Royal Military Canal - Folkestone to Hamstreet (★★★☆☆)

Today the plan is to explore more of the south coast of England - having already walked the North Downs Way between Dover and Folkstone.

More specifically the plan is to head west from Folkestone, across a very empty stretch of coastline - but rather than follow the coast path itself, I have opted to take the higher route along the Royal Military Canal.

The Royal Military Canal itself was built between 1804 and 1809 - and forms part of the defensive line prepared in case of a Napoleonic invasion - and runs from Seabrook in the east (near Folkstone), round to Cliff Ends (near Hastings).

By the time it was built, the canal was actually no longer needed for it's original purpose - but it did at still support efforts to improve the drainage of Romney Marshes (to the south) - with malaria being a common cause of death in this part of the world, until after the completion of the canal.

And according to Explore Kent, this promises to be "an excellent waymarked trail with helpful interpretive panels along the way". But in all honesty, my expectations are much lower - and I'll be satisfied just to have a good enough walk, and to at least see some points of interest along the way (whilst connecting up the more interesting stretches of coast on either side).

But with the starting point being Folkestone itself, there will be an initial stretch along the coast as we head out from Folkestone to Seabrook - and with this in mind, I'm starting the day by heading out from the Premier Inn I stayed in whilst walking the North Downs Way - and make my way from there down to the south coast.

And having reached that coast (after a bit of tricky navigation past the houses), what I find is a slightly unusual stretch of coast line - with this stretch of coast having houses line the sea front - whilst the coast path runs between these houses and the sea.

Folkestone sea front

An old picture of Sandgate, with the houses by the sea front - as is the case today

Whilst Victorian era resort towns typically see construction on the cliffs (for obviously reasons), this narrow stretch of houses sit tightly squeezed between the sea and the cliffs behind.

But here we are in Sandgate, which was historically an old fishing village - and in that sense the proximity of the houses to the sea front make more sense.

But whilst it would undoubtedly be a pretty spot to live in these days - with wonderful sea views - it doesn't take too much hunting on the internet to find images of storm damage along this stretch of coast during each of the major storms.

But today the sun is out, and there are no storms to worry about - and after a bit over a mile of walking along this stretch of coast, we reach Seabrook - and the beginning of the Royal Military Canal.

Here the first section along the canal is incredibly busy - despite the fact that we can't actually see the canal -  but the crowd quickly thins out as we continue on.

And it isn't too long until things open up, as we head through Hythe - and here we find the canal at it's best (and the section that convinced me to walk this canal).

Apparently it is lovely here in spring

Through this section we do get to enjoy the walk alongside the canal - but then as we start to move out of Hythe, we lose sight of the canal, whilst at the same time getting some peace and quiet away from the crowds, who are no longer gathered around the canal.

A rare glimpse of the canal through the next section

On this section of the canal we are walking below a ridge - and soon pass West Hythe, which is a fairly interesting location from a historical perspective.

Despite being at least a mile inland, West Hythe was a harbour of significance up until the 12th century - after which it ceased to function as a harbour (due to a lack of sea).

After this point the bulk of the settlement shifted to Hythe (which still had sea) - but here there has been significant change brought about by a fairly small reduction in sea levels - from a sand dune lined beach with notable sea trade through the 8th and 12th centuries, to the quiet  inland village that exists today.

Just beyond West Hythe we find an older site of interest as we pass by Lemanis Roman Fort - which formed part of the Roman Saxon Shore.

Passing Lemanis Roman Fort (left) and Lympne Castle (right)

The Saxon Shore was a line of military fortifications laid out on both sides of the English Channel that sought to increase the levels of defense, during a time when the weakening Roman Empire faced a series of Barbarian attacks.

These forts were built at strategically important coastal estuaries, ports and inlets - and ran in a line from the top of the Norfolk Coast round to Portchester (near Portsmouth).

Saxon Shore fortifications - Source: English Heritage

The forts at Richborough and Portchester retain a lot of their original character (with Portchester being the best preserved Roman fort north of the Alps) - but not a lot remains of this particular fort, which is barely visible as we look out.

But the fort used to sit at the furthest end of Stane Street (an old Roman Road), and used to a port of importance during Roman times.

