Winchelsea's land-locked port
Recommended by
Our view
"Explore a Cinque Port with a record of bad luck before following an historic line of defence."
Walk directions
With The New Inn on your left, and St Thomas’s Church on your right, follow the road round the right-hand bend. Head down to Strand Gate, then take the road to the junction with the A259. Turn right and follow the pavement along.
When the road bends left, turn right into a road signed ‘Winchelsea Beach’. Just after crossing the Royal Military Canal, turn right. Follow the tow path across this empty landscape. At the first path junction, avoid the concrete footbridge. Eventually, the canal begins to curve left.
View all directions
Additional information
Terrain
- Field paths and pavements, several stiles
Landscape
- Mixture of marshland and undulating farmland
Dog friendliness
- On lead near birding hides and across farmland
Parking
- Roadside parking near St Thomas's Church at Winchelsea
Toilets en route
- On Monk’s Walk, Winchelsea
About the walk
The story of Winchelsea is fascinating: surely nowhere else in the country can have fallen victim to fate in quite the same way. Looking at the town today, it is hard to believe it was once a thriving port, one of the most important on the south coast. It is one of seven Cinque Ports, characterised...
Read more
Been on this walk?
Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.
Walking in Safety
Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.
Get an AA guide
Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.
Been on this walk?
Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.
Walking in Safety
Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.
Get an AA guide
Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.
About the area
East Sussex is a land of stately homes, castles and the South Downs, with miles of chalk cliffs overlooking the English Channel. For history buffs, there are a great many historic landmarks within Sussex, such as the battlefield where the Battle of Hastings took place, or visitors can enjoy pretty towns such as Lewes, Rye and Uckfield and the city of Brighton.
Nearby places to stay
View all (8)
Nearby places to stay
The Quarter House
The Quarter House is two-storey property dating back to the 1700s and makes for a cosy spot from which to explore Rye. Visit the Rye Castle Museum and 14th-century Ypres Tower, take in ...
The Quarter House
The Quarter House is two-storey property dating back to the 1700s and makes for a cosy spot from which to explore Rye. Visit the Rye Castle Museum and 14th-century Ypres Tower, take in ...
Mermaid Inn
Situated near the top of a cobbled side street, the Mermaid Inn is a famous smugglers' inn steeped in history, dating back to 1450 with 12th-century cellars. The charming interior has m...
Benchwood House
Located in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Benchwood House, a former stable block, is now a modern, 2-bedroom rural woodland retreat, tucked away in an ancient woodla...
Benchwood House
Located in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Benchwood House, a former stable block, is now a modern, 2-bedroom rural woodland retreat, tucked away in an ancient woodla...
Flackley Ash Hotel
Flackley Ash is a cosy Georgian country house hotel, nestled deep in the Sussex countryside in the rural village of Peasmarsh. On offer are garden suites, four-poster rooms, an á la car...
The Highlands
Only small, but Iden has a pub serving food, and a post office and general stores, so guests in this secluded Victorian holiday home won’t starve. The three-quarter acre garden has a ha...
The Highlands
Only small, but Iden has a pub serving food, and a post office and general stores, so guests in this secluded Victorian holiday home won’t starve. The three-quarter acre garden has a ha...
Places to eat nearby View all
