Walks from Herne Bay
MapBeautiful walks starting or ending at Herne Bay Station.
Alternatively, view walks you can reach directly from Herne Bay by train.
Birchington-on-Sea to Herne Bay
Entirely flat coastal walk; seafront promenade, raised sea wall, remote shingle beach, grassy clifftop slopes and a seaside resort.
Time: 5h
Walk details: the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).
Herne Bay to Margate
Recommended: Great views of sea. A flat, easy-to-follow coastal walk on a largely concrete path beside the sea and with around 2 km on grass and some steps. Accessible to wheels along much of its length. Follows the Oyster Bay Trail and Saxon Shore Way. There is a section along a road near Westgate-on-Sea.
Coastal: almost all along the coast.
Time: 5h–10h30
Lunch: Cafes and toilets en route.
Walk details: Slow Ways.
Herne Bay to Minster
Whitstable to Herne Bay
Easy and gorgeous walking. An almost entirely flat, step-free coastal route along paved seafront promenade and with a short grassy or dirt section around the Long Rock nature reserve at Swalecliffe. Smooth tarmac for most of its length though uneven and bumpy in places; can be busy with pedestrians. The marked route passes through Long Rock nature reserve at Swalecliffe; wheelers and cyclists are better on the paved path that curves around it. Toilets at Tankerton Beach and Hampton (Spa Esplanade).
Coastal: almost all along the coast.
Time: 2h–4h30
Lunch: Oyster cafes at Whitstable harbour; ice cream available on the Herne Bay seafront.
Walk details: Slow Ways.
Canterbury East to Herne Bay
Lovely views across the fields. A largely off-road walk through residential and developing areas, ancient woodland and open undulating farmland, making good use of existing trails. Field paths are sometimes faint or ploughed over and can be muddy and with a section along a main road. The start and finish stations are not on the same line, so it is best to return by local bus or to retrace your steps.
Time: 3h30–7h
Warnings: Canterbury Road around Herne Common (the A291) is large and busy, with a narrow pavement next to fast traffic. The A299 underpass can flood after heavy rain. Building works near The Fairways may block parts of the route.
Walk details: Slow Ways.
Margate to Herne Bay
Flat seafront promenades, quiet residential clifftops, small headlands and sandy beaches linking coastal towns.
Source: A longer variant of Birchington to Herne Bay – the Saturday Walkers Club (tips, local insights and turn-by-turn directions).