Visiting The Cliffs of Dover - Day Trip From London

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Hiking on top of the White Cliffs of Dover is one of the most memorable and awe inspiring moments of my travels. The adventure to get there is also a memory I won’t soon forget. Travel fails almost always turn into hilarious anecdotes and this “adventure” was no exception.

Before we get to the “good” stuff, let me give you some basics.

About

The town of Dover is 75 miles from London (1-2 hrs by train) and is located on the southern east coast of England. It is a perfect day trip from London not only because it’s easily and quickly accessible by train, but also because there is a lot to do there and many of the activities (and the town itself) are a quiet and quaint contrast to the hustle and bustle of the big city of London. Located at the narrowest point of the English Channel, this port town is best known for the chalk cliffs that dominate the surrounding landscape.

Okay, it’s time to tell you the whole story of how we screwed this up, but if you just want my tips for visiting the White Cliffs and the Town of Dover, scroll down.

Travel Fail

Let me set the scene for you: Mon Cheri and I had been in the UK for 5 out of 7 days at this point. We had visited several towns via both car and train in the days before, as well as touring London and the Harry Potter Studio. I had spent more time on this trip in bed than I’d have liked to due to some issues with my gallbladder and we missed out on some key pre-planned activities due to this. This was our first major trip as a couple and several things had gone a bit awry already on this trip, gallbladder aside. We chose not to pay for cell service this trip because we figured “hey they speak the same language as us there, how bad can it be?” We were tired. So you can imagine we were a little done.

Our original plan was to arrive in Dover via an early morning train, with a picnic. Hike the cliffs, eat our food, return to London.

Mistake #1 - We left the picnic at our hotel in London. This resulted in us having to stop at the local Burger King which I wouldn’t be happy about anyway if we were state-side, but was really unhappy to be Americans stopping at an American fast food place on our expensive overseas trip. So already the day was not going well and we were blaming each other for forgetting the delicious meal we had packed. I know who I think it was, but in the words of John Mulaney “Who's to say?!”

Mistake #2 - Because we did not pay for cell service on this trip we had no access to digital maps. For whatever reason, we did not predownload maps for Dover. We figured we’d follow the signs for the cliffs as previously advised on the internet when researching this trip. And we did! Except we followed the wrong signs and ended up in the car park for tour buses. On the opposite side of town from the hiking trail. You know these are called the cliffs of Dover right? Which means to get to this magnificent car park, we walked up a very steep and windy hill. And to get back to the correct trail we walked down the hill, through the town, and back up another, equally steep hill. Woof. We ended up eating our (by that time) cold Burger King while sitting in the grass next to the tour buses.

Eventually we did find the correct signs/ the hiking trail and the hassle was so so worth it. There is a reason these cliffs are so famous - they are gorgeous! It was a sunny day at the end of August with clear blue skies with mild weather. We could see France across the English Channel! The view was magnificent and we were in such awe. Walking the trail on this majestic wonder of earth was relaxing and was just the peaceful experience we needed after the day of stress.

The White Cliffs of Dover were not even in my thought bubble when originally planning this trip, but Aaron had said it was something he really wanted to do, so it made it into the itinerary. I’m incredibly thankful it did. It was not only one of my favorite activities of our 7 days in England, but one of my favorite travel experiences ever!

Mistake #3 - We missed our return train. We had only planned to spend a half a day in Dover, but after spending all morning walking up and down the wrong terrain, lost amoungst farms of sheep and quaint houses, we were going to miss our train back to London without ever seeing the cliffs! So we decided to bite the bullet and miss our train to find our true destination. I’m very glad we did because as I said, they are really really magnificent! But we did have to pay for unbudgeted last minute tickets back to London later in the day. And we had to skip out on our planned afternoon activities. But travel does require some flexibility.

So how do you avoid our mistake and find the correct trail the first time?

Don’t follow the signs that also point you to Dover Castle. The signs for the cliffs we incorrectly followed also took us past the entrances for the castle. If you’ve walked up that hill, it’s the wrong one. Walk through the town and try to find the signs that follow along the highway. If you walk past the Premiere Inn Hotel, that is the correct way. The Channel should be on your right just on the other side of the highway. Eventually you’ll part ways with the highway and end up on a quaint street of houses which eventually ends at the bottom of the hiking path up to the cliffs.

