Introduction Comments Map GPS Weather Photos Videos History Download Walk (pdf)

Dover to Deal walk

Easy cliff walk following the Saxon Shore Way along the 'White Cliffs of Dover' to historic Deal

Beach Castle Coast Kent My Favourites North Downs

History

This is a list of previous times this walk has been done by the club (since Jan 2010). For more recent events (since April 2015), full details are shown.

Date Post # Weather
Sat, 28-May-22 Deal to Dover - Shingle flowers extravaganza and the White Cliffs 17 much sunnier than expected
Sat, 12-Jun-21 Deal to Dover - Shingle flower extravaganza, White Cliffs and maybe a brief swim 26 warm sunshine
Sun, 28-Jun-20 Sunday Walk - The White Cliffs: Dover to Deal or Sandwich (start time revised: now with a later train) 14 mostly sunny with a very fresh breeze
Sat, 13-Jul-19 Saturday Walk - Dover to Deal - the White Cliffs and a swim 18 grey cloud
Sun, 20-Jan-19 Sunday Walk Dazzling Dover to Deal (or Sandwich) 18 fine crisp winter
Sun, 06-May-18 Sunday Walk: Deal to Dover 8 hot sunny
Sun, 28-Jan-18 Sunday Walk A [minimal mud] Sunday Saunter from Dover to Deal and possibly onto Sandwich 7 initially partly cloudy skies clearing to sunshine by the sea with better weather than France for a change
Sat, 05-Aug-17 Dover to Deal - the White Cliffs for ÂŁ10 20 sun then showers then sun
Sun, 18-Jun-17 A Kent seaside amble with dramatic cliffs 9 very hot and sunny
Sat, 01-Oct-16 Saturday First Walk Dover to Deal or Sandwich 6 rain windy sunshine
Sat, 13-Jun-15 Saturday Second Walk - the White Cliffs of Dover 19 cloud clearing to sun
Sun, 28-Sep-14 Deal to Dover 12
Sun, 16-Mar-14 Dover to Deal 7
Sun, 01-Sep-13 Deal to Dover 4
Sat, 01-Jun-13 Dover to Deal 22
Sat, 02-Jun-12 Deal to Dover
Sat, 28-May-11 Deal to Dover
Sun, 05-Sep-10 Dover to Deal
Sun, 28-Feb-10 Deal to Dover
Sat, 30-May-09 Dover to Deal
Mon, 13-Apr-09 Dover to Deal
Sat, 13-Sep-08 Dover to Deal
Sun, 27-Jul-08 Dover to Deal
Sat, 15-Mar-08 Dover to Deal
Sun, 03-Jun-07 Dover to Deal
Sat, 19-May-07 Dover to Deal
Sat, 28-May-22
Walker
Deal to Dover - Shingle flowers extravaganza and the White Cliffs
9.10 train from Charing Cross (9.13 Waterloo East, 9.19 London Bridge) to Deal, arriving 11.22.T=2.30
Or get the 9.34 Southeastern High Speed train from St Pancras International (slightly higher fare and no boundary zone tickets allowed) to Ashford, arriving 10.11, to connect with the above train, departing 10.33.
Buy a day return to Deal. If buying the ticket at St Pancras, use the ticket machines on the mezzanine level from where the Southeastern high speed trains depart, as only these offer the cheaper super off-peak fares. The tickets on the main concourse downstairs do not offer these.

For walk directions click here. (Reverse walk directions start in paragraph 74 on page 8: obviously for the most part you don't need any - just keep the sea on your left - but they are useful in a few places, eg at the start and finish, going into and out of St Margaret's Bay).
For GPX click here, for a map of the route click here.
A gorgeous walk along the White Cliffs (with views of the EU on clear days...); but first the wonderful display of shingle flowers on Walmer and Kingsdown beaches, which should be at its best right now (see photo).
I particularly like doing this walk backwards. You get the longer rail journey out the way first, and the scenery builds in interest, with the best section saved till last (when it is also less busy with day trippers).
Doing the walk in this direction also gives you a choice of two lunch pubs, both with outside tables right by the beach, both very busy on sunny days, it has to be said... The first, after about 3 miles, is the Zetland Arms, which serves food 12-2.45pm. It is another three miles to St Margaret's Bay, where the Coastguard serves food all afternoon. It might be no bad thing to arrive a bit after the main lunchtime rush.
Tea options include * the tea kiosk on St Margaret's Beach * the cafe of the St Margaret's Museum, on the left on the track as you walk out of town * the cafe of the South Foreland Lighthouse, where you can sit outside and look down over the sea * the cafe of the White Cliffs Visitor Centre near Dover.
It is probably a bit too early in the season for sea swimming (sea temperature 13 degrees and it doesn't look as if the air temperature will be super hot either) but if you fancied a brief token dip, St Margaret's Bay is your best bet. Kingsdown (ie opposite the Zetland Arms) is also possible, but currents are strong here. High tide is 11 am and low tide is 6pm
Dover itself is....disappointing, though there is now a beach bar at the eastern end of its seafront.
Trains back from Dover are at 49 past to St Pancras (1hr 05 minutes) or 30 past (though oddly no 18.30 train.....??) to Charing Cross (1hr 53 minutes)
  • 29-May-22

    17 on this walk, on a much sunnier than expected day, given the weather forecast. There was no real sign of chilly northerly winds, and the cloud kept politely inland until later in the afternoon. We will draw a veil over the brief sprinkling of rain as we approached Dover. A letter has been written to its parents.

    Most came on the slow train, the high speed train admittedly not offering a big advantage on the outbound journey. A canny few spotted that it gave big advantages on the return leg. But in the end they turned out to be not so canny, as I will shortly relate.

    The shingle flowers between Walmer and Kingsdown did not disappoint - great swathes of red (valerian) and other blooms. Three, I understand, stopped for lunch at the Zetland Arms. The rest of us breezed on through and up onto the cliffs.

