We’ve teamed up with Southeastern to find the best winter hidden gems across Kent just a 15-minute walk or less from your nearest Southeastern station – and you could win some treats for nominating yours.

We’re giving you some tasters of the gems our county has to offer on the quiet and asking you to tell us yours. You can vote for your favourite winter #SEhiddengems until Sunday, December 4.

Help us spread the word and you’ll be entered into our draw to win one of two luxury Christmas hampers, brimming with festive goodies, or a pair of FREE Southeastern weekend train passes to use at your leisure in the New Year and check out the #SEhiddengems for yourself, or revisit your favourite!

THE CATEGORIES

Drink: It could be your favourite cafe, or the best place for cocktail culture. Or, or for winter, can you tell us your favourite gem for a warming hot chocolate – or even mulled wine?

Food: Can you share your favourite spot to tuck into a big breakfast, where to get tasty pub grub, a sumptuous Sunday roast or a secluded spot for an intimate candlelit dinner?

Location: Let us know your most Instagrammable beauty spot, or the setting to take a Sunday stroll.

Entertainment: Where do you like to head for a spot of evening fun or a daytime treat, both indoors and outdoors around the county?

Shopping: We’re looking for those not- on- the- High- Street places you like to head to to get something a bit different or a one-off gift.

Walking distance: The winter #SEhiddengems hidden gems need to be within 15 minutes’ walk of the nearest Southeastern stations.

Here's some suggestions...

SPOTS

Whitehall Meadows and Bingley Island. This area, near Toddlers Cover in Westgate Parks, Canterbury is a riverside grassland where visitors have the chance to spot a variety of species which thrive there, including bats, reptiles, dragonflies and butterflies.

Take the 15-minute stroll from Sittingbourne station to Milton Creek, where a country park quickly transports visitors from town to countryside. miltoncreek.co.uk

Just a minute’s walk from Sheerness station is the Blue Flag-winning Sheerness beach from where you can walk along the seafront to the Minster Leas. swale.gov.uk/seafront

Berengrave Nature Reserve - a short walk from Rainham railway station. This former chalk pit is usually overlooked for the much larger and more popular nearby Riverside Country Park. It is home to wildlife with steps and boardwalks that let you feel as though you are walking through tree tops. friendsofberengrave.btck.co.uk

SIPS

Going for a drink in prison may not sound like your average night out, but the quirky and contemporary bar The Pound at One Pound Lane, Canterbury located in the former city gaol by the historic Westgate towers, allows you to do just that – but don’t worry, you will be let out at the end of the evening. onepoundlane.co.uk

If you like live music with your beer, try Oddfellows in West Hill, Dartford. Landlady Jo Williams has launched a series of regular music nights and the line-up so far has included soul legends Alexander O’Neal and Ray Lewis, of The Drifters. oddfellowsarmsdartford.co.uk

Beer fans should head for the Paper Mill micropub, Charlotte Street, Sittingbourne, not forgetting The White Horse in the same road thepapermillmicropub.co.uk

Recently opened to rave reviews, the Admiral’s Arm micropub near Queenborough seafront and station is a must stop for real ale and gin fans. admiralsarm.co.uk

Tucked away in the back streets of Rochester - on John Street to be precise - the Man of Kent is a perfect example of an increasingly rare phenomena; a traditional pub with a well worn, homely and unique character all of its own. A winning combination of top quality ales and regular weekday folk and blues gigs has made this pub a firm favourite among those who have chanced to cross its threshold. goachers.com/pubs/the-man-of-kent

JUST FOR FUN

Although it’s attracted rave reviews, The Panic Room, just outside of Gravesend’s main shopping area still feels very much like the town’s secret treasure. Alex and Monique Souter set up the ‘escape room’ style game nearly a year ago and are now expanding to create more room experiences. Visit thepanicroom.net

A newcomer to Canterbury is Escape Kent. Great fun, this live, immersive game in Simmonds Road on the Wincheap Industrial Estate challenges a team of players to escape a locked room by completing a series of puzzles and challenges, in just one hour. escapekent.com

Be transported back in time at the Old Forge Wartime House, tucked away behind shops in East Street, Sittingbourne oldforgewartimehouse.co.uk

The Blue Town Heritage Centre is the place to go to discover all about Sheppey’s vast and interesting history thecriterionbluetown.co.uk

Tucked away behind busy Chatham High Street is the Nucleus Arts Centre - a little oasis where you can browse around the art galleries and pop into the charming cafe for home-made cakes and even a champagne tea. Call 01634 812108.

YOU CHOOSE

To nominate your favourite winter #SEhiddengems you need to enter via
kentonline.co.uk/hiddengems

Look out for our tweets and Instagram posts and add yours – make sure you use #SEhiddengems

Check in with us next week as we reveal some of top nominations from the public.