walkerSOUTH EAST No. 99 September 2017 Coast path makes progress in Essex and Kent rogress on developing coast path in Kent with a number the England Coast Path of potentially contentious issues Pnational trail in Essex and to be addressed, especially around Kent has continued with Natural Faversham. If necessary, Ian England conducting further will attend any public hearings route consultations this summer. Ramblers volunteers have been or inquiries to defend the route very involved with the project proposed by Natural England. from the beginning, surveying Consultation on this section closed routes and providing input to on 16 August. proposals. The trail, scheduled Meanwhile I have started work to be completed in 2020, will run on the second part of the Area's for about 2,795 miles/4.500km. guide to the Kent Coast Path which is planned to cover the route from Kent Ramsgate to Gravesend (or possibly It is now over a year since the section of the England Coast Path further upriver). I've got as far as from Camber to Ramsgate opened Reculver, site of both a Roman fort in July 2016. Since then work has and the remains of a 12th century been underway to extend the route church whose twin towers have long in an anti-clockwise direction. been a landmark for shipping. On The route of the next section from the way I have passed delightful Ramsgate to Whitstable has been beaches and limestone coves as well determined by the Secretary of as sea stacks at Botany Bay and the State but the signage and the works Turner Contemporary art gallery at necessary to create a new path along Margate. Even on a fine day near Margate the lone the edge of the North Foreland coast walker can find deserted promenades. Golf Course near Kingsgate Castle The first part of the guide has have not yet begun. sold well, proceeds since publication On the coast near Reculver. Photo: Robert Peel In June Natural England issued having covered the printing costs a consultation document on the so that sales are now generating proposed route of the 36 miles/58km profits for the Ramblers. Copies section from Whitstable to Iwade of the Part 1 Camber to Ramsgate Let's walk in Beds (where the path will make a detour guide are still available from www. e hope the yellow- History' tour at Cardington, and programme. Enquiries can be to go around the 32 mile/51km kentramblers.org.uk/books and topped programme the 'Fascinating Secrets of Queens sent to organiser@bedswalkfest. coastline of the Isle of Sheppey). for this year's Park' in Bedford. We also have co,uk. Much of the route follows the anyone quoting South East Walker W before 30 September can have it at Bedfordshire Walking Festival a walk entitled 'Five Mills and a One of the best things about existing long distance path, the (9 -17 September) will feel 16th Century Church' which will the festival is meeting new faces a special price of £5.50 (including Saxon Shore Way. However, there as welcoming as the many include a baked potato lunch and a and renewing acquaintances with are several improvements facilitated postage but not the additional book yellow-topped marker posts tour of one of the mills. Each year people we see year after year. by improved sea defences near available free to those paying the our volunteer footpath workers the festival seeks new innovations Whether you are one of the new Seasalter and a new bridge across price advertised on the website). have been installing on paths in and this year we will have a 'Trails faces or one of the regulars may Milton Creek. Nevertheless, Kent Robert Peel the Beds countryside. and Tales' evening social walk and we offer you a hearty welcome Ramblers Coastal Access Officer, Secretary, Kent Ramblers Inside are 18 pages of walks for talk at Clophill and hope the weather stays kind Ian Wild, anticipates that this is almost all ability levels together The nine days of good walking for you to enjoy our range of walks likely to be the trickiest section of Continued on page 2 with 30 pages of information culminate with the two-day and events. about the county, the Ramblers, Greensand Ridge Challenge over Barry Ingram England Coast Path - Stretch Progress and all the organisations which the weekend of 16-17 September. Chair, Bedfordshire Ramblers South East Hub Team - 30th June 2017 support the festival. The walks This enjoyable yet challenging Stretch Names programme is colour-coded so 40-mile walk crosses the county 9 1 Shoreham to Eastbourne ") Tilbury 2 Eastbourne to Camber Woolwich ") MEDWAY Grain ") Sheerness that readers can easily choose the from east to west along the ridge 3 ") Camber to Folkestone Gravesend ") 6 4 5 Folkestone to Ramsgate 8 type of walk most suitable for