Length: 18.5 km (11.5 mi)
Ascent/Descent: negligible; Net Walking Time: 4 hours
Toughness: 2/10
Take the 10.26 Rainham (Kent) Thameslink train from Kentish Town (calls St. Pancras 10.32, Farringdon, Blackfriars, London Bridge 10.48, Deptford, Greenwich etc.), arrives Higham 11.49.
You can also take the 10.52 Sittingbourne train from St. Pancras I’nal (Stratford I’nal 10.59), change Gravesend (11.17/11.43). High Speed surcharge needed!
Return trains from Gravesend: Stopping services to Charing X (via Hither Green) on xx.18 and xx.48; High Speed trains to St. Pancras (via Stratford) on xx.42, Thameslink services (via LBG and St. Pancras) on xx.59.
This is a flat walk on the periphery of the
Hoo Peninsula in northern Kent that visits the
RSPB Reserve at Cliffe Pools, one of the most important wildlife habitats in the UK. You also take lunch in the interesting village of Cliffe whose history can be traced back to Norman times and possibly earlier. At low tide the extensive estuary mud flats are exposed and there are more opportunities to view the bird life. This walk is best done in autumn or spring to get the best out of the bird-watching opportunities as you walk around the path bordering the huge lakes and mud-flats of Cliffe Pools and by the river Thames. It is not a typical countryside walk and you are aware of the industrial heritage of the area but the spectacular landscape of open water, marshes and big skies is evocative and atmospheric with a rich sense of history. There are gravel working operations at Cliffe Fort but this does not detract too much from the walk.
Lunch:
The Six Bells in
Cliffe (5.9 km/3.7 mi, food 12.00-18.00).
Tea: not much, how about a Costa Coffee?
For
summary,
map,
height profile,
photos, walk directions and
gpx/kml files click
here. T=swc.209
As Thomas's post makes clear this is not your typical SWC walk. Pretty it ain't but it is different (see the photos on the walk's page) and there are some good birdwatching opportunitiesat Cliffe Pools.