Michaels Reisetagebuch: Meine fünf Jahre in England - Coastal Walk: St Margaret's-at-Cliffe

I. Short description:

A short walk around St Margaret's at Cliffe, full of historical and literary connections and taking in a short section along the famous White Cliffs of Dover. On clear days there are glorious views across the Channel to France.

II. Getting there:

Road: A258 from Dover, then B road to St Margaret's-at-Cliffe
Car parks: On the seafront at St Margaret's-at-Cliffe Council car park
Foot: Part of the White Cliffs Country Trail
Bus: 80/90/113 from Dover, stop at the top of Bay Hill
Rail: At Martin Mill or Dover Priory, then taxi

Maps and start grid ref: OS Landranger 179 gr TR 368 445, Explorer 138.
Detailed walk leaflets available from July 2006 from the NT properties nearby
Facilities available: Cafés, toilets, hotels and shops available in the village
Terrain: Easy walking conditions
Distance: 2.5 miles
Accessibility: Height gain of 60m over the walk. Cliffs are dangerous (children should be supervised on these sections).

III. Points of interest:

Follow the path from the car park with the sea on your left to the Pines Garden and beyond. Continue on this path looking out for:

1. Pines Garden: Six acres of parkland, with lakes, waterfalls, a grass labyrinth and a statue of Sir Winston Churchill and St Margaret's Museum. The museum contains local and maritime history, including displays about smuggling, ship wrecks and military activity.

2. South Foreland Lighthouse: Built to protect shipping from the moving Goodwin Sands. The Lighthouse was used by Marconi to transmit his first radio broadcast to France, and by Faraday for electrical experiments.

3. St Margaret of Antioch church: Twelfth-century church with interesting rounded arches and doorways.

4. Second World War remains: Part of the coastal defences with remains of gun emplacements, observation posts and ancillary buildings.

5. Dover Patrol Memorial: This marks where the last bomb of the First World War was dropped in England in 1918. It stands on the highest point of the cliffs at St Margaret's Bay. The memorial, an obelisk commemorates the achievements of the Dover Patrol, which included the defence of the Straits of Dover and the convoy of troops to France, and the wounded home, during the Great War. Near the car park are the former homes of playwright Noel Coward and author Ian Fleming ("James Bond"). Property contact details: Tel.: 01304-202756 (Visitor Centre)

National Trust properties nearby: South Foreland Lighthouse, White Cliffs Visitor Centre.