    Quite a few common blues here - and a wall (these are butterflies). Also two corn buntings (a red-listed farmland bird). Then on to St Margaret’s Bay, where the blue sea beckoned in its Mediterranean cove.

    Four of us swam - for a few minutes. Three pronounced the temperature fine: one (me) thought it decidedly chilly, but not unexpectedly so. Exciting to think of the four months of sea swimming to come.

    Ten or eleven of us ate lunch on the terrace of the Coastguards pub - very tasty and efficient as always.

    Coming out of St Margaret’s we came across the surreal sight of maybe 40 chunky blokes with even chunkier lenses standing on a hillside facing an area of shrubs. It seems a Sardinian warbler (a bird) had been sighted. But if it had, it was now cowering in the bushes, doubtless scared out of its wits. Interestingly our group also included a Sardinian, though how his warbling is we are not sure.

    Several us had tea overlooking the sea at South Foreland lighthouse. Two went up the tower. Approaching Dover there were lots of ferries gliding in and out, both DFDS ones and the ones we don’t use anymore. The coast of France was visible to Calais and beyond. The port was scarily empty of trucks, though. Look upon your works, ye Brexit, and despair.

    I hear that four people managed to get a train at around 5pm from Dover. If so, they were lucky because everything went into meltdown thereafter due to what Network Rail always accurately term “a signal failure”. Some of us managed a beer in a microbrewery while we came to terms with the situation. There was talk of among non-high speeders of taking the 18.49 to St Pancras and damming the consequences.

    But the 18.49 proved to be an illusion and instead we piled into what we were promised would be the 19.30 slow train to Charing Cross. We took over four tables in the first carriage and made enough noise to ensure no one else occupied the others (at least not initially).

    Wine materialised. Cheese too. People went to get fish and chips. The train left on time and we had a grand party all the way back to London Bridge, what you might call a proper Downing Street session. There have been worse days.

Sat, 12-Jun-21
Walker
Deal to Dover - Shingle flower extravaganza, White Cliffs and maybe a brief swim
Length: 17.7km (11 miles)
Toughness: 3 out of 10
9.40 train from Charing Cross (9.43 Waterloo East, 9.49 London Bridge) to Deal, arriving 11.51
OR
10.12 Southeastern high speed train from St Pancras (10.19 Stratford International) to Ashford, arriving 10.50, to connect with the above train at 11.02. Note that this train goes to Margate and may be busy: I would advise boarding it as early as possible...
Buy a day return to Deal

Directions are not really necessary for this walk: just keep the sea on your left. Some guidance its useful at the start in Deal, however, and also in St Margaret's Bay and Dover. For this purpose, walk directions are here (start at paragraph 74 on page 8), the GPX is here and a map of the route here.
I normally regard the very start of June as the ideal time to do this walk, since this is when the shingle flowers on Kingsdown Beach are at their glorious best. But everything is a bit late this year due to the cold weather in May and June, so cross fingers....
I love doing this walk in reverse. You get the longer train ride and the otherwise rather anticlimactic flat bit along Deal Beach out of the way first, and the drama of the scenery grows throughout the walk. You get to the most popular section - the Dover cliffs - later in the day, when hopefully the crowds have gone home.
The refreshment options work better in this direction too. The Zetland Arms at Kingsdown, at the bottom of Deal Beach is a possible lunch stop, while you should get to St Margaret's Bay mid afternoon when The Coastguard pub is less busy (one can hope...). There are of course brilliant picnic places throughout, especially on the cliffs after Kingsdown. (Keep away from the crumbly cliff edges, though...)
Otherwise there is a tea kiosk on the beach, and a small tea room next to St Margaret's Bay Museum open till 4pm. The tea room at South Foreland Lighthouse seems to be closed, but there may also be a tea kiosk here open to 5pm, and the White Cliffs Visitor Centre near Dover has a cafe likewise open till 5pm.
Only the last short walk from the seafront to Dover station is a disappointment in this direction: it is a rather dispiriting half mile or so, but there it is.
If you want to try a brief dip in the sea (it will be brief: sea temperatures are creeping up but will only be 13 degrees at best...) Kingsdown Beach by the Zetland Arms is possible. There are strong lateral currents here, but you won't be going far out anyway. St Margaret's Bay may be a better idea, however. The bay here blocks the currents and by the time you get there the sun will have had longer to warm the sea surface. High tide is at 1pm, so there should be a good depth for swimming.
Warning: on the section between Kingsdown and South Foreland your phone will probably switch to a French network: most of us have free roaming, so this is not an issue from a financial point of view, but the time on your phone will be an hour later than UK time: don't get caught out and think it is later than it is - I have made this mistake in the past!
Trains back from Dover are are at 00 past to Charing Cross (1 hour 52 minutes) or 49 past to St Pancras (1hr 05 minutes). If you just miss the high speed train, you can take the Charing Cross one and change at Ashford (a 13 minute wait): this takes you to London in 1hr 21 minutes, but you will be connecting at Ashford with a Margate train, which may be crowded.
**** It would be very useful if you could pre-register for this walk for contact tracking purposes at www.lwug.co.uk: if not, please bring a piece of paper with your email written on it, which will be kept in an envelope and only used if a case of Covid arises on the walk. To let us know if a contract tracing requirement arises as a result of this walk, use covid@lwug.co.uk ****
T=2.30
  • Marc RICKETS
    10-Jun-21

    Now I might do the Walk on Saturday. But I can't Guarantee i will. And as I read on the Website. That your Mobile phone could be connected to France as its not far from France. You shouldn't be ripped off now since they scrapped their Roaming Charges all across the EU 4 years ago.

  • 12-Jun-21

    This walk never disappoints, and today was no exception: a glorious day by the sea in warm sunshine , with none of the usual seaside coolness or breeze. But in these unusual times a train to the seaside on a sunny day is always a risk, especially with Southeastern helpfully warning that services to the coast might be busy after 10.30am, thus pointing travellers to the 10.12 from St Pancras, our specified train….

