Walk from Ramsgate to Margate – Viking Coastal Trail
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links which means I earn a small commission if you purchase or book through my link, at no extra cost to you.
I love walking by the sea. There is something magical in it that keeps me grounded and calms me every time I need it. I’ve been dreaming about long walks along the sea for years now, so when we finally moved back to Kent, I knew I wanted to complete the Margate to Ramsgate walk ASAP. As you might know, I walked from Margate to Broadstairs a few years ago. I’ve never discovered what’s hiding behind the Viking Bay though.
Fortunately for me, this January turned out to be quite warm, so one day I decided to walk from Ramsgate to Margate with my family. Since I was already familiar with Margate – Broadstairs part of the walk, we started it in Ramsgate this time. Apart from getting a different perspective, I felt better knowing that I can break my walk in Broadstairs without missing out on the part of the journey that mattered most to me.
Navigate to where you want to go:
Ramsgate
We started our walk in the Ramsgate town centre. It was so warm, that I was very comfortable walking just in a t-shirt at some point. And trust me, I’m usually inseparable from my jacket even in summer. Town centre, as well as the marina and main sands, were jampacked with people. The view of the building site just opposite Ramsgate Main Sands spoiled my mood momentarily, so we walked past it quickly, without thinking twice about it. That’s when we arrived by the Ramsgate Tunnels – once a Victorian Railway Tunnel – turned into purpose-built Air Raid Precaution tunnels where around 60 thousands people took shelter and lived under the town of Ramsgate during the Second World War. It’s on my list of places I’m yet to visit.
We continued our walk along the Marina Esplanade and East Cliff Promenade. Deep into the conversation, we missed the only stairs leading to the top of the cliffs and found ourselves at the end of the promenade. I was annoyed that we had to turn back and find them. Before we started this walk from Ramsgate to Margate, I was very adamant to spend as much time as possible at the sea level. I completely didn’t consider the fact that we were taking a stroller with us.
That’s saying, here are two options you can choose from based on your circumstances:
Option 1
If you’re going on a walk by yourself, you can continue your walk on the beach. Make sure to check tide times beforehand. Most beaches along the way are under the water during hide tide.
Option 2
If you’re in the same situation as me, and you want to go for a walk with your child, you can walk via Marina Esplanade followed by Marina Road for an easy way up to the top of the cliffs. It requires walking back and forth, which isn’t fun when you have over 10 kilometres left to walk from Ramsgate to Margate. That’s why it might be worth ditching Ramsgate Main Sands and Ramsgate Tunnels altogether and following the main road from the marina. You can see the beach from the top, anyway. And if your child is into big cars, diggers, and that kind of stuff, they might be even more interested in the view of the building site from above than by the beach. Win-win.
Now, back to the walk itself.
We found ourselves in Winterstoke Gardens, followed by King George VI Memorial Park. The latter contains a playground and two cafes. I would especially recommend checking out Italianate Glasshouse. It isn’t directly on the way but look how beautiful it is!
After leaving the park, we walked by the road for a bit. There’s no pavement here, but the road is very quiet. I wish I could live here one day, in one of those big houses with glorious sea views.
Entering Broadstairs: Dumpton Bay
We took the nearest way down to the promenade. It was very steep and slippery because of the amount of sand laying on the ground. Be careful, especially if you’re walking with a stroller. The end of the driveway ends with the stairs to the beach, which terrified me. Promenade was also unusually high above the beach, which didn’t help.
We followed the Broadstairs Undercliff Walking Trail up to the Louisa Bay, enjoying the sea views, where we left via the nearest driveway. It led us to the Victoria Garden, but it also was very slippery to walk like the one in the Dumpton Bay.
From the cliff tops, we could see Viking Bay and its beach. I was so happy to see how far we’ve walked! I couldn’t believe that we were already in Broadstairs.
After popping to Tesco to replenish our snacks, we continued our walk via East Cliff Promenade until the driveway leading up to the clifftops.
Tip: If you’re walking with a stroller, use this exit to get to the cliff tops as it’s the last one accessible.
From there, we continued our walk from Ramsgate to Margate following the roads, as most of the bays are just sandy beaches that are accessible only during the low tide. It was much easier this way, especially as we were already quite tired.
After passing by the North Foreland Private Estate, we found North Foreland Lighthouse. I don’t think it’s possible to visit the lighthouse, though.
We took a few photos and kept walking to Joss Bay, where we met a lady riding a horse. Our little one was mesmerised!
There was nothing interesting until we reached Kingsgate Castle. Be careful, because pavement ends at some point and you have to walk along the narrow road. The castle was built around the 1760s and was converted into 31 flats in the 1990s.
