responsible for the actions or behaviour of other guests or individuals who have no connection with your booking arrangements or with us.

For any more information about booking your birdwatching break at Elmley, please do contact us;

stay@elmleynaturereserve.co.uk for information on the stay and/or food & drink

simon@elmleynaturereserve.co.uk for information on wildlife and guiding

This is a one-off small numbered event. Full payment is required on booking a ticket. The ticket fee is non-refundable and non-transferable to another date. Should you no longer be able to attend you may transfer your ticket to somebody else or please let us know at your earliest convenience and we will relist your ticket and publicise the availability. Please be aware that a resale is not guaranteed. If the ticket is purchased by another guest we will refund the ticket price in full less the payment processing fees.

The Reserve is an internationally important site for wildlife, particularly breeding birds in spring and winter, and as such guests must be aware of the need to be considerate of the site and potential impacts upon it when staying. The terms of usage can be found here. A ticket booking will be taken as acceptance of these terms and conditions. Any queries or clarifications should be referred to our team events@elmleynaturereserve.co.uk prior to booking.

The event is for over 16 years old only.
Check in to accommodation is from 3pm on Tuesday 3rd Febuary 2026 and check out of accommodation is by 10.30am, Friday 6th February 2026. Guests will enjoy their final birdwatching tour morning and are welcome to stay on the Reserve until 3pm on 6th.