The Isle of Sheppey (in particular Leysdown)
For those in the know, the Isle of Sheppey (off the north Kent coast) is shit. Nothing there, absolutely nothing. Apart from HMP Swaleside, a maximum security prison.

There is a history of incest on Sheppey. In fact, until the bridge was built across the Swale (water dividing the Isle of Sheppey from the normal world), there were only two last names on 'the Island'.

One of the few towns on Sheppey is called Leysdown. This place was left in the 50s. It reminds me of Royston Vasey. It's awful. Just awful. I have made a few trips through Leysdown at around 4am in the middle of January to go duck shooting on the mud flats on the south east coast of 'the Island'. Even at that time, in that season, there are strange looking people, standing on the pavement, looking at you as if you were an alien. It's wierd. I was glad to be armed, but I still locked my doors.

Another fellow was sitting on a bench at the side of the road. Except this bench was not facing across the road towards the open farmland that was there. Oh no. This bench was thoughtfully placed facing the brick wall lining the path behind it. And this chap was staring at the brick wall. That is how depressing and boring life is on Sheppey.

On one of my drives back from shooting, at around 10am in the morning, I passed a children's play park at the side of the road, with no fence to protect the children (not that they often see such modern things as cars on Sheppey, more likely horse and cart). Anyway, there were quite a few fathers with their children (probably having left the sister/matriarch at home) ferreting at the side of the road. Ferreting involves netting off the holes of a rabbit warren and putting a ferret down. The ferret then bites the rabbits, who bolt before being caught in the nets. It is then that they have their necks broken.

It struck me as odd, although ferreting is a common pastime for a lot of fathers with their boys, it just seemed wrong to be doing it in a children's play park, in broad daylight, in full public view.

This is the nature of the Isle of Sheppey. Please spare yourself some of your valuable time on this planet and never visit there. Ever.
(Sir General ***WoW***, Sat 31 Oct 2009, 19:24, 1 reply)

I once saw....
a tattooed baby there.. I shit you not. About 18months old with a henna tattoo!

At least they used to be able to close the bridge to keep them on the island. With the new bridge we are all doomed! DOOMED I TELL YOU!
(skintagain, Tue 3 Nov 2009, 12:52, closed)