South Swale

South Swale is a nature reserve between Faversham and Whitstable in southeast England. It is a Local Nature Reserve (called South Bank of the Swale) and it is part of The Swale Site of Special Scientific Interest.

It consists of 428 hectares (1,058 acres) of the North Kent Marshes on the south bank of The Swale and along Faversham Creek. It is important for its plants and as a wintering site for wildfowl and waders.

The site is also a Ramsar Site, Special Protection Area (Birds Directive) and part of the North Kent Marshes ESA.

The Saxon Shore Way public footpath follows the top of the sea wall for the whole length of the reserve, around the village of Graveney, for about 3 miles in total.

Visit on a calm sunny day in summer and the site buzzes with the sound of grasshoppers, beetles, skylark, reed warbler and breeding redshank. Amongst the reeds you might also hear the 'ching' of a bearded reedling (Panurus biarmicus) or catch a distant view of a marsh harrier.

In winter, the mudflats and tidal waters of the Swale estuary teem with shellfish, worms and certain specialised plants. These attract huge numbers of birds to feed, especially as the tide goes out. Grey plover, dunlin, oystercatcher, godwits and curlew all probe the mud for food. Wigeon and up to 2,000 brent geese rely heavily on eelgrass (Zostera), which grows below the high tide mark.

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