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 and, just before The Fountain PH, TR up Hospital Hill. After about 20yds, passing the two buttresses of the old railway bridge, TL up the restricted byway, go past the FP on your right and continue up the hill.
5. Pass the Military Cemetery on your left and continue through the gateway at the top. Follow the hedge round to your left, passing the main gate to the cemetery, and TL onto the FP. After a short distance take the RH path signposted ‘Explore the countryside, Seabrook Valley’ down some steps. Carry on down the hill and follow the path round to the left. Go down more steps, over the stile and down to the main road, Horn Street.
6. Cross the road and bear right following the sign for the FP. At the top of the slope walk straight until you reach a field then TR along the concrete path. Keep the play park on your right, emerge onto a rough track and, bearing right, walk down to the main road. TL onto the main road.
7. After a short distance, turn left into Underhill Road. At the fork, keep right and pass a small layby on the LHS. Continue straight, between two grey posts, up a disused lane. Go through the gate on your left. There is an interpretation panel here for Dibgate Military training area.
8. TR and follow the path round to the left keeping the bank and the line of telegraph poles on your right. As you round the corner, TL, go down the slope and through the gate at the bottom onto the BW, down the slope, cross the bridge and head up the slope on the other side. Go through the gate at the top and continue straight on up a steep slope.
9. Pass through the gate to the right of the CG. TR onto the BW, keep the fence on your right and 20 yards on reach a crossroads of several FPs. TR, go through the KG, TL 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.
10. TR, 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.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. 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.