# Shepherdswell Staycation Guide — Where to Stay & What to Do > Explore Shepherdswell, a Kent Downs village on the North Downs Way with a heritage steam railway, near Dover's White Cliffs and Canterbury. Source: https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell (Staycation.co.uk). Cite the source page, not this text version. Steam trains, chalk downs and the White Cliffs, all a short walk apart Photo © Jean-Philippe Miconi, Google Maps [Guide](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell) [🏨 Hotels](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/hotels) [🏡 Cottages](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/cottages) [⛺ Camping](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/camping) [🎟️ Attractions](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/attractions) [🍽️ Restaurants](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/restaurants) Shepherdswell, sometimes still recorded by its old name Sibertswold, sits on the chalk downland of East Kent, just off the A2 roughly midway between Canterbury and Dover. It is a small, unhurried place built around a village green and pond, a handful of period cottages, and the Grade II listed Bell pub, with the flint-and-stone tower of St Andrew's Church watching over it all. The parish was enlarged in 1963 when it merged with neighbouring Coldred, whose own church stands inside an ancient earthwork thought to be Roman in origin. What sets Shepherdswell apart from countless similar Kent villages is its railway heritage. It grew rapidly in the early twentieth century as the southern terminus and engine shed for the East Kent Light Railway, built between 1911 and 1917 to serve the Kent coalfield. The mainline station, opened in 1861 and still served today, sits right alongside the preserved heritage line, so the village has one foot in the ordinary commuter world and another in steam-age history. Surrounding it is classic North Downs countryside: beech hangers, sheep pasture and the long chalk ridge that carries walkers on the North Downs Way all the way to the coast at Dover. ## Getting to Shepherdswell Shepherdswell sits just off the A2, the main road linking Canterbury and Dover, making it an easy stop by car for anyone touring East Kent. The village also has its own railway station, confusingly signed as "Shepherds Well" in timetables, on the Southeastern line between London Victoria and Dover Priory; trains run roughly hourly, reaching Dover in around ten minutes and London in under two hours. Dover and its cross-Channel ferry terminal are about six miles away, and Canterbury around eight miles in the other direction, so the village works well both as a first or last stop for a Kent road trip and as a base for people arriving by ferry or Eurotunnel. ## Best time to visit Shepherdswell Spring and summer bring the downland around Shepherdswell to life, with the North Downs Way at its best for walking and the East Kent Railway running its regular timetabled and special event trains. Early summer is particularly good for the surrounding chalk grassland, while a settled autumn day suits both the heritage railway and a walk into Dover along the escarpment. Winter is quieter, with shorter opening hours at the railway and fewer services, but the village and its pub make a cosy stop for anyone touring the region out of season. ## Where to stay in Shepherdswell [All hotels in Shepherdswell →](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/hotels) About staying in Shepherdswell With no hotels of its own, Shepherdswell works best as a launchpad for exploring East Kent rather than a destination for hotel stays. Dover, around six miles south-east and reachable by an hourly ten-minute train, has the widest choice, from budget and mid-range chains near the seafront and station to smaller independent guest houses with castle or Channel views. Canterbury, a similar distance north-west, offers everything from budget stays to boutique rooms inside its historic walls, all within easy reach of the cathedral and city centre. Both towns put visitors close to major sights, Dover Castle and the White Cliffs on one side, Canterbury Cathedral and the medieval city on the other, while still allowing an easy detour back to Shepherdswell for the heritage railway or a walk on the North Downs Way. For a quieter option, scattered bed and breakfasts and farmhouse stays in the downland villages around Shepherdswell, Coldred and Eythorne offer a more rural base, generally a short drive from the main coastal and cathedral attractions. Booking ahead is worthwhile in Dover during peak ferry season and in Canterbury throughout summer, when both towns draw significant day-trip and touring traffic. Anyone travelling without a car should note that Shepherdswell's own station makes a hotel base in either town easy to reach directly by rail, without needing to change or rely on local buses. [The Lydden Bell 81 Canterbury Road, Dover](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/hotels/the-lydden-bell) [Broome Park Hotel Canterbury Road, Canterbury](https://staycation.co.uk/canterbury/hotels/broome-park-hotel) [Holiday Inn Dover Singledge Lane, Dover](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/hotels/holiday-inn-dover) [8.9 ★★★★4 star The Marquis at Alkham Alkham Valley, five miles from Dover from £155/night](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/hotels/the-marquis-at-alkham) [Royal Oak 36 Lower Road, Dover](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/hotels/royal-oak) [299 London Road 299 London Road, Dover](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/hotels/299-london-road) [The Five Bells The Cross, Sandwich](https://staycation.co.uk/sandwich/hotels/the-five-bells) [Longfield