Walk 67: Sandwich and the Sea

Distance: 6.9 miles (3 hours) OS Map: Explorer 150 (Start at grid reference TR 334582)

Follow broad tarmac path in easterly direction away from quayside. After about 200 metres join Saxon Shore Way (SSW) coming in from right; from here route follows SSW until end of coastal section.

After another 100 metres go left across metal footbridge and follow path round to right. At T-junction turn left, soon bearing round to right. Ignoring path which branches off to left (carrying England Coast Path), keep straight on for about half a mile to another metal bridge.

Go half right after metal bridge crossing field for 80m to reach roadway via gate. Cross road and then almost immediately through another gate to another road then entering Royal St Georges Golf Club entering a fenced off area.

From here SSW is well marked. Go forward across golf course along mown track, soon passing thatched shelter on right. 100 metres past shelter cross fairway keeping left of putting green. The path is marked by succession of signstones, white posts and notices "To the Sea". In rather less than three quarters of a mile reach road, Princes Drive.

Turn right along road for about half a mile to Sandwich Bay Estate. At end of estate continue through gate beside barrier along bank. Pass the Royal Cinque Ports golf course.

After passing an oil drum painted red and white, take first path on right (now leaving SSW) across course and in 300 metres emerge onto road by former Chequers pub, now cookery school.

Turn right and stay on road for 350 metres to two finger posts. Bear left along asphalt road and shortly bear left up bank towards metal gates. Do not go through gates but turn right along bank. Follow bank, which can be a bit overgrown in midsummer, past Mary Bax Stone and bungalow on left.

Shortly after bungalow, bear left down bank to stile and follow path along edge of series of fields passing through several kissing gates to reach dirt road. The Bird Observatory is 200 metres to right.

Go straight across road and pass through first of several kissing gates (installed by the stiles team of White Cliffs Ramblers) to reach road at toll house. Turn left and follow road into Sandwich. Soon after passing St George's Road on left, path on right will take you back to quayside.

Points of Interest

Sandwich Bay Estate -- A private estate for the wealthy, begun in 1912 by the Earl of Guilford and including houses by celebrated architects such as Sir Edwin Lutyens.

Bird Observatory -- The Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory is just a short detour from the route and offers refreshments as well as much information about birds.

Sandwich -- One of the original Cinque Ports with many 16th and 17th century houses, some with overhanging ("jettied") upper storeys.

Public Transport -- Parking in Sandwich is expensive except on Sundays when the Guildhall car park is free. Travel by train might therefore be a better option with the station only a few minutes walk from the quayside.

Thanks to Ted Roche for originally devising this route for the White Cliffs Calendar; the directions have been updated by Robert Peel.

There are plenty more walks like this one at www.kentramblers.org.uk/kentwalks

The Named Walks Project

The aim of this project is to promote and improve Kent's many fine long-distance and other named walks. The project involves several related activities:

The project is self-funding with the surplus from the sale of books funding all other activities within the project. We have raised over £14,000 from book sales and we have another £10,000 inherited from earlier projects such as the Wealdway Steering Group which was wound up more than fifteen years ago.

We have so far published four guidebooks:

We have installed two information boards:

We are investigating the possibility of expanding the project to include Parish Footpath Maps. There are currently 130 such maps in metal frames in prominent locations in Kent villages. They were originally installed by Kent County Council and have not stood up well to years of sun and rain, with some completely illegible.

RP