White Cliffs of Dover walks: Langdon, South Foreland and Samphire Hoe

Two stretches of cliff, either side of the town

Dover sits in the gap the river Dour has cut through the chalk, so the white cliffs rise on both sides of it. To the east, above the ferry terminal, are Langdon Cliffs and the long open cliff top running towards South Foreland. To the west, beyond the Western Docks, is Shakespeare Cliff, with the newer ground of Samphire Hoe spread out below it. The two walks feel quite different. The eastern route is a high, airy path with the Channel and the shipping lanes always in view; the western one is lower, sheltered and centred on the sea wall at the foot of the cliff.

The chalk itself was laid down in the Cretaceous period as the remains of countless tiny sea creatures on the floor of an ancient ocean. It is soft, porous and easily worn by the waves, which is why the cliff faces stay so white: falls keep exposing fresh rock. Upper chalk with bands of flint forms the tops, and fossils from sharks' teeth to ammonites have been found in the lower layers. The geology and the long history of the cliffs as a national symbol are covered in detail on the page about the White Cliffs of Dover.

The white cliffs of Dover walk: Langdon Cliffs to South Foreland

The best-known white cliffs of Dover walk starts at Langdon Cliffs, part of a five-mile stretch of coast and countryside owned by the National Trust. The visitor centre there has displays about the cliffs and a coffee shop, and it is the natural starting point for most walkers. From the car park the path heads east along the cliff top, roughly following the edge of the chalk downland, towards South Foreland Lighthouse about two miles away.

The first stretch gives the famous view down onto the Eastern Docks, where ferries come and go below the cliff almost constantly. Further on, the harbour drops out of sight and the path runs across open grassland with the sea on the right. The going is mostly firm turf and chalk track, with a few short climbs and dips where the path crosses small valleys in the downs. On a clear day the French coast is visible across the Strait.

South Foreland Lighthouse is also owned by the National Trust. There has been a light on the South Foreland for centuries; the present white tower was built in 1843 to warn shipping off the Goodwin Sands just offshore. On 28 December 1898 Guglielmo Marconi made the world's first ship-to-shore radio transmissions from here, and soon after the first international transmission, to Wimereux in France, 28 miles away. The lighthouse makes an obvious turning point for a white cliffs of Dover walk of about four miles there and back. Opening arrangements for the tower are set by the National Trust and should be checked before relying on a visit inside.

This route is also where the National Trust grazes Exmoor ponies to keep the chalk grassland in good condition. They are used to walkers but are not pets, and they should be left alone, especially by dogs.

Langdon Cliffs overlook the Strait of Dover, and the cliff top is one of the best places anywhere to watch the shipping lanes, which are among the busiest in the world. Ferries turn in and out of the harbour mouth below, while further out a slow procession of cargo ships and tankers works up and down the Channel in two separated streams. A pair of binoculars earns its place in the bag.

Exmoor Ponies.Not every visitor wants the full distance. A shorter white cliffs of Dover walk of half an hour or so, out from the visitor centre to the first viewpoints above the docks and back, gives the classic picture of the ferries under the chalk without any serious effort. Families with small children often do exactly that and spend the rest of the time on the grass. The longer route to the lighthouse rewards anyone who keeps going, because the crowds thin out quickly once the docks are behind.

On to St Margaret's at Cliffe and the Dover Patrol Memorial

Beyond the lighthouse the path drops gently towards St Margaret's at Cliffe, a village set back from the cliff edge with a steep lane down to St Margaret's Bay below. Adding this leg makes a longer outing of roughly six to seven miles there and back, or a one-way walk for anyone arranging transport at the far end.

On the headland at Leathercote Point, east of the village, stands the obelisk of the Dover Patrol Memorial, unveiled by the Prince of Wales on 27 July 1921. It was paid for by public subscription and designed by Sir Aston Webb; matching memorials were raised at Cap Blanc-Nez on the French coast and in New York. A Book of Remembrance listing nearly 2,000 members of the Dover Patrol who lost their lives is kept in St Margaret's church. The story of the patrol is told on the page about the Dover Patrol in the First World War.