What do I recommend you do and don’t do if you’re planning on visiting Dover (other than paying for maps on your phone)? Read on!

Tips for hiking the Cliffs of Dover

Check the forecast

England is notorious for being a grey and rainy country. The top of the cliffs can get very windy even on a sunny day such as when we were there, so being up there in extreme weather could be dangerous. As I said, we got lucky enough to get a really sunny day, but even a grey drizzle will not detract from the beauty of this place. It might make the hike a little colder and generally more uncomfortable, but you’ll still have a good time. It’s really only extreme weather such as heavy rain and wind you need to avoid. Check the forecast ahead of time and try to schedule your day trip to Dover on a less-extreme weather day.

Wear the correct shoes

The (correct) trail up to the cliffs is very very steep. The actual path on top is varied in terrain and goes up and down at a moments notice and is full of rocks and dirt. Make sure to wear tennis shoes or hiking boots to avoid hurting yourself and so you’re comfortable enough to enjoy all the beauty without being distracted with foot pain.

Read the map

See story above! There is actually a visitors center in the main town where you can buy maps as well, but since we were doing this trip on a shoe string budget, we did not. Also why we didn’t spring for the cell service. Know where you’re going before you start walking upward. If you are interested in seeing specific things along the cliffs (more on that later), there is also a National Trust Center (they are in charge of the land) at the beginning of the hiking paths where you can find a map and more info.

Don’t go too close to the edge

Aaron and I got a little freaked out by the height, the closeness of parts of the trail to the edge, and how sometimes the wind felt like it would blow us over! Don’t be a dumb tourist who tries to get a picture too close to the edge and falls off and dies. The cliffs are over 350 feet high at their peak! Stay on the trails or if you are still a little freaked out by heights like us, take a few steps off the trail to get further away from the edge.

Dress for wind

As I’ve mentioned, even on a great weather day, the top of the cliffs get very windy. Dress accordingly.

Leave the wildlife alone

Did you know there are wild horses/ponies on the grounds that surround the top of the cliffs? There are! The hiking trails and the cliffs are part of the National Trust, so these are technically their horses, but they are still wild animals. We passed them quietly and gave them space when we reached the part of the trail they were near. But we were shocked to see so many other visitors trying to pet them, get close up photos, and even feed them! Leave them alone! And while we’re at it follow the “leave no trace” rule when hiking on the cliffs. Don’t leave behind your food & garbage and don’t disturb the natural habitat by taking rocks/picking flowers/etc.

Pack snacks/water

The actual top of the cliffs isn’t a difficult hike. It goes up and down a little and the trail can be uneven at times, but overall is pretty flat and doable for many activity levels. If you took a train to Dover like us, you will need to hike up a pretty large hill to actually get to the trail. It’s exhausting. Bring snacks and water to keep yourself energized and avoid having to stop at Burger King.

What else to do in Dover

Because of our morning adventure/we were only planning on spending half a day in Dover, we did not get to see many of the other wonderful things this quaint town has to offer. But here are some recommendations I’ve found from other travelers.

Dover Castle

If you take the wrong street like we did, you’ll end up here. A medieval castle founded some time in the 11th century, Dover Castle sits atop the famous cliffs and contains centuries worth of history.

Dover Museum

Admission is free to this museum which features three floors of the town’s history as a shipping port. This is also where the visitor center is located if you want to pay for maps and information.

South Foreland Lighthouse

The first lighthouse to use an electric light is located a ways down the path on top of the cliffs. There is no vehicle access to the lighthouse, so you’ve gotta walk. If you’ve got the energy and the time to spare to get you there, you can refuel for your trek back in the tea room or enjoy the outdoors with some kites and lawn games.

Wartime Tunnels

Due to the close proximity to France, Dover was a major player in WWII. Guided tours of these underground tunnels delve into the history of this time period. They also now offer a WWII themed escape room.

So if you are planning on visiting Dover, don’t be like us. At minimum, go full 2000s and print a MapQuest map before you go. Tell me about your travel fails in the comments so I feel less alone in this!