'Britain's Only Desert' Is A One-Of-A-Kind Surreal Artsy Beachscape With Delicious Seafood And Trails

The average Brit would scoff at the claim that the United Kingdom, one of the wettest countries in Europe, has anything approximating a desert within its borders. However, in the southern English county of Kent is Dungeness, a shingle peninsula colloquially known as "Britain's only desert." The Met Office does not endorse this view, stating that Dungeness has neither of the defining characteristics of a desert — limited rainfall and persistent high pressure. But with sparse open spaces and seemingly limited life, there is certainly a desolate atmosphere to the place.

Dungeness National Nature Reserve is one of the largest shingle landscapes in the world. Shingle comprises rounded pebbles that erode each other as the waves lap them, creating deep deposits that starve the ground of nutrients and deter most flora and fauna. Despite these harsh conditions, Dungeness isn't as barren as it might first appear. Surprisingly, the nature reserve is home to 600 species of plants, roughly one third of all plants known to grow in the United Kingdom. This includes hardy species that have adapted to the tough environment to encounter sea kale, wild carrot, viper's bugloss, and Nottingham catchfly, a rare plant with drooping white flowers.

There are numerous insects, amphibians, and annelids, too, such as the great-crested newt, the emperor dragonfly, and the medicinal leech, the largest leech in Britain and the only one capable of sucking human blood. Why are they called "medicinal?" In ancient times, these leeches were a popular form of treatment, as doctors believed it sucked bad blood from ailing patients. Dungeness is also a vital habitat for birds, especially migratory species including the wheatear, resident from March to October, and the smew, an eye-catching duck with black and white plumage that arrives in winter.

Even if you visit Dungeness during the best weather of the year, you won't find the classic English landscape of rolling hills and farmland. Incidentally, if it's the sophisticated British countryside you're looking for, try California. But for those set on Britain's only desert, hop on RH&DR railway, which runs through the coastal towns of Romney, Hythe, and Dymchurch in route to Dungeness. 

When you arrive at Dungeness station by train or car, you'll likely be struck by the sense of openness — a rare feeling in this nation of dense populations and historic infrastructure. Along the lonely Dungeness Road are thinly dispersed lodges, cottages, and the occasional pub and eatery, such as the Dungeness Snack Shack, popular for its lobster rolls and other seafood treats. Again, there are hotels and B&Bs within walking distance of Dungeness, but we recommend staying in the historic town of Rye about 14 miles east. Much like its laidback New Hampshire relative, Rye oozes class and character with centuries of history packed into its cobbled streets and timbered old pubs. 

Rye is quite a contrast to the southern end of Dungeness Road, where the peninsula's bleakness begins in earnest. The immediate landscape is dominated by the Old Lighthouse — a 150 ft structure dating to 1904 — and the nuclear power station beyond it, in operation since 1983. From here, visitors should stop by the bird observatory before following the Dungeness Trail north through the barren, windswept core of the reserve. 

Dungeness is known as the home of Derek Jarman, the avant-garde filmmaker who spent his final years in a small fisherman's hut named Prospect House, before his death from AIDS in 1994. Painted black and accented with yellow doors and windows, Prospect Cottage is a quaint little building that attracts many visitors to the area. Pedestrians won't catch a glimpse of the interior — an airy space with wood-paneled walls, art works, and many trinkets — because Jarman's partner, Keith Collins, protects the cottage's privacy with net curtains. The gardens, however, are plain for all to see. During his 8-year residency, Jarman defied the shingled landscape around him by cultivating a pretty garden busy with poppies, lavender, sea kale, and other flowers and plants. The gardens continue to bloom every summer, bringing a small patch of color to the peninsula.

Near Prospect House are several art galleries including Ocean View Studio, Dungeness Gallery, and Dungeness Open Studios, which is housed in fisherman's hut even humbler to Prospect Cottage. All three galleries are small, independent endeavors and works include canvas paintings, prints, and vintage embroidery. After your trip to this unique corner of England, consider heading to nearby Canterbury, a historic city that's an easy day trip from London.