From St Margaret's the coast path continues north towards Kingsdown and Deal, so the white cliffs walk can be stretched into a full day by anyone with the legs for it and a plan for getting back.

Samphire Hoe and Shakespeare Cliff

Samphire Hoe, west of the town, is a very different place. It is an area of land created from the chalk marl dug out when the Channel Tunnel was built, laid at the foot of the cliffs between Dover and Folkestone and turned into a country park. Access by car is from the A20, down a road that passes through a tunnel in the cliff, which gives the arrival a slightly secret feel. Once there, the attractions are simple: wild flowers, birds, sea angling from the sea wall, a level circuit for walking and a good deal of peace and quiet.

The name comes from the rock samphire that grows on the cliffs, and from Shakespeare. In King Lear Edgar describes the view from the cliff top, where "half way down hangs one that gathers samphire, dreadful trade!" The cliff above the Hoe has been called Shakespeare Cliff ever since, in honour of the scene. The lines and the story of the King's Men visiting Dover in 1605 are on the page about Shakespeare's King Lear.

Samphire Hoe suits a shorter visit, families with pushchairs and anyone who wants the cliffs without the climb. Because the land is flat and enclosed by the sea wall, it is one of the few places near Dover where the full height of the white cliffs can be seen from below at close quarters.

White Cliffs of Dover parking and getting to the start

White cliffs of Dover parking for the Langdon route is at the National Trust car park by the visitor centre, signed from the Dover to Deal road above the Eastern Docks. National Trust members park free on showing their card; others pay a charge, which the National Trust publishes along with current opening times for the visitor centre and lighthouse. The car park is popular on fine weekends and in summer, so an early start helps.

It is also possible to reach Langdon Cliffs on foot from the town. A path climbs from the eastern end of the seafront up onto the cliff top, which turns the walk into a round trip from the town centre without needing a car at all. Walkers arriving by train at Dover Priory should allow for crossing the town to the seafront first.

Samphire Hoe has its own car park at the foot of the access tunnel, which takes pressure off white cliffs of Dover parking at Langdon on busy days. Parking at St Margaret's at Cliffe is limited, and the lane down to the bay is narrow and steep, so arriving there by car on a busy day is rarely easier than walking in from Langdon.

Safety, wildlife and the best time to go

The cliffs are up to 300 feet (100m) high in places and are eroding continuously. The edge can be undercut and can fail without warning, so the standing advice is to stay at least five metres back from it at all times, keep children close and keep dogs on a lead near the edge. Wind is the other hazard: gusts off the sea can be strong enough to unbalance a walker on the exposed stretch beyond Langdon.

The chalk downland on top of the cliffs is rare. Many of its plants predate the last Ice Age and are adapted to the thin chalk soils and traditional grazing, and some are almost unique to this part of Kent. Early summer brings out sainfoin, birdsfoot trefoil and pyramidal orchids. The mild climate suits the common lizard, and the plant communities support a wide range of insects and butterflies.

The birds are worth watching for too. Kittiwakes, fulmars and peregrine falcons nest on the sheer cliff faces, safe from predators, and skylarks nest in the grassland above. Spring and early summer are the liveliest months; autumn often brings the clearest views across the Channel. Winter walks can be superb on a still, bright day and grim in a gale.

Pyramidal Orchid.Both cliff walks fit easily into a longer stay. The castle sits on the next headland west of Langdon, covered in the Dover Castle visitor guide, and the Langdon Cliffs page has more on the wildlife and the lighthouse. Other outings from the town are collected in the guide to things to do in Dover. As for the bluebirds of the wartime song, none are to be seen: the lyricist was an American who had never been near the place, and the birds over the cliffs are gulls.