Guest House 203 Folkestone Road, Dover](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/hotels/longfield-guest-house) ## Things to Do in Shepherdswell [All attractions in Shepherdswell →](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/attractions) Top things to do near Shepherdswell The village itself is tiny, but it makes an excellent, well-connected base for exploring East Kent, from industrial heritage to the White Cliffs. - **East Kent Railway** — the heritage line based at Shepherdswell's old engine shed runs vintage diesel and electric trains along five miles of track to Eythorne, operated entirely by volunteers on the trackbed of the old East Kent Light Railway. - **North Downs Way to Dover** — Shepherdswell lies directly on the long-distance National Trail, with a signed stretch leading south over the downs into Dover, finishing near the castle and the famous White Cliffs. - **Dover Castle and the White Cliffs** — England's largest castle, with its Great Tower and secret wartime tunnels, sits above the ferry port around six miles from the village, close to the National Trust's White Cliffs visitor centre and coastal paths. - **Betteshanger Country Park** — a 250-acre park near Deal built on a former colliery site, with traffic-free cycle trails, mountain-bike routes, a play area and the Kent Mining Museum, a short drive from Shepherdswell. - **St Andrew's Church** — built in 1863 on a site of Christian worship recorded since the Domesday Book, with the older earthworks at Coldred church nearby hinting at much earlier occupation of the parish. - **Canterbury Cathedral and city walls** — the cathedral city is a straightforward run up the A2, making Shepherdswell a quieter, cheaper base for a day exploring its UNESCO World Heritage sites. [East Kent Railway ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/attractions/east-kent-railway) [Dover Transport Museum ⭐ 4.8](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/attractions/dover-transport-museum) [Dover District Leisure Centre ⭐ 4.3](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/attractions/dover-district-leisure-centre) [Playbase ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/attractions/playbase) [Gamebase ⭐ 4.8](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/attractions/gamebase) [Cineworld Dover ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/attractions/cineworld-dover) [Dover Castle ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/attractions/dover-castle) [Dover Sea Safari ⭐ 4.9](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/attractions/dover-sea-safari) ## Where to Eat in Shepherdswell [All restaurants in Shepherdswell →](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/restaurants) Food and drink near Shepherdswell The village's own pub, the Bell, is a Grade II listed building on the green next to St Andrew's Church and remains the natural focal point for a drink or a meal in Shepherdswell. Beyond the village, Dover and Canterbury offer a much wider spread of cafes, restaurants and pubs, from harbourside seafood spots in Dover to the historic dining rooms clustered around Canterbury's cathedral precincts. [Jubilee Carriages](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/restaurants/jubilee-carriages) [🍽️Restaurant Woodpecker Court Ltd](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/restaurants/woodpecker-court-ltd) [Kent Motorcycles ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/restaurants/kent-motorcycles) [Greencore Tilmanstone ⭐ 3.6](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/restaurants/greencore-tilmanstone) [The Cider Works ⭐ 4.8](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/restaurants/the-cider-works) [Roses Tearoom ⭐ 4.9](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/restaurants/roses-tearoom) [Market Cafe ⭐ 4.2](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/restaurants/market-cafe) [Embers Camping Knowlton Campsite (Kent) ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/restaurants/embers-camping-knowlton-campsite-kent) ## Attractions Near Shepherdswell [All attractions in Shepherdswell →](https://staycation.co.uk/attractions) Worth the trip — within 50 miles of Shepherdswell. [0 mi East Kent Railway Dover · ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/attractions/east-kent-railway) [4 mi Dover Transport Museum Dover · ⭐ 4.8](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/attractions/dover-transport-museum) [4 mi Dover District Leisure Centre Dover · ⭐ 4.3](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/attractions/dover-district-leisure-centre) [5 mi Playbase Dover · ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/attractions/playbase) [5 mi Gamebase Dover · ⭐ 4.8](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/attractions/gamebase) [6 mi Cineworld Dover Dover · ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/attractions/cineworld-dover) [6 mi Dover Castle Dover · ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/attractions/dover-castle) [6 mi Dover Sea Safari Dover · ⭐ 4.9](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/attractions/dover-sea-safari) ## Camping in Shepherdswell [All campsites in Shepherdswell →](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/camping) About camping in Shepherdswell Shepherdswell sits on the open chalk downland of East Kent, and while there is no campsite in the village itself, the wider North Downs and coastal strip around Dover and Deal have a reasonable spread of options for tents, touring caravans and glamping. As anywhere in England, wild camping without the landowner's permission is not legal, so it is worth booking an established site rather than pitching informally on