of greensand which divides ") 5 Rochester Ramsgate to Whitstable ") Herne Bay 6 Isle of Sheppey Ramsgate ") them. the county. The route offers ") 7 7 Whitstable to Iwade Sittingbourne 8 Iwade to Grain Along with a range of rambles walkers much to savour and the ") 9 Grain to Woolwich Canterbury ") Sandwich ") Maidstone Stretch Progress in the beautiful Bedfordshire satisfaction of a certificate on England Coast Path and associated access rights now open KENT countryside there will be a completion. Approved but not yet open, 4 establishment works planned ") Ashford ") or in progress Dover number of 'Informative Interest Many of the festival walks ") Royal Tunbridge Wells Proposals published but not yet determined Folkestone ") Walks' where the leader will do not require booking and Proposals in development Other provide information (sufficient are free. A number do require 3 County & Unitary Boundaries but hopefully not an overload) on booking and have a charge Rye ") Lydd ") EAST SUSSEX WEST SUSSEX points of interest. Examples of which is clearly shown in the these include a 'Castle to Castle' programme as well as on the ") Lewes Hastings ") 2 ") Brighton 0 2 4 8 12 Kilometres walk from Yelden to Sharnbrook, website at www.bedswalkfest. Eastbourne 0 2 4 8 12 Miles ") a 'Reading the Landscape Around co.uk. Most bookings can be 1 © Crown copyright and database right 2017. All rights reserved. Natural England ³ Licence No. 100022021 Us' walk from Leighton Buzzard, made either via the website or by a 'Small Village with a Big using the bookings page in the The programme The England Coast Path in Kent. Photo: Natural England 2 South East Walker September 2017 Continued from page 1 Grain to Woolwich New London went along in June to meet Although they have yet to publish riverside access is expected to be the young and enthusiastic their preferred detailed route, they included as part of the planning Loop guidebook I team at Natural England were expecting this to follow mostly consent. who are developing plans for existing rights of way where these Elsewhere along the route, the 48-mile/78km Grain to exist beside the Thames. They deviations from the Thames are published Woolwich stretch of the England were also expecting to incorporate likely. They were expecting the Coast Path. This was going to be new access to Broadness Salt route to be diverted inland around completely new version of about half of which was then signed the Grain to Gravesend stretch Marsh at Swanscombe where, if most of Grain, with a spur to the the guide to the London and described in leaflets. but the upriver end was changed a theme park and entertainment village itself. They doubted if they Loop has been published The guide was written by to Woolwich in April to better centre development goes ahead would get cooperation to develop a A by Aurum Press. Following the David Sharp, already the author link with the Thames Path. (Paramount pulled out in June), route around the firing range over demise of its original author, of the Thames Path guide in the Lees Marshes, the old BP refinery David Sharp, it has been written same Aurum Press series. In an site to the active gas and container by Colin Saunders, who already introduction, David wrote: "The terminals. has the companion guides to the Loop was planned to take in the There are also industrial wharfs Capital Ring and North Downs best countryside while trying to at Greenhithe and Northfleet where Way in his portfolio. ensure that every key point where they are not hopeful of gaining There are several changes, the you would want to join it or leave access. main one being that, instead of it was accessible with a Travelcard, From Dartford to Woolwich the the original 15 sections, it has been or for London's lucky pensioners, a route is likely to follow the Thames reworked to match the official Freedom Pass. But London is an Path Extension 24 sections, thus avoiding the odd shape. Across the north, the They are not expecting the confusion that existed under the urban boundary is easy to define; Environment Agency to provide old arrangement. indeed it is significant that the Loop access across the flood barrier at Three route improvements are touches on several Underground the mouth of the River Darent described, all north of the Thames, termini - Uxbridge, Stanmore, and expect the route will need to though they are unofficial at High Barnet, Cockfosters - the divert towards Dartford and back present, as Transport for London edge of London in every sense. up the other bank of the river. You and the relevant highway authorities South of the Thames, the pattern can read more on this stretch at have yet to authorise the changes.