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Cottage AvailabilityThe landscape around the Mocketts Farm Cottages is a wonderful blend of wild wetlands, rolling farmland, Nature Reserves and Blue Flag coastlines. You can find our Walking Map below to help you on your explorations!
Please keep your dogs on leads (to protect our wonderful ground nesting birds) & clean up their mess. Let’s keep Harty beautiful.
Local trivia – Harty is in fact its own little island! The road over Capel Fleet joins our corner of Kent with the rest of Isle of Sheppey, hence the name ‘Isle of Harty Trail’. This easy walking and cycling route takes in the best of our wild and beautiful landscape, from the 11th century church (5) and water’s edge wetlands, to our abundant wildlife. The route is flat and mostly off road, although keep a look out for any farm traffic. Choose the path that takes you to the sand-shingle Blue Flag beach at Leysdown (7), or divert on to the Harty-Shellness route to explore the Swale Nature Reserve. Avid bird watchers should take in the RSPB Raptor View Point (9), described as “perhaps the best bird of prey viewpoint in the UK.” However you’re sure to see plenty of wildlife from anywhere on the trail, if you decide on a shorter route.
This is a lovely and easy circular trail that takes in both coast and country. Walking through the Swale Nature Reserve (4) beside the river is a back-to-nature route that’s just good for the soul as you take in the wildlife around you. Head to Sheppey’s most easterly point at Shellness Beach (6). Caveat – part of it is a designated (and signposted!) naturist beach, but don’t let that make you twitchy. Shellness’ off-grid tranquillity is part of its charm. Continuing on the route, you’ll find yourself and an altogether different beach vibe at Leysdown, complete with arcades, toilets and refreshments for a pit stop before you continue the circle back.
The entire coastline of the UK is being opened up to walkers in phases, so walking our Harty section can take you as far as you please. We recommend the water’s edge route towards the beautiful Elmley Nature Reserve, where we graze our family farm herd that serves our The Ferry House restaurant menus. About four miles will bring you to periphery of the reserve, although it’s possible to continue much further. Please note that dogs are not permitted on the reserve itself (excluding service dogs), due to the risk of disturbing the many wonderful species of ground nesting birds that live there. You can find a complete map of the Kent coastline walk at www.ldwa.org.uk.