Picture 2 miles of sandy beach stretching along the English Channel. Now imagine walking along this beach, stopping at the beach cafe for ice cream and taking a dip in the water before heading back inland for a stroll through meadows before reaching the medieval cobbled streets of Rye. This is what the Camber Sands to Rye walk is about. In this guide, I will show you how to get the most out of this stunning and unique route. Lace up your hiking shoes and your bikini strings for this beach walk perfect for the summer season!
When the temperatures are rising, hiking is the last thing on our minds. With exposed countryside field routes, unbreathable city walks, and overcrowded coastal paths, it feels like there is nowhere to go to enjoy peace and breeze. Escape from this torture with a beach walk, mixing taking a dip and a pub walk. It’s cool to cool off!
Logistics of the Camber Sands to Rye Walk
- Distance: 5.22 miles (8.4 km)
- Total Ascent: 16.4 ft (5 m)
- Highest Point: 42.6 ft (13 m)
- Lowest Point: -6.5 ft (-2 m)
- Walking Estimate: 2 hours and 5 minutes
- Difficulty: Easy
- How to get there:
- Train from London St Pancras to Ashford International. Change at Ashford International for a train to Rye. The journey takes approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes, depending on the waiting at Ashford International
- At Rye, take bus 102 to Dover and get off at Coastguard Cottages’ stop. The journey takes 12 minutes
- For the way back, take a train from Rye to Ashford International and change at Ashford International for a train to London St Pancras.
- This walk may be a linear walk but you start and come back to the same train station so you can book a day return ticket
- What to Pack
- Comfortable clothing and footwear. Aside from the beach part of the walk, the rest is on concrete footpaths so prefer a pair of trainers with cushioning to a pair of hiking shoes which may be hard on the sole of the foot
- Backpack with water and snacks
- Bathing suit and towel if you want to get a dip in the water of the
- Sandals to walk in the sand or in the shallow waters on the edge of the beach
- Sunscreen, headcover and sunglasses as this walk is better done on a sunny day
- Additional Information:
- There are public toilets at Camber Sands and customer toilets at the Beach cafe
- This is a stile-free walk
- Where to Eat
- Ice Cream at the Kit Kat Cafe, Camber, East Sussex
- Lunch at the Globe Inn Marsh, Rye, East Sussex
Highlights of the Camber Sands to Rye Walk
- Camber Sands beach
- English Channel
- Rye Harbour
- Sheep
- The Landgate Monument, Rye
- Rye
Things to Know about Camber Sands
Welcome to Camber Sands, the most peaceful beach accessible from London! Far less famous than its neighbours Margate, Ramsgate and Broadstairs, Camber Sands might be trickier to get to by public transport but is certainly worth this little extra effort.
Camber Sands is particular and the reason is in its name: SAND! Anyone would know that Sussex is known for its shingle and pebble beaches so finding a sandy beach in the region is unusual. And this is without any surprise that this little gem attracts locals and city dwellers alike for a breath of fresh air.
Fun fact: Camber Sands is a popular film location and is featured in films such as The Theory of Everything, the biopic about Stephen Hawking, or Netflix product After Life starring Ricky Gervais.
So here are a few things to know about Cambers Sands to make the most of the place.
Facilities
What can I find?
Cafe
Toilets & disable toilets
Beach Shop
Kids playground
First Aid Point
3 car parks are available should you prefer to drive to the trailhead
Safety Information
All you need to know
Life Guards
Dogs are allowed all year around but are excluded from certain zones from May to September
Check the tide schedule before going as the water gets really far from the beach at low tide
Sun bars appear at low tide, beware not to get cut off when the water level is rising
Beware of jellyfish on the beach and in the water
Activities
What can I do?
Kite Surfing in the Water Sports Designated Area
Swimming (of course!)
Horse Riding in the morning and evening at low tide
The Camber Sands to Rye Walk
So now we covered everything you need to know about Camber Sands, let’s get to the walk!
Camber Sands
We start our walk at Jury’s Gap where the Coastguard Cottages bus stop is located. Look behind you and you see some stairs going up a dune. Cross the road and go up the stairs. It is hard to show on the map as it won’t allow me to draw on the beach, but from the dune, you can go down to the beach and enjoy the walk, your feet both in the sand and the water.
Follow the shoreline until you arrive at the cafe/restaurant where you can have a refreshing ice cream break and find a sit at the picnic tables. After the break, it is time to shake the sand off your feet and put your trainers back on as we are leaving the beach to go inland.
Camber to Rye
We leave the beach by the car park and walk on Old Llyod Road before reaching a footpath parallel to Camber Road. You will find pounds on your right-hand side with Point Farm behind them. You can rent the entire house as a holiday home. On your left, golfers are hitting the ball from the top of the dune of the Camber Golf Club.
After the golf course ends, the dunes leave space for a lake where Rye Watersports made a home. As you arrive at the end of the footpath, you find a stall with a gentleman selling the most gorgeous strawberry I saw in a long time. Yummy!
Take the footpath on the left of the stall, and continue your journey towards Rye. This time you cross through a field with sheep grazing.
Rye
We arrive at our final stop: Rye. This small fishing town has a rich history due to its perfect location so close to the sea and at the confluence of 3 rivers. It is believed that Rye was used during Roman times as a site for storing iron. Rye is the most prestigious of the Cinque Ports Confederation, an ancient group of five (Cinque in old French) ports that came together for military and trade purposes.
Rye is also a town where smuggling was a prosperous activity from the medieval to the Georgian times. A famous gang called the Hawkhurst was operating in the area and used Mermaid Inn as a place to rally. The legend says they were using a secret tunnel linking the Mermaid Inn to another pub called the Old Bell Inn to move goods, but this tunnel has not yet been found.
Nowadays the pretty town of Rye attracts many tourists coming to enjoy the charm of the town and its historical landmarks such as the Landgate or the Ypres Tower.
And in our case, we are here to enjoy the food Rye offers. Let’s head to the Globe Inn Marsh for lunch on the terrace.
Bon appetit!
Camber Sands to Rye Walk Map
Do you want to do this walk? Simply download the GPS map by clicking on the button below. You can upload the map onto your navigation app to follow the trail. If you need assistance uploading the map, follow my step-by-step guide here.
Final Thoughts on the Camber Sands to Rye Walk
To conclude, we have seen how a beach walk from Camber Sands to Rye is a lovely way to spend a sunny day. It combines a dip in the English Channel with the opportunity to explore the local history of one of England’s best-preserved medieval towns. The walk is also suitable for a variety of ages and abilities making a great day out with family and friends. So if you’re looking for a unique way to spend a day, pack a picnic, your bathing suit, a towel and your trainers – you won’t regret it!
And you, where do you like to go for a summer walk? Let me know in the comment section below.
Like this walk? Pin it!
[…] Related Content: Camber Sands Beach Walk […]