Directions - route runs clockwise:
SSW - Saxon Shore Way | EVW - Elham Valley Way | NDW - North Downs Way | ECP - England Coast Path | FP - Footpath | TR - Turn right | KG - Kissing Gate | TL - Turn left
1. Begin the walk at Portland Road car park. Leave by the ‘no entry’ exit, cross the road, TR and walk along the road or towpath with the Royal Military Canal on your left past the Tin Tabernacle on your right until you reach the main road.
2. Cross the road and continue along the canal path until you reach the first bridge. Pass Ladies’ Walk and keep going straight with the canal on your left until you reach the main road where you TL and cross the bridge over the canal.
3. When you reach another main road, with The Bell PH ahead of you, cross over into Bell Inn Road with the Water Mill ahead of you. Cross Mill Lane, enter what appears to be the entrance to the mill and take the unadopted footpath to the right. Up the steps at the top, cross the main road and continue along the FP behind the houses on your right. Climb the steps at the end of the path.
4. TL, head down the slope, cross the stile and keep to the right-hand side of the field as you cross it with the line of trees on your right. Keep straight along the farm track, go through the gate at the end and continue straight. On the left there are good views of Saltwood Castle. Continue round to the left on the bridleway, go through the gate at the end and TR onto the road.
5. After a short distance take the FP on the LH side, through the farmyard and carry straight on up the slope between the farm buildings. Pass through the gate, cross the field and pass through the gate on the far side in front of Saltwood Church. Walk along the cobbled path through the churchyard until you reach the gate at the far end.
6. TR onto the road – avoiding the Church car park -and after a short distance take the right fork up the slope keeping the hedge to your right and the white garage door to your left. At the top do not follow the road around to the houses but continue up to the FP which turns right running parallel to the road. Continue along the FP to the top of the hill.
7. Pass the gate on the LHS and, bearing right, continue along the PBW until you reach the road. Bear left, and go straight, continuing on the SSW, passing the entrance to Hayne Barn Estate on the LHS. Cross over the railway and motorway bridges and continue to the end of the lane.
8. At the main road, turn left, cross the road and go through the gate onto the FP. Cross the field diagonally and after 200 yards follow the hedge round to the left. After 100 yards, turn left through the hedge and go through the KG onto the road. Turn right, walk up the FP passing the gates to your left and right, and join a BW. At the crossroads of a FP and BW, continue straight on up the hill.
9. Pass a FP on the RHS and continue up the hill with Tolsford Hill on your LHS. Looking back there is a great panorama down to the sea with Summerhouse Hill straight ahead.
10. Applicable if taking the shorter version, otherwise go to direction 12. Take the second FP on the RHS (Pilgrim’s way) and follow track round the bottom of the hill. At the bottom of the slope, follow the track round the edge of the field, TL continuing round the field until you reach a stile on the right. Cross the two stiles and follow track round to the right round bottom of Summerhouse hill. Keeping the hill on your left, continue straight across the fields until you reach the road.
11. Cross the road to the FP through a KG and turn right. After the next gate, turn left and take the slope down into Frogholt. Follow the road through Frogholt until the RH bend. Go through the KG and take the FP straight ahead. Follow this straight to Newington where you can rejoin route 4 at Newington Church and the War Memorial (16)
12. Go through the seven-bar gate and continue straight up to the top of the hill, passing between two wooden posts at the summit. When you reach the fence around Tolsford radio Station, bear right onto the concrete path remaining on the SSW.
13. When you reach the seven-bar gate and KG do not go through either but turn right and walk straight across the field keeping the line of trees on your LHS. At this point there is a fine view to your left down to Etchinghill and further on a good view on your RHS down to the sea. As you near the end of the field, bear left pass through the KG and continue straight between the two lines of trees. You are now on the SSW the EVW and the NDW.
14. Pass the ‘Poetic’ bench on your RHS enjoying the view of Summerhouse Hill and the view down to the sea. Go through the KG and bear left between the trees keeping the fence on your LHS. Go through the next KG and continue straight down. Go through the next KG and down to the main road.
15. TR onto the main road and after a very short distance TL down a lane marked as a dead end, continuing on the NDW and EVW. When you reach the CG TL. Go over the stile, and head diagonally across the field towards the wooden fence in the corner. Go over the stile. After a short distance go over a bridge. When you reach the fork continue round to the right, go over the stile and TR down to the field.
16. TL and follow the Iine of trees. At the corner of the field TL up the slope, go through the KG. continue straight, then TR onto the Permissive FP. You are now on the old railway route.
17. Continue straight for some distance. Pass through the KG, carry straight on, cross the road with Peene Railway Museum on your LHS. Go through the gate and continue straight up the hill on the BW and EVW. After a short distance you meet a track. TR, following the signpost to ‘Learn about the landscape’, remaining on the EVW.
18. At the end of the FP go through the gate onto the road and turn left, continuing on the EVW. TL in front of the War memorial along School Lane. At the fork, bear right onto the FP continuing along the EVW. At the fork, bear round to the right and TL at the main road and TL under the motorway bridge.
19. Immediately after the bridge, cross the road and continue up the slope on the EVW. Go straight, take the bridge over the motorway, then TR down the slope. At the bottom TL along the EVW through the wood.
20. Go under the railway bridge and TR (EVW) onto a tarmacked road. Continue straight, passing the information panel for Dibgate Military Training Area. Continue straight to the top of the hill and continue straight towards the wooden gates.
21. Just before the KG TR onto the FP on the grass bank on the LHS of the tarmacked area and head straight towards the gate. Go through the gate, cross the grass, go through the gap in the fence then bear slightly right towards a gate in the woods on the far side of the field. Go through the gate and enter Scene Wood then continue along the BW. The golf course is on the left. Continue up the slope to a crossroad of paths and TR.
22. TR, keeping the house on your right, then bear slightly left and continue to follow the path along the gully. On reaching the top of the hill you will see the Halfway House Café (open to the public) on your left then continue straight down the hill. When you reach tarmac, continue straight down the hill.
23. On reaching the T-junction, TR, then TL following the signs for Elham Valley Way down Cannongate Road. Immediately after the LH bend, cut down a tarmacked slope to the right onto a rough tarmacked lane. When you reach a junction of several roads, continue straight down Station Road.
24. Turn left down Mill Lane following the FP. As you near the bottom of the slope, pass the Old Water Mill on your right. Cross the road and continue straight until you reach the main road. Cross into Twiss Road and continue straight on the RH side. Pass Twiss Avenue and turn immediately right onto the bank of the Royal Military Canal - a choice of three levels of path here. Continue straight until you reach the next bridge just before the War Memorial. TL across the bridge, then TR and continue with the canal on your right until you reach the main road.
25. Cross the road and, with the Tin Tabernacle on your left, proceed straight along Portland Road until you reach the car park on your left.