    I was nervous about taking this train (ultimate destination Margate) and so hatched a cunning plan to get the 9.12 and beat the crowds. (One walker actually did this). But getting to St Pancras at 8.25 I decided on a whim to get the 8.37 to Dover. This would give me a whole two hours in Dover before the connecting train, but would be pretty empty, right?

    Wrong. It was rammed. Almost every seat occupied, lots standing in every carriage. I did something I have not done in a year and a quarter: I invited a stranger to move his bag and sat down next to him. At Stratford a French couple got on and talked inches from my right ear all the way to Ashford. Oh well, either the vaccine works or it doesn’t, I suppose.

    Once underway I discovered the reason for the overcrowding. There had been a power failure and this was the first train Southeastern High Speed had run that day. But though the train emptied quite a bit a Ashford and more at Folkestone, a fair crowd still got off at Dover. At Dover. From the 8.37 from London. This is how trains to the coast are going to be this summer.

    I had a pleasant sojourn on Dover beach. Members of the cross-Channel swimming club swam wetsuit-less in the bay for an hour. I did two swims of 65 strokes and 150 strokes in the freezing water. Then I caught the 11.34 to Deal.

    There were 25 on the station at the start of the walk. I later discovered that another had walked from Dover to Deal, so 26 in all. Walking to Walmer and Kingsdown we found the shingle flowers ablaze - absolutely at their best. Gratifyingly for this usually lonely botanist, quite a number of the group took an interest in identifying them.

    It was two hours since I had had a swim, however, and the waters in front of the Zetland Arms looked enticing. Two others thought the same and so we three stopped for a dip. Some others talked of a drink, but the Zetland was busy and I don’t know if they stopped. Basically we three swimmers walked together for the rest of the day. So from now on this report is about what we did: others may like to post their own accounts

    The sea was cold, but much less cold than I expected, and we managed five or six minutes in the water, which felt very refreshing. We then set off for St Margaret’s Bay, passing two walkers who had stopped to lunch in the golf club at the start of the cliffs: not busy and a good choice apparently. At St M’s we three swimmers came across three other walkers, one of whom had just swam, so we went in again. It was near high tide and the sea a lovely blue and I went a little way out. Very satisfying.

    We had tea on the beach (from the kiosk), walked to South Foreland lighthouse, and found it was doing tea (from a kiosk) too. There were picnic tables with a lovely view of the Channel and the coast of the EU beyond. Another cuppa seemed called for and we stayed there chatting until chucked out when the place closed.

    We then drifted along the White Cliffs in golden light, passed the spookily quiet port of Dover (how much due to Brexit and how much to Covid?), and got to Dover seafront at 7pm. To fill in time before the next train we had a seafront drink at the Dover Patrol, and then caught the 7.49. This one was not so busy, not terribly so anyway. And then back to St Pancras at 9pm at the end of a perfect day.

Sun, 28-Jun-20
Thomas G
Sunday Walk - The White Cliffs: Dover to Deal or Sandwich (start time revised: now with a later train)
Length: 17.7 km (11.0 mi), Ascent/Descent: 475m
Net Walking Time: ca. 4 ½ hours, Toughness: 6 out of 10.
Too short for you? Walk on to Sandwich (map-led).

Take the 10.12 Dover Priory train from St. Pancras (Stratford I’nal 10.19) arriving Dover Priory 11.29.
Return trains from Deal: xx.18 (105 minutes to STP).
Return trains from Sandwich: xx.12 (110 minutes to STP).
Take the 09.37 Dover Priory train from St. Pancras (Stratford I’nal 09.44) arriving Dover Priory 10.41.
Return trains from Deal: xx.31 (87 minutes to STP).
Return trains from Sandwich: xx.25 (92 minutes to STP).
Buy a Sandwich return with High Speed Surcharge (same price as a Deal rtn). For a Super Off-Peak price: try Southeastern's ticket machines.
This simple walk (it should be impossible to get lost if you keep the sea on your right-hand side) is nevertheless one of the finest coastal walks in England, taking you right along the top of the famous White Cliffs of Dover. On a clear day, you get stunning views of the Channel, and the ferries buzzing in and out of Dover Harbour, and the French coast from Boulogne to Dunkerque.
There are two significant climbs, one out of Dover and the other out of St. Margaret's Bay. Otherwise the terrain is level or gently undulating. The last quarter of the walk is totally flat, along a tranquil coast path behind the pebble beach of Deal. Though less dramatic than the White Cliffs, this section of the walk is full of historical and natural interest, passing Walmer and Deal castles, and a stunning display of coastal flora on Deal’s shingle beach.
When using mobile phones on this walk, check they haven’t switched to a French network, as happens routinely at St. Margaret’s Bay, for example
Covid-compatibility: not many fenced paths presumably and lots of wide, open grassy cliffs; some congestion likely nearer Deal along the promenade (face coverings at the ready).
Lunch: Picnic, although some pubs/kiosks/ice cream vans may be plying for our business.
Tea: plenty of options in Deal and Sandwich, some of whom may sell takeout drinks and snacks.

For walk directions, map, photos, height profile and gpx/kml files click here. T=2.30
  • 26-Jun-20

    The train advertised as arriving at Dover Priory at 10.41 wasn’t given as an option from Stratford International. I’ve booked on the 9.19 and will check at the station. See you at Dover Priory, if not before. Valerie

  • 26-Jun-20

    Hi, Valerie. Thanks for this comment. You are absolutely right. I fell into National Rail's Covid-trap of not publishing the final weekend timetable until the Friday. On the weekends the service is still restricted and with fewer direct trains. I have now updated the post with the correct train times and journey lengths. We'll take a later start.

  • 28-Jun-20

    13 walkers at Dover's station, 1 more (a car driver) had already gone ahead and joined up on the cliffs, so 14 . 1 other SWC walkers was encountered at Dover, but she walked the other way (to Folkestone and Sandling, in non-SWC company). The forming of groups took a wee while and for a brief moment it looked as it we were just the one big group. Not quite what the protocol requires... Let's do better next time.

    The rain had stopped before we got there and for the rest of the day it was mostly sunny with a very fresh breeze .

