SWC 13: Folkestone Circular or along the dramatic cliffs to Dover
Train: Take the 10:04 AM Ramsgate bound train from London St. Pancras (10:12 at Stratford International), arriving in Folkestone at 11:02 AM OR for those preferring the slow coach, take the 9:04 AM from London Charring Cross (9:13 at London Bridge), arriving Folkestone at 10:43 and wait for the arrival of the fast train. Return trains from Folkestone are at 56 minutes past the hour for the fast train and 38 past the hour for the slow train and from Dover are at 45 minutes past for the fast train and 28 minutes past for the slow train. Buy a day return to Folkestone or Dover if planning to continue along the cliffs.
Distance: 8.8 miles/13.9km for the Folkestone Circular or 9.2 miles/14.8 km for the route to Dover
Difficulty: 5 out of 10 on average with one steep climb
Given the extreme heat, I thought this relatively short walk with lots of swimming opportunities might fit the bill for those not going to Lyme Regis. There are several swimming options in Folkstone itself, the Mermaid beach near where you descend the zig zag path, the sandy town beach and the warren (if the area is open -- see note below). For those not interested in swimming or indeed much walking, you can explore Folkestone Artworks, the UK's largest urban outdoor exhibition of contemporary art. There are several maps with various routes through the town exploring different aspects of Folkestone. More information on the walk and the directions/gpx can be found here.
The suggested lunch stop is either a picnic or the Royal Oak ( 01303 244 787 ), a basic pub, about half way along the circular or linear walk. There are plenty of options for refreshies in Folkstone and Dover.
Distance: 8.8 miles/13.9km for the Folkestone Circular or 9.2 miles/14.8 km for the route to Dover
Difficulty: 5 out of 10 on average with one steep climb
Given the extreme heat, I thought this relatively short walk with lots of swimming opportunities might fit the bill for those not going to Lyme Regis. There are several swimming options in Folkstone itself, the Mermaid beach near where you descend the zig zag path, the sandy town beach and the warren (if the area is open -- see note below). For those not interested in swimming or indeed much walking, you can explore Folkestone Artworks, the UK's largest urban outdoor exhibition of contemporary art. There are several maps with various routes through the town exploring different aspects of Folkestone. More information on the walk and the directions/gpx can be found here.
The suggested lunch stop is either a picnic or the Royal Oak ( 01303 244 787 ), a basic pub, about half way along the circular or linear walk. There are plenty of options for refreshies in Folkstone and Dover.
As a note: Last September, the Warren area was closed to repair the sea defenses -- a diversion was posted and the walk notes include an option to avoid the warren. Based on all the timelines provided, this work should have been completed by the end of March -- so hopefully with a nearly 3 month cushion, it is complete! Fingers crossed..... If the area is still closed, you will need to carry-on to Dover or do more of an out and back to the Royal Oak, as the circular route would sadly no longer work.....
Keep cool and enjoy the walk and the swims!
#2026-06-27T10:04
T=swc.13
L=swc.13
1 comment:
N=1 on this walk, I hear, in w=hot-sun. She took an earlier train to have a swim at the Mernaid Beach (which is off the main walk route…) but saw no others subsequently, so assumed there were none.
The sea wall in the Warren was still partly closed off for repairs (which is good news as it was getting seriously cracked), with work due to take a good while longer yet, but our hero circumvented the barriers, as other locals were also doing, and managed to get to the path up the cliffs. At the top she stopped for refreshment at the Royal Oak, which has a small outside area (not quite a garden), apparently.
Later she did a side visit to Samphire Hoe there and had tea there. She did the full walk across the Western Heights and in general was delighted with the route, which she had never done before.
She did not file a walk report because she didn’t want the walk poster to know that only one person turned up. But reader, this is better than knowing that none did… And any reports on the route or pub can be useful for future posters.
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