Within Swale’s 18- by 15-mile area, you will find all you could wish for – safe beaches, unspoilt woodland, fascinating nature reserves, the undulating farmlands and delightful timbered cottages of the North Downs, and the world-famous fruit- and hop-growing country in Kent.

The sands at Leysdown on the Isle of Sheppey have welcomed thousands of visitors every year for generations. Henry VIII loved the Isle so much that he honeymooned there! Today, visitors are encouraged to go there because of the accolades, which it has received, such as the coveted European Blue Flag Award recently presented to sheerness – the first and only resort in Kent to receive it.

For keen sun-seekers there is a naturist beach at Shellness, for fun-seekers there is traditional seaside entertainment at Leysdown-on-Sea, and nearby Leysdown Coastal Park offers picnic facilities, a pitch and putt course and a nature trail.

Naturalists, rather than naturists, will be keen to visit Sheppey’s Elmley Marshes and Shellness Nature Reserve. Or a boat trip along the Swale coastline, designed especially for bird enthusiasts and nature lovers, will provide a unique chance to appreciate the parts of Sheppey that cars cannot reach.

There are interesting sites for nature lovers on the mainland too, including South Swale Nature Reserve and Queendown Warren Nature reserve, both rich sources of wild flora and fauna. Perry Wood, near Selling is one of the most attractive, unspoilt areas of woodland in the country.

If you enjoy browsing through peaceful, pretty villages, Swale has many, which will please you, including Boughton-under-Blean, mentioned in Chaucer’s Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale, Hartlip, whose centre is a protected conservation area, and Upchurch, whose name has been given to a type of black Roman pottery dredged from the creeks and saltings of the River Medway.

For those with horticultural or historical interests, Swale has numerous attractions, such as Doddington Place, set in 10 acres of tranquil grounds with a formal sunken garden, extensive lawns, yew hedges and many fine trees; and Mount Ephraim Gardens, at the heart of an 800-acre estate comprising the house and gardens, woodland and a progressive fruit farm.

On the subject of fruit, Swale was established as the “birthplace” of English Orchards when in 1533 Henry VIII’s fruiterer planted England’s first cherry tree at Teynham. The fruit growing industry developed on a huge scale in Kent and, 30 years ago, the National Fruit Collection was brought to Brogdale, near Faversham. The orchards now measure over 30 acres and contain more than 4,000 varieties of apples, plums, cherries, cobnuts, quinces, medlars and many other fruits.

Hops are another important crop, and the Borough’s age-old association with hops and brewing is celebrated each September at the English Hop Festival, with hop-picking demonstrations, colourful processions, traditional beer, a Hopper’s Ball and much more. Equally entertaining is the Swale Festival, held every July, when a wide variety of drama, music, fairs and flower festivals take place throughout the Borough.

An excellent base for exploring, Swale is easily accessible by road or rail. It has a wide range of accommodation and, particularly important for the future, it is a gateway to Europe. The already strong links with Europe are continually reinforced – Eurolink ferries sail twice daily from Sheerness to Vlissingen in Holland – and Queenborough, Sittingbourne and Milton Regis, and Faversham all actively participate in twinning activities with European towns.