The Routes: Four Walks. One Extraordinary Corner of England
Each of these routes begins, or ends, at the top of Lighthouse Road, in St Margarets at Cliffe. That’s not a coincidence. It’s what makes staying here so special, and all will be explained…
No. 1: Lighthouse Road to South Foreland Lighthouse
Step through the kissing gate and cross grass topped fields laced with wildflowers. In front of you proudly sits a WWII shelter nestled within the foliage – still keeping looked out across the English Channel. Turn right onto easy to walk pathways that slice between green fields, woodland and cliff edges and in just 10 minutes the first lighthouse in the world to be fitted with an electric light and the site from which Marconi sent the first international wireless signal comes into view. The National Trust now cares for the building, and there’s a bijou tearoom inside that is frozen in time. The views stay with you.
No. 2: South Foreland Lighthouse to Dover Castle
Extend the lighthouse walk and continue south-west along the cliff top path towards Dover — one of the great coastal walks in the south of England. This one hour walk on the edge of England and the famous white cliffs of Dover grow increasingly dramatic as you approach the castle. Dover Castle looms on the headland: Iron Age, Roman, Norman, and Napoleonic all layered onto a single hill.
No. 3: Lighthouse Road to St Margaret’s Bay
The short walk down to the bay itself is perfect for a morning stroll or a post-supper wander to the water’s edge. From the top of Lighthouse Road the path drops gently through open farmland before descending to the village and the beach. St Margaret’s Bay is a sheltered cove with a pebble beach, the Channel directly ahead and The Coastguard pub right at the waterfront — open fires, local ales, and sea views from every table. The Pines Garden, six acres of organic planting with a tearoom and a bronze of Winston Churchill, is a few minutes’ walk from the shore.
No. 4: Lighthouse Road to Kingsdown — and on to Deal
Head north along the clifftop and the path opens up into one of the finest stretches of coast in Kent — chalk giving way to shingle, the sea always to your right, the farmland of the Downs to your left. Kingsdown is a quiet village with a shingle beach and a pub, and makes an excellent halfway point for lunch. Continue north and the path eventually drops into Deal — a proper seaside town with a medieval castle, an Elizabethan pier and excellent independent cafés. Walk the whole route in a single long day, or split it across two afternoons.
WHERE TO STAY: Five Cottages. One Extraordinary Setting.
All four routes above begin from the same point — the top of Lighthouse Road. That’s where our St Margaret’s cottages sit. Which means from the moment you arrive, every walk on this page is accessible directly from your Foreland Cottage door.
Introducing our perfectly positioned St Margarets cottages
Tucked away at the end of a long hedge-lined private road and set on a pristinely manicured private farm, our St Margaret’s cottages make you feel wonderfully removed from the rush of the world. Right from the lavender edged front door, a private footpaths lead straight into the rolling Kent countryside and (you guessed it) – Liverpool Road. No driving, no car parking, just the path ahead. Wander the infamous White Cliffs and scenic walking routes before recharging in peaceful surrounding. Each one nestled within a converted barn with grazing horses just beyond the window – each one offering slightly different decoration.
