Putting Down Routes – Folkestone to Dover Walk with Black Girls Hike

The Putting Down Routes team and project partner Black Girls Hike are delighted to offer this unforgettable clifftop walk in Kent.

We’ll enjoy stunning views over Folkestone, The Warren Country Park, Samphire Hoe Nature Reserve, and Dover as we hike along the North Downs.

As we continue, we’ll find the Abbotts Cliff Sound Mirror, built in 1928. Its concave shape allowed it to detect the sound of approaching planes, serving as an early warning system in the First World War.

Keep climbing, and we’ll be treated to views over Samphire Hoe Nature Reserve. This unique area was created from chalk dug out during the Channel Tunnel construction and opened in 1993. Today, it’s home to 200 plant species and 220 bird species.

Before we reach Dover, we’ll descend Shakespeare Cliff. This impressive cliff is believed to have inspired a passage in Shakespeare’s King Lear, written when he often visited Dover.

Please note

This is a safe space for Black/Mixed Race cis and trans women and non-binary people of Black African and/or Caribbean descent who are comfortable in a space that centres the experiences of Black women. We are not a BAME, POC, BIPOC,WOC, Politically Black or Ally organisation.

This is a challenging route due to the steep sections and the length of the walk. A good level of fitness is required and please wear boots with ankle support.

Please make sure you bring: Lunch, snacks and plenty of water. Please wear walking boots with ankle support. Please also bring any medication you require.

This event is part of the North Downs Way National Trail and Kent Downs National Landscape’s Putting Down Routes Project. Working with partners Wild With Wheels and Black Girls Hike. This is funded through The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Defra’s Farming in Protected Landscapes.