Location

Ordnance Street, Chatham, Kent, ME4 6SG

Rochester, Chatham & Gillingham

With trains running to London in under 40 minutes, Chatham is well placed to discover the Garden of England, the coast and city life.

An intriguing Charles Dickens connection, a Cathedral at its core and top-notch heritage sites, ensure Rochester, Chatham and Gillingham sit high on Kent's must-see list.

Marinated in heritage, the towering keep of Rochester Castle is one of the tallest in the country; graceful Rochester Cathedral alongside is England's second oldest - built in 604. The dramatic exhibits at The Historic Dockyard Chatham include a climb-on-board Victorian Sloop, a WWII destroyer and a Cold War submarine. Nearby Dickens World vividly summons up the sights, sounds and pungent smells of the Victorian era. In Gillingham the compelling Royal Engineers Museum reveals an absorbing heritage, while Fort Amherst is Britain's largest Napoleonic fortress.

Speed fiends can screech round the karting track at Buckmore Park (Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton have burnt rubber here too), while Gillingham Football Club provides plenty of reasons to cheer. Or sooth your soul at the stunning Hoo Peninsula, where the Heron Trail and Saxon Shore Way lead cyclists and walkers through an inspiring landscape of marshes, heronries and RSPB reserves.

A knot of towns with a powerful history, looped along the tidal reaches of the River Medway proves the perfect no-nonsense mix of ancient and modern.

Discover more at www.visitmedway.org and www.visitkent.co.uk

If you are re-locating to the area, Chatham has some very affordable housing. Rentals start from £795 for a two bedroom semi to £1,000+ for a detached house. Or to buy a 3 bedroom house, prices are around the £240K mark or from £150K for a two bedroom flat.