Hoo Peninsula: Cliffe Circular

The Walk: From Cliffe, we take a footpath across the grassland of the Cliffe and Cooling Marshes to the huge Salt Fleet Flats lagoon, then make an excursion on a good track East to Egypt Bay. We then retrace our steps to, then along, the embankment path beside the Thames Estuary and return to Cliffe via the RSPB Cliffe Pools bird reserve. The riverside parts of the walk are simultaneously designated as the Thames Path and the England Coast Path.

Map

NB The map shows my GPS track, with various diversions and excursions which you may not wish to follow precisely.

Why do it: This is one of those lesser known areas of the coast, but with much of interest, and great views across and along the Thames Estuary, the most striking landmark being the giant cranes and container ships at the new (2013) London Gateway Port, which are visible almost throughout the whole walk.

London Gateway Port

Cliffe is a pleasant village, with a convenient free car park, public toilets, an attractive church and the welcoming Sun pub.

St James, Cliffe

The Marshes have long ago been drained to create an extensive area of grassland.

On the Marshes

The Salt Fleet Flats were created as an environmental offset by the developers of the London Gateway Port. The existing sea wall was breached to allow the sea to flood in, creating a tidal lagoon with mudflats which attract wading birds in winter.

Salt Fleet Flats

Egypt Bay is another large lagoon-type bay, with a surprising sandy beach.

The beach at Egypt Bay

There are excellent views across the Thames from the embankment, across to the London Gateway Port and down the estuary to Canvey Island (with its fuel storage tanks) and the tower blocks of Southend-on-Sea. Large ships of various kinds ply the river, including container ships, tankers and liners heading up to Tilbury.

Liner heading to Tilbury (presumably)

A collection of roofless brick sheds can be seen inland from the sea wall. These are the remains of the Cliffe explosives factory which closed in 1921.

Roofless buildings of former Cliffe explosives factory

At Lower Hope Point is an obelisk marking the limit of the authority of the Thames Watermen.

Thames Watermen marker stone

On the way back to Cliffe, you can look over the Cliffe Creek to the mounds of sand at the aggregate works adjacent to Victorian Cliffe Fort (the Fort was designed to be low profile, and is difficult to see).

Aggregate works and jetty

Finally, you pass through the Cliffe Pools RSPB Reserve, with a series of large pools in a former chalk quarry.

RSPB Cliffe Pools

Distance: 13 miles including optional 3 mile excursion to Egypt Bay.

Logistics: Park in the free car park adjacent to the church (and pub) in Cliffe - free at the time of writing (June 2024). (I do this walk as a circular. It would be nice to do a one way walk and carry on further along the estuary and get a bus back, but there is no direct bus service.)

Challenges: The footpath across the marshes is not well signed, and the path through the tall grass is difficult to discern. It would be easy to wander off route, which is not advisable because there are numerous drainage ditches which can only be crossed on the footbridges provided. Further, several 'Private, trespassers will be prosecuted' signs indicate the fate awaiting anyone unfortunate enough to stray too far. Using a GPS with the route displayed is therefore advisable.

You need to find the footbridges on Cooling Marshes

When you reach the embankment around Salt Fleet Flats, it is disappointing to find that the top of embankment has become overgrown, blocking any path that used to be there, so you have to stick to the good track around the base. There are however a number of 'slipway' access points allowing you to get views over the lagoon. It appears that ground works are ongoing here, so access conditions might change for better or worse. Watch out for heavy plant.

Good track around Salt Fleet Flats (overgrown embankment to the right)

West of Salt Fleet Flats, it is possible to walk for about 2 miles along the top of the embankment and enjoy the excellent views across the river. The embankment then becomes steeply sloping directly from the sea wall, making walking difficult and you must descend to the track below, and be content with the occasional scramble to see the view.

Path along the top of the riverside embankment

The path generally follows good tracks or grassy embankments, but, in addition to the obvious marshy areas, expect mud after prolonged rain.

Refreshments: The Sun pub adjacent to the church in Cliffe seems a friendly 'local' (it was open early for breakfast when I was there.)

Nearby Walks

For an overview map of all my walks along the Grain/Hoo coast see my Coast Walks overview page. Open the Google Map and expand the area around the Hoo Peninsula.

High Halstow Circular includes St Mary's Bay to Egypt Bay.

This walk from Grain gets to St Mary's Bay before heading down to catch the bus back at St Mary Hoo.

If you could arrange transport at both ends, the walk from Grain via All Hallows to Cliffe alongside the Thames would be a fine if lengthy excursion.

For a cycle ride between Cliffe and Gravesend see this post on my companion cycling blog.

More Photos

June, sunny morning, clouding over in the afternoon