Length: Main walk: 14.8km (9.2 miles)
a) Via the Cliftop Cafe: 15.9km (9.9 miles)
b) Avoiding the Warren: 15.2km (9.4 miles)
c) Folkestone Circular: 12.9km (8 miles) or 13.9km (8.6 miles)
Toughness
Toughness: Mostly 5 out of 10; the steep climb is a 9 out of 10 but this can be avoided if you do options a or b
Trains:
9.52 from Victoria – arrives Folkestone at 11.37
10.37 from London St. Pancras arrives Folkestone at 11.37 (this involves changing at Ashford Intl. Train arrives at Ashford 11.14 and you catch the 11.19 to Folkestone).
Return Trains:
From Dover Priory:
xx.00 and xx.48 for London St Pancras
xx.00 and xx.05 for Victoria
From Folkestone:
xx.58 and xx.10 to London St Pancras
xx.10 to Victoria
Ticket types: Buy return to Dover if walking there or Folkestone return
Lunch and Tea: See walk notes for options
Description:
A highly scenic coastal walk with fine sea views throughout. Walk through the interesting part of the town, and then climb up past a Martello Tower (Napoleonic-era fortification) and out into the Warren, an interesting area of wild coastland and former landslips, where you walk along concrete sea defences and then climb on a steep, but not vertiginous, path up to the top of the cliff.
The rest of the route into Dover is along the top of the chalk cliffs, passing a fascinating series of World War II installations, including a rare sound mirror (an early form of aircraft detection that was superseded by radar), and some large gun emplacements. Walking into Dover is pretty dramatic - a narrow (but not difficult) ridge between an inland valley and the sea. The walk finishes by crossing the town’s Western Heights, passing deserted 19th century forts and with wonderful views of the town and port.
Details of walk can be found here: https://www.walkingclub.org.uk/walk/folkestone-to-dover/
T=swc.13