DISCOVERKENT
WALK THIS WAY CONT .
DEAL
ROYAL ST GEORGES
DEAL CASTLE
Rugged Cliffs and Ocean Views
Kent ’ s coastline is a delicate ribbon of dramatic cliffs , sandy and shingle beaches mixed in with mysterious marshlands . The cliffs at Dover , St Margaret ’ s and Folkestone evoke a special flavour of history and romance combined , alluding to treacherous tales of the sea and those that became entangled with it . The route that takes walkers from Sandwich through Deal and Kingsdown ending in St Margaret ’ s Bay , is about ten miles long in its entirety and is best walked on a dry , sunny day . This route does not take you back to your starting point unless you decide to retrace your steps back .
The first leg of the route uses part of the ancient highway which once ran from Sandwich to Deal and must have been well known to the smugglers . Today , many visitors walk this route for the golf at Royal St Georges . The path also passes through the eye-catching houses of the Sandwich Bay Estate and St Margaret ’ s Bay , as well as the tops of the iconic White Cliffs and past the former Dover Coastguard Station .
Starting at the medieval Cinque Port town of Sandwich , have a morning coffee at The Bell Hotel ( www . bellhotelsandwich . co . uk ) before embarking upon your route . Start with the ancient toll bridge behind you and the River Stour with its bobbing boats on your left and follow this for quite some time until you reach the quiet road that will take you to the entrance of Sandwich Bay Estate . Follow the road through the estate and marvel at each uniquely stunning house until you hit the bay itself . Follow the sea wall to the right , and along the shoreline , you will pass the iconic St George ’ s Golf Club on your right and the wildlife dense , shingle beach of Sandwich Bay will eventually turn into Deal , with more seafront houses emerging on your right as you enter the town . Again , each one has its own individual character and splendour to admire on your right , while the glittering sea stays on your left . Keep walking , Deal Pier will come into view on your left . If you want to add extra miles , wander down the pier to the marvellous Deal Pier Kitchen ( www . dealpierkitchen . com ) or go to The Kings Head ( www . kingsheaddeal . co . uk ) on the seafront for a drink and a light bite .
Continue on your way , admiring Deal seafront which is one of the most picturesque to be found anywhere on the south-east coast . Pass by Deal Castle ( www . english-heritage . org . uk / visit / places / dealcastle ) on your right , and to your left keep the shingle beach festooned with fishing boats . The quiet waters just off the coast are known as The Downs , a safe natural anchorage for shipping that may otherwise run aground on the treacherous Goodwin Sands , which lie further out to sea and have been the setting for hundreds of tragic shipwrecks throughout the centuries . The sands are mentioned in Shakespeare ' s The Merchant of Venice as a place where the eponymous merchant lost one of his ships . As many as 50,000 men may have perished on these sands , and there are many tales of ghost ships having been sighted here – sometimes masts can still be seen poking out of the waters ! As well as a few seals bobbing about .
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