Reculver Towers and Roman Fort

Reculver Towers is one of the most distinctive landmarks on the north Kent coast, a pair of ruined church towers that have stood above the sea at Reculver for nearly nine hundred years and served as a navigation marker for ships. The site is looked after by English Heritage, entry is free and the exterior can be seen in daylight, so it is an easy and atmospheric stop for anyone with a car. The towers date from a twelfth-century remodelling of the church, which itself grew from an Anglo-Saxon monastery built inside an earlier Roman fort, one of the great Saxon Shore forts that defended Britain's coast. Much of the site has been lost to the sea over the centuries, and what survives is a haunting combination of tall towers, low Roman walls and open sea views, with the wide sweep of Herne Bay to the west and the Isle of Thanet to the east. It is a rewarding short stop and a favourite with photographers.

Reculver is at the end of a lane on the coast, a short drive north-east of Canterbury. A charged public car park is beside the site, managed separately from English Heritage, and the country park next door has toilets and a cafe. The grounds have disabled access by a long slope from the car park, dogs on leads are welcome, and barbecues, drones and naked flames are not permitted. Read the safety signs, because there are steep slopes, uneven surfaces and a strict no-climbing rule on the ruins.

The interior of the North Tower can be entered on selected days between April and October, so if you want to go inside, check the English Heritage dates for your visit. Even without going in, the circuit takes only twenty to thirty minutes, and the coastal walk on either side makes it a good half-day if you bring a picnic or stop at the cafe.

Walk along the sea wall to feel the scale of the lost fort, then look back to see how the towers dominate the horizon. History lovers can read the layers of the story, from Roman fortification to Saxon monastery to medieval church, which was partly demolished in the early nineteenth century because of coastal erosion.

Reculver pairs well with other coastal stops. Herne Bay is a few minutes to the west, Whitstable is a short drive along the coast road and the Wildwood Trust is close to the same route, so a day of wildlife and coast is easy to organise. Bring a windproof layer, as the headland is exposed in every season, and expect sea mist or strong wind on some days.

At sunset the towers are at their most photogenic, though you should plan to leave the headland in good light. As a free site with a Roman and Saxon pedigree, it is the best-value history stop within easy reach of Canterbury.

Practical planning matters on an exposed headland. Check the tide and the weather, wear sturdy shoes, and keep clear of the cliff edge and any fenced-off areas, because the coast here is eroding and the ground can be unstable. The nearby country park is a good spot for a picnic, a cup of tea and a stretch of the coast path, and bird watchers may spot waders and seabirds along the shore.

Because the site is open to the elements in every season, a visit can feel dramatic in winter storms and gentle on a warm summer evening, and both versions are worth seeing.