    We set off in three groups which after some unfortunate intermingling became still three groups, but in different composition, then we were four groups once the 14th walker joined. Again, not quite what the protocol requires... Let's do better next time,

    Splendid walk, with lots of variations possible along the various terraces of levels of the cliffs near Dover, where there were plenty of people, off the various nearby car parks mainly (also the visitor centre and cafe have re-opened), but also very wide paths. Further along, at St. Margaret's Bay, the first of many vans selling food or drink stuff was encountered (this one selling ice cream, but later some were selling cocktails or even pizza from a wood-fired oven, from converted VW Transporters!).

    I walked on to Sandwich, neatly arriving a few minutes before the 17.12 train, and at least one other did the same (but missed that train). Most/all others presumably finished in Deal, at least 1 after a couple of swimming breaks.

    Three groups of cyclists were encountered on the narrow clifftop Public Footpath, all being young parents with their children.

  • Anonymous
    28-Jun-20

    The slow group managed to lose one early on, who was asthmatic and struggling with the climb but then passed us at lunchtime and will hopefully let us know he made it all the way. The remaining 5 stayed together more or less all the way and took a very relaxed pace to reach Deal in plenty of time for the 17.19 train. In a moment of madness I decided to walk on to Sandwich, as uneventful as Deal is lively, for the 19.12 train - only two hours behind Thomas! Great walk, thanks for posting

  • 29-Jun-20

    So, 3 walkers went to Sandwich, catching 3 different trains...

    As for that bit of the route: I liked it. Initially the beach is quite narrow just to your right, with the waves crashing a mere 20m away, then - once out of Deal - follows a longer stretch on the shingle seawall, with a links golf course on the left. You continue on tarmac from the Sandwich Bay Estate onwards, always with fine views of the Isle of Thanet and the (white) cliffs of Ramsgate ahead. Turn left along the Saxon Shore Way across the very scenic Royal St. George's Golf Course (well waymarked) and then cross or walk along several waterways, streams and ditches. Pretty and quiet, certainly very quiet compared to the hubbub that is Deal. Would do it again...

Sat, 13-Jul-19
Walker
Saturday Walk - Dover to Deal - the White Cliffs and a swim
Length: 17.7km (11 miles)
Toughness: 3 out of 10 T=2.30

9.34 train from St Pancras International to Dover, arriving 10.41.

Buy a day return to Deal. The cheapest ticket is a Super Off-Peak Day Return, but this is only available from Southeastern ticket machines (eg the ones on the high speed level at St Pancras).

For walk directions click here. For GPX click here. For a map of the walk click here. Or keep the sea on your right.

To my surprise this classic walk has not had a Saturday posting for two years. It needs little introduction - a walk along the White Cliffs, with views of the EU on fine days, then a flatter ending along a shingle beach into Deal.

Lunch is at the Coastguards pub in St Margaret’s Bay, which can be busy: a nearby tea kiosk and the St Margaret’s Museum cafe offer light lunch alternatives. Mobile phones still switch to French networks here, but till October 31 this is not a problem as most of us have free roaming.

Sea swimmers might face an agonising choice between lunch and a dip, as St Margaret’s Bay is a good place for a bathe. Low tide is at 4.17 and too close to this there may not be enough depth (the beach is rocky at low tide). So a swim, then lunch would be more sensible than the reverse.

Other swimming options are in Dover at the start (don’t laugh: there is a beach) or from Kingsdown to Deal, where there is always enough depth but fairly strong currents lateral to the shore: ie don’t go too far out here.

The Zetland Arms in Kingsdown is usually open for an afternoon drink. The spectacular shingle beach flowers just beyond it will alas largely be over. The cafe at the end of Deal Pier has now reopened and is recommended for its gorgeous views. The little 15 minute tour of Deal’s backstreets is also well worth it, even though most people skip it.

Trains back are at 31 past and take 1 hour 23 minutes.
  • Anonymous
    09-Jul-19

    You can also visit the interesting 16c. Walmer Castle (English Heritage) just before you reach Deal and have tea on the terrace or have a stroll in their gardens. All very pleasant.

  • 09-Jul-19

    Walmer Castle is indeed most interesting, but just checking its opening hours on its website I discover that the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports (whose official residence it is) will be in residence this weekend, and hence it is closed to the public,

  • 11-Jul-19

    I've been looking at tickets & without a railcard you need to look for the ÂŁ25 promotional fare. With a railcard it looks like off-peak ÂŁ22.40 is the cheapest on the high-speed. This train was very busy 2 weeks ago.

  • 11-Jul-19

    Trains to the coast can be busy on fine summer weekends, yes. But two weeks ago was exceptional - a one day heatwave that had been widely trailed in advance by the weather forecast. They spent most of the previous week saying how that one day would be uniquely hot and sunny. This kind of behaviour tends to boost passenger numbers.

  • 12-Jul-19

    For those well South of the River the 09:13 from Sevenoaks arrives Dover Priory at 10:33

  • 13-Jul-19

    PeteG was right and I woz wrong. The train was almost as crowded as two weeks ago, for reasons mysterious to me. I suppose Southeastern offering cheap tickets to the seaside in summer may be a factor, but a big party of youf also got off at Dover. Was there a music event? A vlogger holding court in the castle? Anyway, we never saw them again and the White Cliffs were no more than ordinarily busy - ie quite busy, but not insanely.

    If the train crowds were tempted out by the bright morning sunshine, the weather gods had a disappointment in store for them as there was grey cloud by the time we got to Ebbsfleet and so it remained. It was fairly sticky in the morning and fresher later. Right at the end of the day the clouds parted in Deal, bringing a golden end to the day.

    15 disembarked from the high speed train at Dover. We later met three more who had got the slow train from Sevenoaks. So 18 in all. The grey skies apart, the White Cliffs were glorious, carpeted in every downland flower known to man and with a zillion white butterflies (mainly Small Whites, some Marbled Whites) flitting about. This was true all the way to Kingsdown, and after that the shingle beach flowers were good too - not as intense as in early June, but really quite impressive all the same.

