Imagine walking the entire way around England’s coast on one, continuous path.

That will be a reality in just three years’ time when the National Trail will take walkers on the Coastal Path. Kent is one of the first counties where work has started.

Natural England, Kent County Council and Kent Ramblers have been devising routes for two sections of path – from Camber (just over the border in Sussex) to Folkestone and from Folkestone to Ramsgate, a total of 66 miles.

Both sections were opened by Andrew Sells, chairman of Natural England, at the White Cliffs Visitor Centre at Langdon Cliffs in the summer.

Kent Ramblers have produced an 80-page full-colour route guide The Kent Ramblers’ Guide to Kent Coast Path, Part I: Camber to Ramsgate by Robert Peel and Peter Smith, that includes maps, information about sights on and near the path and information about the geology, geography and history of the area.

Robert, who is Kent Ramblers secretary, said: “Work is in progress on further sections of the Kent Coast Path.

“Work on the section from Ramsgate to Whitstable is well under way and further sections onwards to Gravesend will follow.

“From Gravesend those walking the England Coast Path will take a ferry across the Thames estuary into Essex.”

Kent’s coastline is more varied than that of any other county in England from the shingle desert of Dungeness past the reclaimed sheep pasture of Romney Marsh, the White Cliffs above Dover and the sand dunes north of Deal to the Isle of Thanet.

It is also a coastline that has changed more than any other since Roman times when Romney Marsh was sea and Thanet really was an island.

Thanks to its position between London and the continent, Kent has played a prominent role in English history which has left its mark along the coast as strongly as elsewhere in the county, not least the castles and other fortifications that have kept would-be invaders at bay for nearly 1,000 years.

Although the path follows the coastline as far as possible, there are places where it is not possible.

In Kent there are two coastal military firing ranges, at Lydd and Hythe, and the path takes inland detours to avoid them.

It is still possible to follow the coastline affected by the firing ranges when firing is not taking place but there are only a few days each month when this is the case.

DETAILS

The Kent Ramblers’ Guide to Kent Coast Path, Part I: Camber to Ramsgate by Robert Peel and Peter Smith costs £6 including a free copy of the group’s previous book, when ordered from Kent Ramblers at kentramblers.org.uk/books until the end of September.

What's On's Book Club is inside your local KM paid for paper every month.

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