Warden’s Bay (also known as Warden’s Point), is signposted as a left hand turning just before the lovely (ahem!) Leysdown (or ‘East End on Sea’ as it is known to locals) and so is pretty easy to find by car.
Having turned off, follow the road past shops and houses until you reach the point where the sea is to your right and the road starts to climb uphill as it bears round to the left, and you should come across a small dirt car park just in front of you (as the road continues to bear round to the left). Turn right into it (watch out for the poles on either side of the entry, making it deliberately narrow) and park.
Now this may not look like the most prepossessing area (because frankly it isn’t), but if you slap on your wellies and take a left turn down onto the beach and keep walking for about quarter of a mile (DO make sure the tide’s going out!!)you’ll come across the remains of a large concrete Sound mirror, lying in pieces (but still VERY recognisable) at the foot of the mud cliffs.
This is an area that’s also well known among fossil hunters because there are so many easily collected specimens to be found (which is the reason I first came here), all of them characterised by their mineralization by Iron Pyrites. Oddly enough, there is a massive density of trace fossil shells and wood concentrated at the base of the sound mirror and a happy afternoon can be spent just sitting here sifting through them. You can come away with bagloads once you get your ‘eye in’ (which is great, if like me, you have to bring kids along) .
Now for the really good bit. If you walk a little further along in the same direction and go just around the headland, in front of you emerges two very large and amazingly complete concrete bunkers. They must have only recently slipped down the cliff face, because they are currently still free of both vandalism and sea wear. I don’t know exactly what they are, maybe someone else will be able to fill in that bit, but last time I visited I took some pictures which hopefully co will be able to make available.
These huge buildings are quite stunning and well worth having a look at if you’re into this sort of stuff! (and if you’re not, you could always look for fossil shark teeth in the pebble margins on the London Clay at the base of the cliff…).
Henry Wills’ book “Pillboxes” lists any pillboxes at Warden Point as having been demolished, which might apply to the pair in the photographs however there was a coast defence battery at Warden Point, at OS Map Reference TR 020726. Built in the early years of the last century it was equipped with two 6in breech loading guns and two 12 pounder quick-firing guns. The battery was disarmed and abandoned in the 1920s.
Without a closer inspection it’s difficult to say whether these two buildings were associated with the battery or date from WW2. Certainly the larger of the two, in the top photograph, resembles observation posts seen associated with other batteries of this period and the smaller looks as though it could be a common type of searchlight position.
For some background there’s a really good piece by Fil about Sound Mirrors, which also has picture links including the Warden’s Bay one – although it’s not mentioned in the actual text:
Also the Defence of Britain website:
www.britarch.ac.uk/projects/dob/index.html
And for the fossilheads among you, a website dedicated to Sheppey’s specimens:
And another for Geology types (check here esp. for safety tips):
And Finally………
Before you leave: Make SURE you check the tide times and have a decent map. Then chuck some old gear, gloves (optional) and tough wellies into the car along with small plastic bags or tubs for any fossil finds. Take great care around the cliffs as they can be unstable, and NEVER attempt to climb them. Also take care out on the beach levels of London Clay wherever they are exposed, as it’s very sticky (and has been known to suck a wellie clean off – I always carry a pole to check for soft areas) and slippery. It WILL trap the unwary – so not a place to wander about alone, nor should very young children be allowed to do so. I’d also advise that you ALWAYS have a mobile phone with you, just in case.
Food (fish and chips) and loos are to be found by walking back along the beach to Leysdown (it’s an easy walk of less than a mile from where you parked, just follow your nose and aim towards the noise of the amusement arcades).
Carol Hunt