    Four of us swam at St Margaret’s Bay, the sea rather colder than expected (due to offshore winds) but the setting grand. We then joined the others at the Coastguard Inn for lunch, the order taking being reasonably rapid but the production of food from the kitchen taking a long time, as it always seems to at this pub. But there are worse views to look at as you wait.

    We regrouped later for drinks at the Zetland Arms, after another swim in which eight participated. The current here was strong enough to stop a bullet: the only time I have actually gone backwards while trying to swim forwards. It was just after this swim that the skies cleared, but sadly no one was up for a third dip.

    Five of us had very nice fish and chips from the Mermaid fish and chip on the beach as the sun dipped and caught the 7.31 train (much less busy than in the morning, happily). Many interesting topics were discussed on the way home while we tasted different types of chocolate and drank red wine. All in all, despite the cloud, a grand day out.

Sun, 20-Jan-19
Stargazer
Sunday Walk Dazzling Dover to Deal (or Sandwich)
Dover to Deal or Sandwich -- an easy cliff walk from the dramatic White Cliffs of Dover to the charms of historic Deal or Sandwich t=2.30

Train: Take the 9:37 AM from London St. Pancras to Dover (9:44 at Stratford International), arriving at 10:41 AM. Return trains from Sandwich are at 25 minutes past the hour and from Deal at 31 minutes past the hour until 21:25 and 21:31, respectively. Buy a day return to Deal or, if planning on the longer route, Sandwich.

Distance: 11 miles to Deal and 16 miles to Sandwich (17.7 or 25.7, respectively, in new money)

Difficulty: 3 out of 10

I posted this walk about this time last year and it proved to be a very enjoyable winter’s day outing….complete with a lovely waxing moon over Sandwich Bay (for those on the extension)…..Can we be so lucky again…..Let’s hope so….

This fairly easy coastal walk follows the dramatic White Cliffs of Dover with nice views of the castle and the busy harbour. It then dips down into St. Margaret's Bay for a seaside lunch before once again climbing up onto the cliffs to continue on to Deal. The 5-mile walk to Sandwich is largely flat along a promenade with views out to Sandwich Bay. After about 4 miles on the seafront, you will need to turn left to follow the Saxon Shore Way through the Royal St. George's Golf Club (if you pass some Public Conveniences on the left, you have gone too far (though you could also turn left along the Stour Valley Walk a short distance further on from the conveniences at a car park). Both of these paths lead into the charming village of Sandwich after about a mile. If the weather conditions are clear, I would suggest, having a bevie in Deal and doing at least part of the last bit under a nicely waxing moon. More information and the directions can be found here.

Lunch will be at the Coastguard in St. Margaret's Bay (01304 853176), a beach side pub claiming to be Britain's closest pub to France about 5 miles/8 km from the start of the walk.

There are numerous cozy pubs and cafes on the seafront in Deal for various post walk refreshments. For those on the long-haul, there are numerous pubs in Sandwich.

Fingers crossed for clear skies!

Enjoy the walk!
  • Anonymous
    18-Jan-19

    Will there be a second Sunday walk this weekend?

  • 20-Jan-19

    18 on this fine crisp winter 's-day. Amazingly, lady luck was with us today and for a second year running this made for a delightful sunny winter outing. First, climbing the dramatic cliffs of Dover with its ever fascinating view down into the bustling port harbor, then continuing along the cliffs with fine channel views before dipping down to St. Margaret's Bay for lunch...where the group splintered a bit....The pub was very busy and could only accommodate the original booking for 4...5 others bravely dined alfresco on the terrace at the pub with the others picnicking nearby...Most carried on before the pub diners finished but some did regroup at the café on the pier in Deal -- a great place to watch both a setting sun and rising moon. Apparently, most took various afternoon trains back and at least one carried on to Sandwich in daylight. About 5:00pm, 4 left the café for a tour of Deal at the 5:31 train and 3 others headed off in the bright moonlight for the walk to Sandwich catching the 19:25.A full day out!

Sun, 06-May-18
Mr M Tiger
Sunday Walk: Deal to Dover
Book 2 walk 30 (backwards)
17.2 km 10.7 miles Difficulty: 3/10
The walk starts off along Deal beach with its unusual collection of wild and exotic plants. The nearer you get to Dover, the cliffier the walk gets. On the way you encounter Tudor castles, a lighthouse, and Exmoor ponies.
Trains:
The 9:37 Hi Speed from St Pancras International (destination showing as St Pancras on Journey Planner) (Stratford Int 09:44, Ashford Int 10:15) arrives at Deal at 10:59.
Journey Planner routes you via St Pancras no matter what station you type in but you can get a slower, cheaper connection from Victoria. The "cough" "ahem" 8:42 (Bromley South 8:59, Orpington, 9:07) to Dover Priory arrives Dover at 10:35 (platform 2) where you change onto the above train (platform 1, 10:41) to reach Deal. If you miss the connection, you're doing the walk the other way round! (You can also change at Ashford Int. arr. 10:04 dep. 10:15) Ask for a super off peak return to Deal and maybe throw in the words "avoiding St Pancras".
Hi Speed Trains return from Dover Priory at xx:49 and xx:59. Slower ones to Victoria are at xx:05 and xx:59 (except 16:59). Get a return to Deal.
Lunch: First up, the Zetland Arms a pub on the beach 3 miles down from Deal. Later, in St Margaret's Bay, you have the Coastguard pub. St Margaret's Museum has a café and there's a tea kiosk on the beach.
The Bluebirds Tea Room has closed.
Tea: Mrs Knott's Tea-room at South Foreland lighthouse is open "the same times as the lighthouse" (closes 5-ish). The White Cliffs Visitor Centre, is open till 5. There are plenty of places in Dover itself, including a Wetherspoons, the Eight Bells.
Directions for this walk can be found here. You only need pages 1-3 and 8-10. (The reverse directions start at paragraph 74).
Be aware that this walk is so close to France that your phone can switch to a French network and even adopt French time. If the wind's in the wrong direction, you might start talking in French.
T=2.30
  • Anonymous
    05-May-18

    Is it too late to join this walk for tomorrow?

