Recreational Route: Southern England
Gravesend - Hastings
261km/163 miles
Interesting walk around the old coastline of Kent as it was in Roman times, along the Thames Estuary, down the Wantsum Channel, along the White Cliffs and on into Sussex. The section between Dover and Rye forms part of the English variant of the European Coast Path E9, and the whole route is part of the South East Walks Network.
The Swale Heritage Trail provides an 18.5km/11.5-mile alternative route to the Way between Murston and Goodnestone through marshes and orchards.
The Thanet Coastal Path continues on a 32km/20-mile journey around the coast of the Isle of Thanet from Reculver via Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate to Pegwell Bay, while the Saxon Shore Way follows an inland route via the Wantsum channel and river Stour. Much of the route is shared with the Viking Coastal Trail cycling route. Between Herne Bay and Birchington the Shore Way and Coastal Path are also promoted as the Wantsum Walk (13km/8 miles). Currently, rejoining the Shore Way from the Coastal Path at Pegwell Bay involves a long road walk towards Sandwich.
The Maritime Heritage Trail is a project to market the coastal routes around both Kent and Pas de Calais on the French side of the Channel. Two leaflets are available covering the section of the Saxon Shore Way between Whitstable and Reculver, with links to Whitstable and Herne Bay stations, and the Thanet Coastal Path/Viking Coastal Trail between Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate stations. These routes are also open to cyclists.
Four interconnected circular walks linking to the Saxon Shore Way between Rye and Hastings, of between 11km/7 miles and 16km/10 miles, are also marketed as the Maritime Heritage Trail: see the Rye Bay Countryside Pack below.
Some sections of the route are suitable for those with mobility problems, for example along the Swale and between Sittingbourne and Grove Ferry. See contacts below for more details.
Connects with
- 1066 Countryside Walk (E9)
- Elham Valley Way
- GR du Littoral (E9, via ferry Dover-Calais, for E2)
- Greensand Way
- High Weald Landscape Trail
- Medway Valley Walk
- North Downs Way
- Royal Military Canal Path
- Stour Valley Walk (Kent)
- Swale Heritage Trail
- Sussex Border Path
- Thanet Coastal Path
- Vanguard Way
- Wantsum Walks
Highway Authorities
Tourist Information Centres
- Battle 01424 773721
- Broadstairs 01843 862242
- Canterbury 01227 766567
- Deal 01304 369576
- Dover 01304 205108
- Faversham 01795 534542
- Folkestone 01303 258594
- Gravesend 01474 337600
- Hastings 01424 781111
- Herne Bay 01227 361911
- Hythe (seasonal) 01303 267799
- Margate 01843 220241
- New Romney (seasonal) 01797 364044
- Ramsgate 01843 583333
- Rochester 01634 843666
- Rye 01797 226696
Accommodation
Click here to find bed & breakfast accommodation on this path
Holiday providers
include Orchard
Maps
The Way is shown on recent editions of these maps.
Publications
- Saxon Shore Way official guidebook. A new guide to the complete route, replacing the previous guidebook by Bea Cowan, is in preparation as of December 2006.
- Walking the Saxon Shore Way Through Medway. From Rochester TIC.
Excellent booklet guide to the 41.5/26-milebetween Cliffe and Otterham Quay, Upchurch only, divided into six easy walks. OS map extracts, background information and useful contacts. - Saxon Shore Way Walks: Shorne and Higham Marshes, Brockhill Country Park. Guidebooks £1.95 each from Kent County Council
- Swale Heritage Trail. Guidebook £2.45 from Kent County Council
- Wantsum Walks: Coastal Walks in Kent. Leaflet pack £1.50 from Kent County Council.
- Thanet Coastal Path. Leaflet with notes on heritage and wildlife, though fairly unhelpful on practical walking matters. Free from Broadstairs, Margate or Ramsgate TICs (see above).
- Maritime Heritage Trail leaflet pack. Free from local information centres or the Maritime Heritage Trail website (below). Pack includes two walking/cycling routes and two other routes for cyclists and drivers.
- Rye Bay Countryside Pack, including guide to the Maritime Heritage Trail in the area. £1.50 from Rye Bay Countryside Office (see below); cheques to East Sussex County Council.
Contacts
