Step into Spring in White Cliffs Country

Explore coastal trails, spot kestrels and spring birds from the White Cliffs Path, this coast makes the perfect spring break, easily reached by train from London.

Fling open the doors open, get outside and welcome a bright new season - get ready for spring! Beautiful coastal walks, rich nature reserves and majestic castles boasting stunning seascapes await in Kent’s White Cliffs Country.  

As early as February you’ll be treated to generous drifts of snowdrops. Visit the gardens of Walmer Castle near Deal, Kearsney Abbey near Dover, Goodnestone Park Gardens and Pine Gardens in St Margaret’s Bay to spot these snowy bell-shaped beauties. 

For a blast of fresh sea air, and just over an hour by high-speed train from London, this coast is perfect for a great day out, with or without the kids in tow. 

If you’re here with all the family, take the kids to see swans, cygnets, ducks and ducklings paddling on the lakes at Kearsney Park. Spot the rare Early Spider Orchid and other wildflowers while wandering the paths of Samphire Hoe. Gaze up at the skies to glimpse birds of prey circling and cast your eyes over the horizon for distant views of France, this impressive country park just two miles from Dover nestles at the bottom of the White Cliffs, a tonic for all the senses in spring. 

Pack a picnic and get out on two wheels or simply on foot, this 20-mile stretch of coastline offers some of the top walking and cycling trails in the UK, suitable for all abilities.  Spend a couple of days discovering 21st century art and architecture along the Strait of Dover, ChalkUp 21 is a 17-mile trail stretching from Capel-le-Ferne to Deal Pier, great for walking or cycling. 

Cycle hire, including e-bikes, is readily available from Hut 55 on Deal seafront and at Dover Bike Network stations in Dover (see below). Routes include Dover to Deal and Deal to Sandwich, The Chalk and Channel Way between Dover and Folkestone and Cathedral to Coast from Dover to Canterbury.  

Dover Town Council will be relaunching their bike hire scheme in 2025 with stations across the town and at major attractions - castle, seafront and cliffs - to hire electric and regular bikes. An app is currently being produced for this year. 

Walkers are particularly spoilt with a host of coastal paths, heritage routes and cross-country trails. Dover is a ‘Walkers Are Welcome’ town – the only one in Kent – so you’ll receive a special welcome! You’ll find information on travel, walks, food and accommodation, guided walks with hidden gems, self-guided information and well-maintained paths.  

And don’t forget the dog – they’ll be as welcome as you are!  White Cliffs Country has created a list of dog-friendly places to eat, drink and stay, attractions to visit plus beaches and countryside with dog restrictions. Look out for green and white stickers saying Dogs Welcome which feature across the region. 

Visit the Roman Painted House in Dover, walk the medieval lanes of Sandwich or roam the underground tunnels of Deal Castle, this is heritage at its best.

From the world’s oldest boat and an original Magna Carta to Napoleonic forts perched overlooking the English Channel, this Kent coastline was historically England’s first line of defence. With the shortest Channel crossing, it’s always been closest to the Continent. 

So, take your pick from three magnificent castles, Dover, a medieval citadel on the cliffs and used in WWII by Churchill, Deal, a marvellous Tudor castle built by Henry VIII, and Walmer Castle and Gardens, most recently a stately home of HM the Queen Mother. 

Add to that Richborough Roman Fort, Fort Burgoyne and the Napoleonic Drop Redoubt with its rare triple-helix staircase, and you’re on a coast dripping in history and heritage. Even for the least interested in our history, it is impossible not to be impressed. 

New this year is the opening of the Roman Painted House in February half-term. Set in the heart of Dover and built nearly 2,000 years ago this is thought to be the best-preserved Roman house in the country. See its five rooms with the remains of painted murals depicting Bacchus and its impressive under-floor heating system dating back 1800 years. 

Also opening in spring is the newly renovated Maison Dieu, Dover’s magnificent Town Hall. Its £10.5m renovation has opened up previously vacant areas, a new café and holiday let, and revealed beautiful Gothic interiors. Next door is the Grade II listed Maison Dieu House, home of the town council. 

The area’s rich history has given rise to a clutch of fascinating museums, a number run entirely by volunteers. Don’t miss Dover or Deal Museums, Sandwich Guildhall (home to Sandwich’s very own 1300 Magna Carta) or the Sandwich Medieval Centre. 

Sandwich is the best-preserved Medieval town in England, stroll its winding streets, dip into its independent shops and relax in its ancient pubs. 

Food has important status throughout the town, you’ll find plenty of tearooms and cafes serving its namesake, but there are also a variety of culinary fairs and festivals, notably Le Weekend in June and Sandwich Festival in August. 

Nearby Deal has become a fixture on the tourist foodie map, local provenance at the heart of its offering. Visit award-winning butcher The Black Pig, enjoy premium coffee at Real Deal Roasters and fresh, sustainable fish at Jenkins & Sons. Dining options abound but one of the newest is The Blue Pelican which adds a clever Japanese twist to the local scene. 

If you’re searching for a thriving arts and music scene, this is the place. Choose from a number of independent music venues such as The Lighthouse in Deal whose owner won the Music Venue Trust’s Outstanding Contribution to Grassroot’s Music Award in 2024. 

Book for Smuggler’s Festival, a popular indie event which takes place in woodland on the edge of Deal on the last weekend of summer, while the grassroots independent music and arts venue, The Booking Hall, in an old railway station on Dover seafront has recently been rescued by Music Venue Properties, ensuring this vibrant music scene is secure for years to come.