Directions - route runs anti-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 and turn back on yourself taking the made-up FP across the Green towards a red pillar box. When you reach the main road continue straight following the FP towards the sea and, after a short distance, pass a triangular area bounded by ragstone walls -the ancient Animal Pound – on your left. Continue past Park Road on your left and a short distance on, on the left-hand side, is a small track leading to the old Coastguard Cottages. Continue until you reach the sea and notice on the corner to the right, the Old LIfeboat Station and beyond it a Martello Tower.
2. TL and walk the entire length of West Parade, Marine Parade and Princes Parade passing the Hotel Imperial on your left about halfway along.
3. As you near the end of Princes Parade, pass the car park on your left and, just before the signs for the 40mph limit and a no-entry sign, take the bridle way to your left and, keeping the flats on your right, TR alongside the fence and proceed to the main, Seabrook Road.
4. TL onto the main road. On reaching the Fountain PH TR up Horn Street, go under the railway bridge then TL up Naildown Road and proceed straight on to the top of the hill. Do not TL into Whitenbrook but take the BW straight on to Sene Valley Golf Course (take care for the whole crossing of the golf course and take advice from players when safe to proceed).
5. Keep to the path with the golf course on your right, following the line of the hedge on the RHS. When the hedge ends, continue for a short distance and proceed diagonally across the fairway keeping the bunkers in front of the green on your left. Pass the green on your left and continue up the path in a gulley.
6. Continue straight until you reach a crossroad of FPs. Go straight on, keeping the house on your right then bear slightly left and continue to follow the path along the gulley. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Cross the road and, with the Tin Tabernacle on your left, proceed straight on along Portland Road until you reach the car park on your left.