  • 05-May-18

    No you don't need to book. We don't have a booking system.

    Check out our info for new "member"s on the FAQ page

    https://www.walkingclub.org.uk/swc/index.shtml

  • Anonymous
    05-May-18

    Walk info, map and GPS link isn't working

  • 06-May-18

    its is now :)

  • 07-May-18

    8 on a hot sunny day.

    The bank holiday weekend is probably not the best time to schedule this walk. Packed trains both ways (though I think we all got seats) and heaving pubs. But none of that seemed to matter, it being such a glorious day. Vegetation between Deal and Walmer was mainly dull green stuff, not in full swing yet. There were bluebells though. (Spanish).

    The Zetland Arms was 3 deep at the bar so we continued on to the Coastguard at St Margaret’s Bay. There was another long queue for the bar there and a 90 minute wait for food. But there are worse places to wait than in its garden, watching the sea. And the food, judging by the purrs of satisfaction, was good when it came.

    At walk’s end, most found a pub “by the water”. I, who was lagging, found the Wetherspoons and a satisfactory half pint of cider (Hunt’s Wobbler). Most (we lost two along the way) reunited on the platform for the 17:49.

Sun, 28-Jan-18
Stargazer
Sunday Walk A [minimal mud] Sunday Saunter from Dover to Deal and possibly onto Sandwich
Book 2 Walk 30: An easy cliff walk from the dramatic White Cliffs of Dover to the charms of historic Deal or Sandwich t=2.30

Train: Take the 9:37 AM Faversham train from London St. Pancras to Dover (9:44 at Stratford International), arriving at 10:41 AM. Return trains from Sandwich are at 25 minutes past the hour and from Deal at 31 minutes past the hour until 21:25 and 21:31, respectively. Buy a day return to Deal or Sandwich if planning on the longer route.

Distance: 11 miles to Deal and 16 miles to Sandwich (17.7 or 25.7, respectively, in new money)

Difficulty: 3 out of 10

First apologies for also posting another walk south of the river…..However, I could not resist the potential opportunity to see a waxing moon rising from the appropriately Eastward facing Sandwich Bay…..Besides, as this route mainly follows chalky cliffs, it is likely to be relatively mud-free…..

This fairly easy coastal walk follows the dramatic White Cliffs of Dover with nice views of the castle and the busy harbour. It then dips down into St. Margaret's Bay for a seaside lunch before once again climbing up onto the cliffs to continue on to Deal. The 5-mile walk to Sandwich is largely flat along a promenade with views out to Sandwich Bay. After about 4 miles on the seafront, you will need to turn left to follow the Saxon Shore Way through the Royal St. George's Golf Club (if you pass some Public Conveniences on the left, you have gone too far (though you could also turn left along the Stour Valley Walk a short distance further on from the conveniences at a car park). Both of these paths lead into the charming village of Sandwich after about a mile. If the weather conditions are clear, I would suggest, having a bevie in Deal and doing at least part of the last bit under a nicely waxing moon. More information and the directions can be found here.

Lunch will be at the Coastguard in St. Margaret's Bay (01304 853176), a beach side pub claiming to be Britain's closest pub to France about 5 miles/8 km from the start of the walk.

The recommended tea stop in Deal is Jasins Café, located on the pier. There are also numerous cosy pubs on the seafront. For those on the long-haul, there are numerous pubs in Sandwich.

Fingers crossed for clear skies!

Enjoy the walk!
  • 26-Jan-18

    It's the same fare for Sandwich or Deal

  • 29-Jan-18

    7 alighted from the train in Dover under initially partly cloudy skies clearing to sunshine by the sea with better weather than France for a change . The walk along the cliffs was dramatic with great views of the harbor and the channel -- though even at these heights there were patches of the gloopy stuff to navigate....Lunch at the Coastguards was a bit slow for the 4 diners -- but fortunately the terrace proved a pleasant spot for the picnickers so that we all continued on together. In Deal, some went for tea and others harder stuff (sadly the café on the pier is temporarily closed). Eventually 4 re-assembled just before 5 and set off for Sandwich under a beautiful bright almost full moon .

Sat, 05-Aug-17
Walker
Dover to Deal - the White Cliffs for ÂŁ10
SWC walk 30 - Dover to Deal
Length: 17l.2km (10.7 miles)
Toughness: 3 out of 10

10.37 train from St Pancras (Southeastern Highspeed platforms) to Dover, arriving 11.41

Buy a ticket in advance - a day return to Deal - up to 6pm the day before, online on the Southeastern website or at staffed Southeastern stations, using the Southeastern Summer Offer.

Using the above offer, the return fare is just ÂŁ10. I am not sure whether there is limited availability on the offer, but book early to avoid disapppointment. Otherwise it is ÂŁ21 with a Network Card so long as you use the Southeastern machines at St Pancras (eg go up onto the departure level and use the machines just by the barriers).

I hope this above offer works OK: it is an obscure promotion with odd rules, one being that it only applies to trains after 10am, even on Saturday, hence the late start. Another rule of the offer is that "you cannot break up and resume your journey": does this mean a Deal return won't work at the barriers at Dover? I honestly don't know.

If you are a South Londoner and really really really want to be perverse you could take the 10.07 from Victoria, 10.23 Bromley South, arriving Dover at 12.06 and walk fast to catch up. The ÂŁ10 offer also applies on this train. But taking the Victoria line to Kings Cross to use the high speed train makes more sense and is a LOT faster on the way back: see below.

For walk directions click here.

 You've seen Dunkirk: now go and see where it happened. This walk gives you a grandstand view of that important little 20.7 miles of sea, without which we would now be living in a Europe dominated by Germany (Err.....). For a walk on the airy heights it is easy underfoot - only two climbs, few undulations. Lots of views of ferries.

