To help you prepare and get excited about your upcoming stay, we've gathered some helpful information for you.
We look forward to having you stay with us and we welcome you to arrive early and enjoy the Reserve footpaths. Please do let us know if you have any questions, we look forward to meeting you soon!
The Elmley team
Enjoy slow mornings with breakfast delivered to your door, picnic lunches savoured in a special location on the Reserve and come the evening, enjoy a Cheese & Charcuterie Sharing Board or a deliciously warming Supper Hamper in the comfort of your cabin.
Breakfast doesn't need to be pre-ordered, but Picnic Lunches, Cheese & Charcuterie Boards, and Supper Hampers do - please submit your pre-orders through the links, we are a small kitchen who aim to operate with minimal waste, due to this we kindly ask for at least 24 hours' notice for pre-orders.
Weekend Evening Dining
Friday Evening and Late night Sunday Arrivals - Cheese or/and Charcuterie board
Saturday & Sunday Evening - Two-course Supper Hamper
Your order will be delivered anytime between 6pm & 7pm in an insulated hamper for you to serve and enjoy in your accommodation
By Train
If you are getting the train, we would advise arriving at Sittingbourne Train Station, as there is a taxi rank directly outside. Elmley is located around 10-15mins from here. Should you require a taxi we do recommend pre-booking, try Let's Go Green Cabs on 01795 444444.
By Road
From Junction 5 on the M2, follow the A249 towards Sheerness. The reserve is signposted from the exit for Iwade and Ridham Dock, which is immediately before the main Sheppey bridge. At the roundabout, take the second exit onto the old road bridge. On the Isle of Sheppey, after a minute or two, take the first right, following the brown Elmley Reserve sign. Take the second left with the Elmley sign. There is a 2 mile (3km) access road to the car park at Kingshill Farm.
Sat-nav/google maps note: If you are using sat-nav our postcode is ME12 3RW but please note that some sat-navs go a little awry. Please make sure you go over the lower bridge and note that the road to us does look like you're going to the middle of nowhere!
If ME13 3RW is taking you somewhere else, please use ME13 3RN or What3Words; ///trips.mount.whirlwind instead!
Before you travel we recommend checking The National Highways website and Twitter for travel updates relating to the M2 junction 5/A249 currently taking place. Diversions and roadworks may be in place but please allow a little extra travel time.
If you are planning to arrive with us after 7pm, then do let us know and we will send out a thorough self-check in email for you to locate your accommodation and keys.
If you have any questions about your accommodation, you might find our Information Packs useful. Click here for detailed information or ask a member of our friendly team who will be more than happy to help.
You can view the local weather here. The week ahead is looking lovely, bright and sunny with a little cloud. Temperatures are mild with light winds.
We would suggest wrapping up in layers during the day, especially if you're going to be exploring the Reserve, as there is little shelter from the wind while out for a walk and it can whip up across the flat reserve! Be sure to bring waterproofs and suitable walking boots, just in case... or you can just relax in your accommodation with a cup of tea (or something stronger!) and watch the beautiful wildlife from your window or from your outdoor seating.
Wild Swimming;
Cockleshell beach is now closed for the Autumn/Winter, as we hand it back over to the wading birds after a beautifully hot summer. Don't worry, you can still enjoy our fresh water dipping pond for a fresh wild swim, this can be found as you head out onto the main reserve footpath from the far-end of the carpark.
Walks and safari drive;
Our entrance track is a winding 2 miles with some of our most sensitive and active breeding grounds teeming with wildlife as well as roaming livestock. We encourage you to enjoy this at any point of your stay by using your vehicle as a moving bird hide. We politely ask you to remain within our 15mph speed limit as well as stay inside your car and not use the road as a footpath. There is no time limit here so please pull to one side.
We encourage you to enjoy the reserve and switch off during your time with us. Why not pack a flask of something hot and enjoy our marked footpaths for miles of wild landscape. Venture as far as you feel, use one of our bird hides as a check-point to sit and take nature in. You will be given a map of the reserve and we please ask you to stick to the marked footpaths to avoid disturbance to any wildlife.
The Linhay;
This is our communal area available to all guests to enjoy during their stay. Please help yourself to a drink from our honesty bar or a complimentary tea or coffee, then cosy up with a board game in front of the wood-burner, or browse our bird books. Drinks from our honesty bar will be added to a tab and settled upon check out.
Tours & Treatments;
If you haven't already, check out our range of tours and treatments to indulge and relax at Elmley. We do recommend booking in advance to avoid any disappointment. Further information and links to book are below.
This weeks sightings from the reserve are listed below so you can get a flavour of what to expect on the reserve. Binoculars are available throughout your stay if you'd like to hire a pair from us.
The local area;
If you do want to venture away from our peaceful surroundings there are some wonderful places to visit such as Faversham, a local and historic market town. Alternatively Whitstable is a picturesque seaside town with an abundance of independent shops and seafood to sample.
Elmley National Nature Reserve covers 3,300 acres brimming with wildlife. Make the most of your time here with an immersive, expert led tour. Each tour is tailored to recent sightings and will access unique areas of the reserve off of the marked footpaths.
We have plenty of availability on our upcoming tours, elevate your Elmley experience and learn something new about the vast array of species that call us home - Please contact our team to check availability or you can book online.
Should you wish to arrange a private tour please contact Simon (simon@elmleynaturereserve.co.uk) or our team directly to find out about availability and booking.
During your stay you can unwind and indulge in a range of rejuvenating treatments complimented with VERDEN and VOTARY products. From healing massages to nourishing facials, our treatments are rooted in natural fragrance to reconnect you with happiness in every moment of self-care.
You can book here with our experienced Holistic therapists - Victoria and Sarah.
Highlight this week:
Birds of Prey
- Long-eared owl: we have at least 2 on the Reserve currently, seen on most of our Dusk Owl Walking Safaris.
- Little Owl: the pair on the Old School continue to pose on occasions.
- Hobby: at least 2 Hobby have been seen recently, mainly around the entrance and school track.
- Peregrine Falcon: the Spitend marshes tends to be the preferred hunting area this summer.
- Red-footed falcon: a first summer/2nd calendar year male has been on the Reserve for 9 days.
Waterbirds
- Eider: one is still frequenting Spitend.
- Wigeon: there are around 25 Wigeon frequenting the Swale next to the Reserve.
- Bittern: Bitterns are still being seen regularly from the track in, mainly by Gates 1 and 2.
- Egrets: all 3 Egret species can be seen on the Reserve.
- Glossy Ibis: a single sighting, followed by a flock of 8, were seen at Elmley in September.
Kingfisher
- One is being seen regularly at the Brickfields and by Gate 1.
Songbirds
- Whinchat: September continued to see small numbers of Whinchat migrating through the Reserve.
- Wheatear: still daily sightings, mainly from the Brickfields area and by South Fleet Hide.
- Firecrest: one has been seen occasionally over the last 3 weeks by the Old School and in nearby trees.
- Pied Flycatcher: at least 5 different Pied Flycatchers have been seen in September.
- White Wagtail: at least 1 has been frequenting the area around the hides, often with Meadow Pipits or Yellow Wagtails.
Our wildlife tours are a lovely way to experience the Reserve during your stay - why not join one of our tours with our lead guides!