South East Coast

OVERVIEW

This stretch of coastline runs from the River Thames round to Ramsgate, down to Dover and then along the southern coast of England to end at Shoreham - with this section of the coast path running round the South Eastern corner of England.

The most notable spot along this coastline is the White Cliffs of Dover - and whilst I haven't walked much of this stretch to date there is plenty that I'm looking forward to over time.

From Shoreham to Brighton Marina is a long stretch of beach - but from Brighton Marina on round to Newhaven chalk cliffs take over. From Newhaven there is a further stretch of beach, but soon the white cliffs return all the way to Eastbourne.

At Eastbourne beaches take back over and continue up to Hastings, after which rolling vegetated cliffs take over until just past Fairlight Cove - after which everything becomes very flat. And this flat section persists past Dungeness essentially to Folkestone.

From Folkestone, white cliffs return up past Dover to Kingsdown, before beaches return just before reaching Deal. From here a combination of beaches and softer cliff lines largely persist until Whitstable.

From here marshland largely takes over until the end of this section of coast at Gravesend.

PRACTICALITIES

In general this is an easy stretch of coastline to explore with lots of popular towns to be found along the coast. That said some of the sections in more marshy country do run through areas of minimal activity - and these are the most problematic sections along this section of coast.

This means that it is very easy to walk the sections of coast that are probably most interesting, whilst it is probably hardest to walk the less interesting sections of coastline.

I am yet to walk much of this coast, but the easiest section to walk look to be between Whitstable and Folkestone and between Shoreham and Hastings.

USEFUL LINKS 

National Trails Website : South East

STAGES

Woolwich to Dartford

Planned to walk in 2027...

Dartford to Gravesend

Planned to walk in the future...

Gravesend to Rochester

No plans to walk...

Rochester to Sittingbourne

No plans to walk...

Sittingbourne to Whitstable

No plans to walk...

Whitstable to Margate

Planned to walk in the future...

Margate to Deal

Planned to walk in the future...

Deal to Dover - Kent Downs

Planned to walk in the future...

Dover to Folkestone (★★★★☆) - Kent Downs

This is a shorter section, heading out from Dover over the top of Western Heights, where the path heads round a Napoleon-era fort, and on past a Knights Templar church - before climbing up Shakespeare Cliffs.

From here the path heads along the bumpy coastline round to Folkestone, taking in Samphire Hoe Country Park, rolling hills and the Battle of Britain Memorial Park on the way (home to replica Hurricane and Spitfire planes).

This particular walk doesn't complete the coastal route into Folkestone - but it is only a short walk from where the coastal section of this walk ended, down into the harbour at Folkestone.

The walking on this route totaled 9.1 miles. The total ascent was a bit under one and a half thousand feet.

Folkestone to Rye (★★★☆☆) 

Walked the Royal Military Canal instead.

Rye to Cliff End (★★★☆☆) - High Weald

Walked the Royal Military Canal instead.

Cliff End to Hastings (★★★☆☆) - High Weald

This is a short section of coast path that runs along the steep, but eroding, clay and sandstone cliffs. 

From Cliff End the path climbs up onto Fairlight Cliffs, then has a section in between two hedges until you finally break free ahead of reaching Fairlight Cove. Here you get brief views out towards the sea before you dip down and through that village.

On the far side you hit the best of this section - as you cross a wooded section of coastline - where you drop down and up two steep valleys around streams running down to the sea. Then you reach a plateau above the Old Town in Hastings, before you drop into Hastings itself.

This section was 6.0 miles, but over a thousand feet of ascent. I walked it in combination with the Royal Military Canal section from Rye to Cliff End (a further 6.1 miles, but over completely flat ground).

Hastings to Eastbourne (★★★☆☆) 

The stretch from Hastings to Eastbourne is a stretch that is full of beaches, but with these being shingle beaches you will do most of the walking up on the path, rather than along the beaches themselves.

There is a long run out of Hastings, before you complete the stretch round towards Bexhill-on-Sea. From here there is a quieter stretch (albeit one where the path heads up to the road, and where I cut down onto the beach) to Pevensey Bay.

From here you head round towards Sovereign Harbour (which has a lot of fancy boats to look at), and then it is a fairly short run into Eastbourne.

This section totaled 15.5 miles of walking, with almost no ascent.

Eastbourne to Newhaven (★★★★★) - South Downs

This section of coast doubles up with the South Downs Way for much of it's length. There is a really nice walk out from Eastbourne along the promenade, before you cut up to the road above and then head out along the cliffs.

The path then turns to head over Beachy Head (the highest chalk sea cliff in England), before you reach Belle Tout Lighthouse and start heading over the Seven Sisters. This is a wonderful stretch of coast that takes you to Cuckmere Haven, which the path loops around (with great views from the Eastbourne side but not so good from the Seaford side).

On the furthest side you do eventually get amazing views back towards the Seven Sisters though, before bending round into Seaford, and then along the seafront to Newhaven.

This section totaled 15.6 miles of walking and a bit over two thousand feet of ascent.

Newhaven to Shoreham - South Downs

Planned to walk in 2027...