Lunch is at the Coastguard pub on the beach in St Margaret's Bay, which does food till 14.45, but if you can't hold out that long, the White Cliffs Visitor Centre earlier in the walk does sandwiches and the like. There is also usually a refreshment kiosk open on the beach at St Margaret's Bay.

Note that in the whole middle section of this walk your phone may switch to being on a French network: this maybe does not matter as much as it did now the EU has banned extortionate roaming charges, but you still may find yourself using minutes or bytes not included in your package.

 For tea, the Blue Birds Tea Room was closed for refurbishment or conversion into something else when I passed in June, but it is too soon after lunch anyway. The Zetland Arms in Kingswood, at the start of the long flat Deal beach, is an alternative mid afternoon stop: open on fine afternoons and with tables right by the sea. Otherwise, Deal has lots of options: I love the place at the end of the pier even if the service is a bit dozy: the views are tremendous. But other walkers have other favourites. Most SWC-ites skip the short walking tour of the old town in the walk directions in their mad rush to get to the station, but they shouldn't and neither should you.

Sea swimming: Low tide is at 5.50pm and so there should be sufficient depth for swimming at St Margaret's Bay at lunchtime: it is not a bad place for a dip at that, a scenic and tranquil bay, but there are currents further out, so be careful. At any point on Deal beach you will find a strong current parallel to the shore: it doesn't mean you can't swim but don't go too far out and don't expect to come back to the shore at the same place you left your clothes. Towards low tide the water can be rather mucky, but I have swum in it before and am not dead yet.

Trains back are at 31 past train direct to St Pancras, taking 1 hour 23 minutes. Unless you did not get a ÂŁ10 ticket and have not paid the high speed supplement, you would have to be really peverse to want to go back to Victoria, since this takes an hour longer (2hr 21) even if the connections work OK, but for the record the 00 past train northbound from Deal to Faversham offers you a rather tight 5 minute change at Faversham to a Victoria service. T=2.30
  • 30-Jul-17

    For those living in the East End, the deal seems to work from Stratford International too. The departure time there is 10:44

  • Anonymous
    04-Aug-17

    Bit of a late start - is this to allow a warm up swim?

  • 04-Aug-17

    It is always nice when people read the walk post!!!! The 10.37 start is because the ÂŁ10 offer only applies to trains after 10am

  • 04-Aug-17

    If anyone wants to pay the full ÂŁ20 fare and get the 9.37 and have a swim on Dover Beach while the others catch up, I would be up for that....

  • 05-Aug-17

    20 on this walk. A lovely sunny morning on the white cliffs. France visible from Calais to Bologne and the ferries going back and forth. I never tire of this view. Some old SWC hands were apparently seeing it for the first time, having never done the walk before.

    Lacking my usual support team, I thought I might be the only swimmer at St Margaret's Bay, but I arrived to find four already in the water and quickly joined them. Lovely clean water, sparkling sun, but the water was colder than it should have been, possibly due to an offshore wind (it blows warmer coastal water out to sea and lets colder water well up to replace it). But still, a lovely dip.

    Lunchers spilt between the pub and the beach kiosk (whose burgers and toasted thingies were surprisingly tasty). The two kiosk staff were a bit overstretched but their business was about to take a dive. All through the swim there had been frightful clouds to the north: as we finished lunch it began to rain.

    There were a couple of rumbles of thunder at this point but nothing more, and the shower did not last too long. There were two more in the next couple of hours under autumnal grey skies but then the sun started to appear again. The light patterns over the sea in the meantime were wonderful: see the SWC Facebook page for photos.

    By this time I had lost the group, so when the sun broke through as I was walking along Walmer Beach I quickly diverted for an idyllic swim, warmer than the last had been, with gorgeous hues out to sea as the clouds fled east. (So overall official weather report for this walk is sun then showers then sun .)I had a third swim at Deal Pier as the sun declined. I missed those who went to tea in the cafe at the end of the pier but found three of them soon after, replete from chips at a new place on the seafront called the Seaview.

    The four of us got the 7.30 train. Everyone else presumably got earlier trains. I hoped they stayed long enough to see the sun come out.

  • 05-Aug-17

    Photos of this walk: https://www.facebook.com/Saturday.Walkers.Club/posts/1551155371571494

Sun, 18-Jun-17
PeteB
A Kent seaside amble with dramatic cliffs
Book 2 Walk 30 Dover to Deal

Length 17.2km (10.7m); toughness 3/10

Trains High Speed 1 by far the best option but a little dearer)

London St Pancras 09.42 (Stratford International 09.48), arriving Dover Priory 10.52

 Return journey - you will need to catch a bus from Deal Station at xx:58 back to Dover Priory station; (journey time approx 30 mins) to pick up the HS1 at xx:49

 Buy a day return to Deal

The weather forecast for Sunday is looking good for the area - warm and sunny - so why not try this simple and easy classic walk which has a couple of climbs.( It should be impossible to get lost if you keep the sea on your right hand side). It is one of the finest coastal walks in England, taking you right along the top of the famous White Cliffs of Dover. On a clear day, you get stunning views of the English Channel, and the ferries buzzing in and out of Dover Harbour, and the French coast from Boulogne to Dunkerque.

You can find out more about the walk here . Click on the download walk tab for the instructions.

If you walk at a sensible pace you can reach your lunch pub by 13.30. There are options to shorten the walk but you will need to catch a bus back to Dover. See the walk pdf for details.t=2.30


  • David Colver
    23-Jun-17

    7 in very hot and sunny conditions, though a curious murk descended on the mid-Channel in the distance for part of the afternoon; not sure whether it was low cloud, mist, heat haze or pollution.

    2 reached The Coastguard at 1345 and had lunches just either side of good. The plan was to take tea at Dunkerley's Hotel but very loud music playing in front of the Old King's Head a couple of doors away frightened everyone away.

    The walk description is accurate when it says that "The last quarter of the walk ... is ... less dramatic than the White Cliffs".