And whilst the old line of the coast is no longer visible through any markers on the ground, it is still possible to walk the old coastline (and to see the original route of the coast) via the Saxon Shore Way (link here is to LDWA website) - which is a footpath that has been specifically created to follow the path of the old coastline.

For much of that path's course it is following the same route as the modern coastline, but with two significant diversions - firstly round Romney and Walland Marshes (generally matching the route of the Royal Military Canal), and secondly cutting the corner before reaching Margate and Ramsgate.

These days, Lympne Castle is the more visible structure from our path (on the right in the photo above), and that was built in the 1080s for the Archdeacons of Canterbury, before being expanded in the 1360s.

But with that site not being particularly notable, we can end this brief history lesson, and continue on - with our path now having vegetation on the left and a chain-link fence on the right.

The reason for this chain-link fence is initially unclear, until we eventually reach a sign warning us not to enter the area inside the fence, due to the risk posed by wild animals.

A bit of Googling here, tells us that the wildlife park here has rhinos, lions, bears, wolves, tigers, giraffes, gorillas, and many more - but a bit of observation tells us that the fence between us and the wildlife park is not particularly strong, and certainly not rhino or tiger proof.

In the end the only animal I was able to visibly identify in the bordering fields were the Red Lechwe (which I managed to photo) and Przewalski Horses (which looked like smudges in the photos) - and neither of these looked particularity dangerous.

Red Lechwe

But for the sake of my confidence in this stretch of fence, it is a good job that I didn't look at the map - for the canal heads straight past Carnivore Territory (and hopefully here there is no risk of snarling tiger, prowling on the other side of a fairly weak fence).

But having made it past without getting mauled by a tiger, we continue through a section where views of the canal are few and far between.

A rare canal sighting from a bridge

But as we keep going, we eventually break out into a more open stretch - and this initially adds in views of the ridge above the canal - before we finally get some open views across the canal.

What were presumably once sand dunes

A more substantial ridge

The canal having drawn level with Aldington

Here as we head past Aldington (to the north on the map), we hit the best of the canal so far today - as things open up, and as we start to get an idea of the countryside of the area.

But in all honesty, the views out over Romney Marshes are not quite what I had expected them to be.

On a lot of the walking I have done recently in the Pennines, the character of that marshland (often marketed as a moor to convince idiots like me to come visit), is a very wet boggy mass of soil that looks more than capable of drowning you.

Instead on Romney Marshes (which are specifically advertised as being marshy), what instead can be seen is very different, much more cultivated, and - on appearance - fairly friendly looking countryside.

Here we look out across fields of farmed land (either wheat or sheep), crisscrossed by numerous drainage channels - and the character of the area is (on appearance) more a flat version of the South Downs, than anything particularly marshy (but maybe it is more wild down by the coast).

In some ways this is a bit of a disappointment - as in my head I had imagined marshy wetlands full of birds and critters - but the history of this area does not disappoint in the same way, as here we stand near the very centre of Kent's smuggling activities.

Here we must go back to the 19th century - at which point there has been some work to reclaim the area around the marshes (with this starting in the 8th century) - but with the area remaining wild, and fairly cut off from the wider world.

And more specifically, we must go back to the Walnut Tree Inn in Aldington, which at the time operated as the stronghold of the Aldrington Gang - the last major smuggling gang operating in Kent - with the inn operating in a manner similar to that depicted in Jamaica Inn.

The gang itself formed around 1820, on it's members return from the Napoleonic Wars - with those men returning to find that there was no work for them to do.

In one noted incident in Sandgate (the former village we passed on our way between Folkstone and Seabrook this morning), as many as two hundred and fifty men participated in a single smuggling operation that brought spirits, tobacco and salt across from Boulogne - which helps give an idea of the scale of the smuggling going on in this area.

Among these smugglers, the most notable was George Ransley - who took over this particularly gang of smugglers after a battle with the Customs and Excise men in 1821 (the Battle of Brookland) - and under his control the gang landed goods along the stretch of coast between Rye and Deal.

He was said to run a fairly professional operation (although with the smugglers themselves being fairly unpleasant characters), with injured smugglers well cared for and with the gang having a doctor on the pay roll.

