9th November 2025
Reading Time: 5 minutes
I messed this walk up!
By sheer fluke I put “Central Park – Sittingbourne” into the Google Maps machine and we set off from London in the camper van. When we arrived in Sittingbourne for some reason we decided it would be nice to have a stroll down the High Street before setting off along the Saxon Shore Way – so we totally ignored the Google directions to Central Park. This was a big mistake.
In our search for the High Street we found three car parks but one had a height limit and the others had a four hour time limit. We decided to try to find an out-of-town street to park in. It was weird because we randomly turned under a bridge and directly in front of us was a massive empty car park with no time limit and amazingly it was FREE – but only because it was Remembrance Sunday. Why were there absolutely no signs for this splendid Spring Street Car Park?
We decided to skip the concept of a walk down the High Street and just try to find the Saxon Shore Way. This path theoretically starts in Gravesend and finishes in Hastings. It likes to keep its whereabouts secret.
Armed with our Ordnance Survey Explorer Map 149 we worked out that the route of the path was unfortunately alongside an awful road full of very fast cars. Tilman, my Parson Russell Terrier is not used to cars. It might sound odd, but we don’t get many cars in Rotherhithe, it is mainly cycle and foot paths around where we live and the few cars drive at less than 20 mph, so he freaks out if a car whizzes past quickly.
After a couple of stressful miles walking through an industrial area we eventually turned off to the right up Dolphin Road and then along Church Road. Here we found our first faded Saxon Way sign lurking on a lamp post. I like industrial estates but not for a Sunday dog walk. We were about to feel like a couple of losers when things quietened down and we came across “Central Park” Sittingbourne. This was where we should have parked in the first place – no parking restrictions and plenty of space and at the beginning of the “real” path. So next time – check there are no events on and just park here!
We swung off down Stadium Way and across the main road we had left earlier (weird route?) down Gas Road to a dead end. Peering through the steel fence we could just make out a diversion sign saying “Temporary Diversion” or suchlike and with an arrow pointing to a mass of brambles. We scrambled through the overgrown litter strewn mess until we eventually came across the semblance of a path alongside the creek. At bloody last!
The good news was nobody else would contemplate walking this route so, on a sunny Sunday, we had the path entirely to ourselves (except one birdwatcher and five fisherman).
And it just got better and better. We were basically walking along soft turf on top of a sea wall. Eventually we joined the Swale and a glance Westwards showed the bridge to Sheppy while to the east you could see Whitstable (I think). The dogs were happy off their leads.
After about an hour along this path you could see Coyner as a group of white painted houses in the distance.
They took a while to get nearer and the path winds around the creek and eventually behind Swale Marina. I was impressed with this place and might consider wintering Sumara there one year.
Yes, there is a pub, why else do you go on the Sunday walk? We didn’t have the foresight to book a Sunday Lunch in advance and they were fully booked (aren’t they all). Happily they rustled up a couple of bowls of whitebait and some chips which we washed down with a pint of Courage.
It was about 16:00 by now and we didn’t fancy the 10 km walk back so we took a cab from Sittingbourne Taxis back to the car. So from what started as a disaster walk turned out just fine but:
Here are the lessons:
- Park at Central Stadium but make sure there isn’t an event on.
- Get there by about 11:00
- Book a lunch at The Ship Inn, Coyner for about 13:00
Do the above and you will be able to walk there and back and have a very decent lunch.
You will miss the delights of Sittingbourne’s industrial area.
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