Burmarsh

Hotels in Burmarsh itself are effectively non-existent, since this is a scattered farming hamlet rather than a village with a visitor infrastructure. Instead, most people looking for a proper bed for the night base themselves in Hythe, a few miles east, which has a good choice of small hotels, inns and guest houses within walking distance of the Royal Military Canal and the old town's shops and restaurants. Dymchurch, closer still, has a handful of seafront guest houses and B&Bs that suit anyone wanting to be near the beach and the miniature railway. For more choice, Ashford and Folkestone both have a wider spread of chain and independent hotels and are within a 20-30 minute drive, with Ashford also offering fast rail links to London. Whichever base you choose, Burmarsh and its Norman church make an easy, quiet detour by car or bike, best combined with a wander along the Royal Military Canal or a stop at one of the other isolated Marsh churches nearby. Booking ahead is sensible in summer, when the Kent coast around Hythe, Dymchurch and Folkestone gets busy with day-trippers and holidaymakers, and rooms in the smaller guest houses can fill up quickly.

The real appeal of this part of Kent lies in what surrounds Burmarsh rather than what is in the village itself. Within a few miles you will find some of Romney Marsh's best-known landmarks.

• All Saints Church, Burmarsh — A mid-12th-century Norman church built by monks from Canterbury, notable for standing 13ft below sea level, making it the lowest-lying of the Marsh's medieval churches. It has a richly carved Norman doorway and a cracked 14th-century tenor bell still resting on the floor of the tower.
• Royal Military Canal — This 28-mile canal was dug between 1804 and 1809 as a defence against a feared Napoleonic invasion, and its towpath now makes for one of the most peaceful walks in Kent, running along the old cliff line from Hythe towards Appledore and beyond.
• Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway — Known as "the world's smallest public railway", this one-third-scale steam and diesel line runs 13½ miles from Hythe to Dungeness, with a stop at Dymchurch a short drive from Burmarsh.
• Dymchurch beach and village — A traditional seaside village with a long sandy beach backed by a Napoleonic-era sea wall, plus cafes, amusements and the remains of a Martello tower.
• Hythe — A handsome old Cinque Port town with a Norman and medieval church, a canalside promenade, and a good range of independent shops, pubs and restaurants.
• Romney Marsh churches — Burmarsh is one of a string of isolated medieval marsh churches, including those at Newchurch, St Mary in the Marsh and Ivychurch, that reward a slow exploration by bike or car.

Burmarsh has no shop or pub of its own, so visitors head into Dymchurch or Hythe for food and drink. Dymchurch has a handful of traditional seaside cafes, chip shops and pubs geared towards day-trippers and beach visitors. Hythe offers a wider choice, from waterside pubs along the Royal Military Canal to independent cafes and restaurants along its high street, making it the best nearby option for a proper meal out after a day exploring the Marsh.

There are no official campsites in Burmarsh itself, but Romney Marsh and the surrounding stretch of Kent countryside have a scattering of campsites, caravan parks and glamping sites, mostly concentrated around Dymchurch, St Mary's Bay and further along the coast towards Camber and Rye. As with everywhere else in England, wild camping on the Marsh is illegal without the landowner's explicit permission, and given that almost all of the land here is working farmland used for sheep grazing and arable crops, permission is rarely on offer, so a proper campsite or glamping pitch is the only realistic option.

The flat, exposed terrain of the Marsh means weather matters more here than in more sheltered parts of Kent; the wind can be brisk even in summer, so a sturdy tent and good pegs are worth having, and a pitch with some tree or hedge shelter is preferable to one out in the open. Spring through early autumn is the best window for camping, with long evenings over the dykes and grazing marshes, warmer nights, and the chance to hear or see the Marsh's notable birdlife and marsh frogs. Winter camping is possible but exposed, given the lack of shelter across the flat landscape.

For those who prefer a bit more comfort, glamping options such as shepherd's huts, safari tents and static caravans are increasingly available around the Marsh, offering a way to enjoy the big skies and quiet of the countryside without needing full camping kit. A Marsh-based pitch, whether canvas or glamping, makes a good base for cycling the flat lanes past Burmarsh's Norman church, walking stretches of the Royal Military Canal, or riding the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway down to Dungeness.