Dover to Folkestone The Start
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It’s the 1st October 17 and my adventure starts today. The weather forecast is a little poor with light rain and high winds, but nothing is going to dampen my enthusiasm to get started. I am meeting six members of the Wrong Roaders walking club a railway based walking club in the Southeast of England. All are members of the Dover Branch Barry Plant, Brian Corlett, Tony Driscoll, Paul Clennell, Andrew Millard and Daniel Storey who arrives 15 minutes late! We eventually set off from Dover Priory train station to walk the small distance to the start at Marine Parade. On arrival we take a few photos and head off towards the inner harbour and along the seafront.
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Within minutes we hit our first obstacle, both piers are shut. One is being redesigned the other due to high winds. So I will return in the future to add these small distances as I wish to walk all piers on route. Our next set back soon arrives and we can not walk along Shakespeare beach due to the tide state and high winds. So for us it’s a walk beside the A20 Archcliffe Road, which we cross and eventually find the footpath. Away from the road we climb up and over Shakespeare Cliff via the North Downs Way footpath.
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At Round Down we decide to drop down to Samphire tunnel which takes us down through the cliff into Samphire Hoe Country Park giving me a chance to walk closer to the foreshore. To our surprise our walk had coincided with the Battle of Britain running challenge and the pleasant exchanges between us walkers and the runners through the tight tunnel brings to the surface a great sense of humour from both sides. Once at Samphire the cliffs above look stunning and for a man made promenade its an ideal place to visit for a cuppa. http://www.samphirehoe.com/uk/visit-us/
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Knowing the tide was falling we continue towards Lydden Spout and onto the beach below Abbot’s Cliff. A word of warning, if there was a mean high tide this beach could be impassable. It’s the Folkestone Art College Triennial 2017 and recently this area has become a hot bed for artists to display their masterpieces and we were soon greeted with another great example featuring a whale. http://www.folkestonetriennial.org.uk/
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Nearing Folkestone the sea state was a photographers delight and the rain was easing with occasional showers. The easier part of the walk was now ahead and the delights of Folkestone harbour arm with its pop up restaurants awaited us. http://folkestoneharbourarm.co.uk/
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After walking through the beautiful East Cliff & Warren Country Park we entered Folkestone. We passed the seafood stalls on the harbour side and then crossed the newly opened railway line footbridge before arriving at the harbour arm lighthouse and at the end of today’s short symbolic start to my adventures. Thank you to Dover’s finest for joining me on this short section. 9.37 miles.
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