We passed by the castle and The Captain Digby pub and were hit by so many memories. Last time we walked that path was almost 6 years ago. That’s crazy to think about. So many things have happened in the meantime!
We passed the playground, and I went down the cliffs and take photos of the Kingsgate Bay Sea Arch.
It’s a semi-popular destination for tourists. People were coming to take photos all the time. It was very difficult to get a shot with no one in it.
And in case you’re wondering how I got down there.. Well, I used a hidden, very narrow and apparently unsafe path, which I wouldn’t recommend.
If you want to get to the beach safely, use the stairs leading to Kingsgate Bay or Botany Bay. It’s a sandy beach, so unfortunately it’s not doable with a stroller.
RELATED ARTICLE:
⪼ Serene walk from Margate to Broadstairs (Viking Coastal Trail)
⪼ Things to do in Thanet – the ultimate guide to top 21 attractions in Thanet
Towards Margate
Prince’s Walk was quite challenging for me to get through. I was pretty tired at this point, sun was setting, wind was picking up and we still had a long walk ahead of us. Because of the weather and the fact that I wasn’t feeling very well, we kept walking along the cliff tops. This part of the walk has always been difficult for me.
Once we reached Bethesda Medical Centre, we changed our minds and went down to the promenade via the Hodge’s Gap. Path leads straight to the Walpole Bay and tidal pool, which is the largest tidal pool in the UK. Its walls are wide enough to walk around the pool at low tide. We’ve spent so many hours walking by and around this tidal pool when we lived in Margate! It was such a lovely trip down memory lane.
After a few-minutes walk we reached Lido, once a vibrant part of the town and a popular swimming pool, now filled with sand and decaying.
You can also see a gigantic mural of Sir David Attenborough painted across the cliff walls. Unfortunately, it’s being destroyed by locals and covered in graffiti.
After taking a few photos, we continued our walk along the Fort Lower Promenade. We passed by Winter Gardens, Margate Yacht Club, and RNLI just to arrive by the Turner Contemporary. It was quite dark already, so it was very difficult to take a photo of Antony Gormley Another Time Statue. After seeing the entire beach filled up with a hundred statues like that, I’ve really wanted to photograph those in Kent, too. There are two more statues in Folkestone!
And that’s it. We arrived in Margate Harbour Arms and, of course, Margate Main Sands. The last bit of the walk was very difficult, mostly to the strong wind. It was cold too, especially after the sunset. I was very surprised to find the “new” parking lot near the Margate Yacht Club, but it made me feel happy. I hope that the entire town will slowly get restored and will look better.
This entire journey took us longer than I expected, but it was so worth it! It took us 5 hours, 43 minutes to complete this 19.34 km walk and was more difficult to do than I expected. The entire walk is around 16.5 km long if you don’t take into the account our two trips to the store and distance to and from train stations.
Logistic for the Ramsgate to Margate walk
| Start | Ramsgate |
| Finish | Margate |
| Distance | 10.25 miles (16.5 km) Distance depends on your start and finish points. |
| Time | around 5 hours |
| How to get to, and from, Thanet | The easiest way to get to Ramsgate from London is by getting a direct train from St Pancras International. Journey takes around 1.5 hour. If you’re travelling locally, there are also direct trains and buses from Herne Bay, Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone and other towns. There are a few bus services that connect Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate, with the Loop being the most convenient. |
| Recommended tide times app | Tide times (iOS/Android) |
Can you walk along the coast from Margate to Ramsgate?
Sure, you can! If you want to walk along the coast from Margate to Ramsgate (or the other way round), check tide times first and decide where you should start your journey from. Some beaches disappear under the water during hide tide, so you might find yourself in a difficult situation when your route will get blocked by the water at some point. Obviously, it’s not possible to walk along the coast if you have a stroller with you.
How long is the coastal walk from Ramsgate to Margate?
Margate to Ramsgate coastal walk is around 10.25 miles (16.5km) and takes around 5 hours to complete. If you take into the account distance to and from train stations, it gives around 12 miles (19.34 km).
Ramsgate to Margate coastal walk map
Here’s the Ramsgate to Margate coastal walk map based on our journey.
You can also check this guide to The Beach Roamer – Ramsgate to Margate walk which includes plenty of useful informations and a map.
Have you ever been on a walk from Ramsgate to Margate or the other way round? Share your experience in the comment section down below. I’m very curious what was your the most favourite part is!
You May Also Like
2021 Cost of living in Liverpool (by a local)
The Ultimate Guide To St Ives – 13 Best Things To Do In St Ives, Cambridgeshire