But by 1826 Ransley had been arrested in Aldington - had managed to avoid the death sentence, and was instead deported to Tasmania - where he went on to become a successful sheep farmer, farming 500 acres (in a real life trajectory not too dissimilar to that of Magwitch in Great Expectations, ahead of his return to England).

And by this point the gang had become a local nuisance - and an eventual lack of local support contributed the decline of smuggling in the area.

But coming back to the present day - the canal here continues to sit in-line with the marshes, and down the ridge from most of the human activity - but soon we come across a church that sits directly beside the route of the canal.

St Rumwold's Church

This church dates back to the 12th century - and here we don't find your typical old village, for this area was owned by the Knights Hospitaller - and formed part of the estate centred at St Johns Commandery.

This estate included property distributed across a vast area - including Oare Marshes (near the Isle of Sheppey), Ewell (near Dover) and Bonnington (here).

The Knights Hospitaller themselves were a military-monastic order, that also contained non-fighting men and women who would care for the sick - and formed after the First Crusade. 

But the order would also acquire property through gifts and endowments, with communities administering estates like these.

This unusual history contributes to the chaotic shape of Bonnington village on the map today.

But in any case, Bonnington is better known for it's role in that previously discussed smuggling activity, and for it's druidic practices - with an oak tree in the village having played a significant role in the governance of the village.

"In the out-of-the-way villages on the borders of Romney Marsh - the former home of shepherds and smugglers - the light of civilisation has not long shone, and many rites and superstitions connected with the worship of the oak are still persisted in by the inhabitants. 

A special sacredness appertains to the vows of lovers exchanged beneath the Bonnington oak, and its leaves - gathered with a certain formula at a certain time of night - are still sought by childless women, and made into a medicinal draught - with the same intention as in Druidical days." - from a late 19th century journal

Just beyond St Rumwold's Church

And as we continue on through this very empty landscape - it is easy to understand how this area got such an unusual history - for even now it feels very cut off from the world. 

That said, we do soon pass by an actual village, as we draw level with Bilsington. And here we find the church of Saint Peter and Paul - whilst to the north of the town lies the Augustinian Priory of St Mary - which was founded in 1253. And having been used by the Aldrington Gang at one point, this priory now provides a venue for weddings and conferences (it is really just a large church).

But here our pleasant grassland stroll comes to an end, as we pass through a recently very overgrown section - that remains rough under foot, and fairly unpleasant to walk through - before we reach Ruckinge - where we cross over the canal and get freed from this fairly lousy stretch of path.

Bridge at Ruckinge

Once across the canal, we turn onto a farm track - and with clear views out across the canal, continue on towards Hamstreet - where we will finish our day's walking.

But having drawn level with Hamstreet, we first cross over a bridge, and follow the road into the village - with the Garden Centre having kindly mown the verge, and ensured that the verge can be walked all the way into town.

And having made it down the road, we find the biggest village we have encountered since leaving Hythe - and the village here grew significantly in the 20th century, following the arrival of the railway (which came in 1851) - opening up access to this otherwise fairly cut off part of the world.

For us walkers, this village is most notable for being the starting point of the Greensand Way, which is a 108 mile walking route that has at times tempted me - but also at times put me off (as some sections are not as well maintained as other trails in the country).

But from the centre of the town, it is an easy walk to the train station - stopping off at the shop along the way to get some final drink and food for the day - before waiting for the occasional train service that takes us on to Ashford - where I plan to stop over for the night.

Total Distance: 15.9 miles (11.6 miles on the Royal Military Canal itself)

Total Ascent: 272 feet (121 feet on the Royal Military Canal itself)

Enjoyment Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ ★ ★ / 5

Note that bits of this trail can be a bit boring, with spells where you have views that consist almost entirely of overgrown foliage. The history around the walk is in some ways more interesting than the walk itself, and I enjoyed discovering the area - that said there are certainly more exciting walks out there. It was worth doing, but equally I will never do it again

Disclaimer: This writeup provides a narrative of what to expect rather than a route guide to follow. The route is covered by the 189 OS Landranger map. The route is in well way-marked, and you don't leave the canal so it is very easy to follow