  • Anonymous
    24-Jun-17

    2 left two hours later and sauntered over the cliffs to St Margarets' Bay where we had much needed ice-creams and then waited ages for the bus back to Dover. Thought it would be cooler nearer the coast, it wasn't! so could only manage half this walk. very nice views, enjoyable nonetheless.

  • Anonymous
    26-Jun-17

    9 therefore, very hot and sunny

  • Anonymous
    04-Jul-17

    actually it was 8 people and 1 dog !!

Sat, 01-Oct-16
PeteG
Saturday First Walk Dover to Deal or Sandwich
Saturday First Walk Dover to Deal (or Sandwich) T=2.30

Walk: Deal: 3 out of 10, 10.7 miles (17.2km) L=2.30

The weather forecast suggests it might be a fine weekend, hopefully making the travelling time worthwhile. You should arrive in Deal around 16.30. which give 2 hours for the optional 5 mile extension to Sandwich, before sunset at 18.30.

Travel: Get the 0942 high speed train to Dover Priory from St Pancras International, arrives 1049. Buy a Super Off Peak return to Deal (ÂŁ30.30 or ÂŁ19.95 with railcard fare to Sandwich seems to be the same price as that to Deal). If you know your travel plans, there is a slightly cheaper Advance ticket.
Return trains are xx03 (via Dover) and xx25 (via Ramsgate). You can save money by travelling from Charing Cross 0840 arrive 1034, but with longer journey times.

Lunch: The Coastguard (01304 853176, http://www.thecoastguard.co.uk/) on the beach at St Margaret’s Bay ( food until 2.45).

Sandwich Extension
There are a number of options for walking to Sandwich, but the most direct is turning away from the coast at The Sandwich Bay Estate. Continuing to follow the Saxon Way increases the distance to 6 miles.
  • 02-Oct-16

    This comment has been removed by the author.

  • 02-Oct-16

    6 . rain windy sunshine Luckily we were in Dover when the clouds opened up and sheltered in shop doorways, watching the Tudor Festival parade get soaking wet. A morning of frequent showers and slippery paths (not good on a cliff walk!). The Coastguard was busy and booked up, but the 4 pub lunch people squeezed onto a small bar table. The afternoon was dry and we had blue skies for an enjoyable tea on the pier. We all returned from Deal.

    One of us had previously done the Sandwich extension, and said it wasn't that good, but best done in June for the flowers on the beach.

Sat, 13-Jun-15
Walker
Saturday Second Walk - the White Cliffs of Dover
Book 2, walk 30 - Dover to Deal t=2.30
Length: 17.2km (10.7 miles)
Toughness: 3 out of 10

9.40 train from Charing Cross to Dover, arriving 11.31

OR

10.08 Southeastern High Speed train from St Pancras International to Ashford, arriving 10.46, to connect with the above train at 11.00 (and so also arrive at Dover at 11.31)

High speed types could also get the 10.37 from St Pancras direct to Dover, arriving 11.41, which would give you an extra half hour in bed. Note that there is a Meet-Up group of walkers travelling on this train, however. It is a led walk, so we ought to easily show them a clean pair of heels, but I thought the ten minute head start offered by the train choice above might the useful. The Meet-Ups are asked to bring a packed lunch and so hopefully will not clutter up the lunch pub.

 Buy a day return to Deal: there is a big advantage to taking the high speed train when coming back from this walk: see note at the end of this post.

For walk directions click here or bring book two.

This walk along England's ramparts is a joy at any time of the year, but especially now when its wildflowers are at their best. In particular, the "boring bit" (a term others use, but not me!!) along Walmer and Deal beaches is enlivened by a spectacular display (see photo, taken this year), and the section before that (St Margaret's Bay onwards) usually has plenty of pretty sainfoin (a pink pea flower).

Lunch is usually taken at the Coastguard Inn overlooking the sea in St Margaret's Bay, but there are all sorts of tea room alternatives - one in the South Foreland Lighthouse that you can access without paying the admission fee, one in the museum opposite the park as you come into St Margaret's Bay, a tea kiosk on St Margaret's Beach and the Blue Birds Tea Room just beyond St M (though the latter is often full).

For tea I particularly like the cafe at the end of Deal Pier, which has a wonderful view of the sea and the town - much nicer than you expect when you see it from the shore. But there are other favourites discovered by walkers on previous outings, including the Pop Up Cafe at 16 High Street.

The little walking tour of Deal contained in the directions is often skipped by walkers, but only takes 15 minutes and is very scenic.

Trains back from Deal now go direct to St Pancras with no need to change, leaving at 31 past till at least 21.31 and taking just 1 hr 23 minutes. But you have to pay the high speed supplement to do this (about ÂŁ3 with a Network Card and you must have a ticket from London Terminals not a zone boundary.)

If you want to return by normal train to Charing Cross you now have to change at Ashford (arriving at 15 past and leaving at 35 past) giving a total journey time of 2hrs 22 minutes.


  • Anonymous
    12-Jun-15

    Intend catching the 10:08, but joining at Stratford

  • 14-Jun-15

    Saturday 13 June: Book 2 walk 30 Dover to Deal: 19 on this walk, cloud clearing to sun . Interestingly, 17 of the party came on the high speed train, with only 2 coming from Charing Cross. One took the direct high speed train arriving 10 minutes later and reported it was, as advertised, crowded with the Meet Up group, but we did not have any other sighting of them during the day.

    The morning was disappointingly cold, grey and windy, but by the time we got to St Margaret's Bay the sun was breaking through and it turned into a lovely afternoon, a bit breezy but also warm. The poor morning weather meant the Coastguard pub at St M's was gratifyingly empty and we had a lovely lunch by the sea: but someone tell them it is clunky to order drinks at the bar, wait for a waitress to take a table order and then have to go back to the bar to pay.

    There were nice cliff top flowers in the afternoon and those on Walmer Beach were still good, though fading a bit. I don't know where the faster walkers went but eight of us had tea at the very scenic pier-end cafe in Deal. I also had two swims in the sea, the second one at sunset, and found the water much warmer than eight days ago…..but no one else was tempted.