the downs or coastal paths. The terrain here is rolling chalk grassland and beech woodland rather than dramatic hills, which makes for gentle, exposed walking country: pleasant in good weather but breezy given the proximity to the coast, so a sturdy tent and warm layers pay off even in summer. The best camping season runs from late spring through early autumn, when the downs are driest underfoot and daylight hours suit exploring both the North Downs Way and the East Kent Railway's timetabled running days. Sites around Dover and the White Cliffs coastline often make the most of sea views and easy access to the castle and coastal paths, while those further inland towards Canterbury sit closer to the cathedral city and its restaurants. Touring caravan and motorhome pitches are well provided for along this stretch of Kent, given its popularity as a stopover for cross-Channel travellers using Dover's ferry port, and many sites offer short-stay pitches suited to a night or two either side of a ferry crossing. For a more comfortable stay, glamping options in the area range from simple pre-pitched bell tents to fully equipped shepherd's huts and pods, letting visitors enjoy the downland scenery and the East Kent Railway without carrying full camping kit. Given Shepherdswell's position on the North Downs Way, a camping or glamping base near the village suits walkers tackling the final stretch into Dover, as well as families combining a countryside stay with a day at the coast or the castle. [Coxhill Camping ⭐ 4.8 · from £30/night](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/camping/coxhill-camping) [Pheasants Den Glamping ⭐ 5.0 · from £100/night](https://staycation.co.uk/canterbury/camping/pheasants-den-glamping) [Courtlands Camping and Glamping ⭐ 4.5 · from £30/night](https://staycation.co.uk/canterbury/camping/courtlands-camping-and-glamping) [Plough and Harrow ⭐ 4.2 · from £30/night](https://staycation.co.uk/tilmanstone/camping/plough-and-harrow) [Blandred Camping ⭐ 4.9 · from £30/night](https://staycation.co.uk/acrise/camping/blandred-camping) [Hoad Meadow Camping ⭐ 4.7 · from £25/night](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/camping/hoad-meadow-camping) [Daisy's Meadow Retreat ⭐ 4.7 · from £175/night](https://staycation.co.uk/marden/camping/daisy-s-meadow-retreat) [Caravan and Motorhome Club Site - Dover ⭐ 4.5 · from £22/night](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/camping/caravan-and-motorhome-club-site-dover) ## Self-Catering Cottages in Shepherdswell [All cottages in Shepherdswell →](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/cottages) [🏡Cottage The Stable 2 bed · sleeps 4 · from £591](https://staycation.co.uk/canterbury/cottages/the-stable-uk31357) [🏡Cottage A Bit on the Side 1 bed · sleeps 2 · from £363](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/cottages/a-bit-on-the-side-30373) [🏡Cottage Sleepy Hollow 2 bed · sleeps 3 · from £519](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/cottages/sleepy-hollow-syk1063676) [Old Chalksole Cottages 3 cottages · from £921](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/cottages/old-chalksole-cottages-dairy-cottage-ukc409) [🏡Cottage The Ark Barn 3 bed · sleeps 7 · from £931](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/cottages/the-ark-barn-uk39320) [🏡Cottage Pineville 6 bed · sleeps 14 · from £5,095](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/cottages/pineville-uk46822) [Glynde 3 bed · sleeps 6 · from £546](https://staycation.co.uk/dover/cottages/glynde-syk1015253) [🏡Cottage The Annexe 1 bed · sleeps 2 · from £343](https://staycation.co.uk/canterbury/cottages/the-annexe-uk11920) ### 🏨 Find Hotels in Shepherdswell Search hotels, B&Bs and self-catering on Booking.com. [Search Accommodation →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101762279-15734754?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.en-gb.html%3Fss%3DShepherdswell%252C%2BUnited%2BKingdom) Affiliate link ### Explore Shepherdswell - [🏨 Hotels & B&Bs](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/hotels) - [🏡 Cottages](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/cottages) - [⛺ Campsites & glamping](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/camping) - [🎟️ Attractions](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/attractions) - [🍽️ Restaurants](https://staycation.co.uk/shepherdswell/restaurants) ## Staycation ideas for Shepherdswell [All staycation ideas →](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas) [The Best Last-Minute UK Staycations Six well-connected UK towns and cities worth booking at short notice, chosen for easy travel and a decent spread of accommodation once the school-holiday crowds have thinned.](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas/best-last-minute-staycations) [Rainy Day Staycations: Best UK Breaks for Bad Weather When the forecast turns grim, these UK cities and spa towns keep their appeal indoors, with museums, galleries and grand architecture to fill a wet weekend.](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas/rainy-day-staycations-uk) [The Best Dog-Friendly Staycations in Britain From Cornish coast paths to Lake District fells, these six British destinations offer the open beaches, moors and forests that make a staycation genuinely enjoyable for dogs and their owners alike.](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas/dog-friendly-staycations) [The Best UK Staycations for Families with Young Kids From New Forest ponies to Cornish rock pools, these six UK destinations combine easy logistics, safe beaches and family-friendly attractions for a stress-free break with young children.](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas/best-staycations-for-families)