Searching for a breath of fresh air? Then head for the White Cliffs Walking Festival.

The third annual White Cliffs Walking Festival features 39 walks taking place in just seven days.

They range from special interest or history/heritage walks of a couple of miles to the White Cliffs Challenge, a 32-mile trek on Sunday August 28, put on by the Long Distance Walkers Association.

Last year more than 1,000 people went on festival walks, a figure organisers the White Cliffs Ramblers – the south Kent branch of the Ramblers – believe will be exceeded this year.

Other walks over the festival are a four-mile walk taking in the history and wildlife of Dover’s Western Heights, a nine-mile Dover Hills and Valleys Walk, an 8.5-mile section of the North Downs Way National Trail, an 11-mile Windmill Walk, a six-mile Bleriot Walk, learning about the French aviator who flew across the Channel in 1909, a 12-mile Battle of Britain Walk, visiting the Cat and Custard Pot pub in Hawkinge which was frequented by some of ‘The Few’ and the 18-mile Three Pits Walk, visiting the sites of the three Kent mines of Betteshanger, Snowdown and Tilmanstone.

On Saturday, August 27, the festival will see the inaugural Bluebird Heritage Trail, a three-mile walk created by the Dover Society which visits historic parts of the town marked with bronze pavement markers.

The trail is being put on for the festival to mark Dover being awarded Walkers Are Welcome status, joining the national network of WAW towns, earlier this year.

The festival will be launched on Dover seafront at 10am on Thursday, August 25, followed by a choice of three walks – of four, eight or 8.5 miles.

It will be opened by Averil Brice, Kent public rights of way manager and also White Cliffs Ramblers secretary. Also at the opening ceremony will be former Dover mayor Pam Brivio, who leads the group which secured Walkers Are Welcome status for Dover, and Dover and Deal MP Charlie Elphicke.

Margaret Lubbock, chairman of the White Cliffs Ramblers, said: “This is now our third White Cliffs Walking Festival and we know how much fun they are for everyone, so why don’t you come and join us this year by experiencing the White Cliffs and the beautiful surrounding countryside? The programme is bigger and we’ve added some new walks.”

The festival ends on Wednesday, August 31, with a 4.5-mile walk from Dover’s Kearsney Abbey led by Margaret.

FESTIVAL WALKS

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25

4 miles: History and Wildlife of the Western Heights – starting at 10am from Dover seafront (immediately after the opening ceremony).
6 miles: Circular Afternoon Walk – starting at 2pm from the Plough and Harrow pub car park, near Tilmanstone.
8 miles: White Cliffs to St Margaret’s Bay – starting at 10am from Dover seafront (immediately after the opening ceremony).
10 miles: Fish and Chips Walk (linear) – starting at 5.30pm from Walmer railway station, getting to Dover as the sun is setting.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 26

4.5 miles: An Easy Stroll – starting at 10.45am from Kingsdown Road car park (opposite Granville Road), Walmer.
6.5 miles: White Cliffs Coastal Trail (Day 1) – starting at 11am from the Valiant Sailor, Capel (linear).
9 miles: Dover Hills and Valleys Walk – starting at 10am from Kearsney Abbey car park, lunch at Little Fartiingloe Farm.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 27

1 mile: Reptile Rambles – starting at 9am and 11am from Samphire Hoe.
6 miles: Nature Trail Walk – starting at 1.30pm from Kearsney Abbey.
9.5 miles: White Cliffs Coastal Trail (Day 2) – starting at 10am from Dover Yacht Club (linear).

SUNDAY, AUGUST 28

1.5 miles: Writers Walk (linear) – starting at 2pm from the Dover Patrol Memorial, St Margaret’s.
2 miles: Drop Redoubt and Grand Shaft – starting at 2pm from Dover’s Western Heights car park (near the top of Military Hill).
5 miles: Hedgerow and Fields, a foraging we go! – starting at 11am from the factory car park, Barfrestone.
6 miles and 6.8 miles: Sandwich Figure of 8 – starting at 10am and 2pm from Sandwich Guildhall.
32 miles or 15 miles: White Cliffs Challenge – starting at 8.30am from St Margaret’s Village Hall, organised by the Long Distance Walkers Association.

BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY

3.5 miles: Smugglers’ Walk – starting at 6pm from Deal Pier. Booking essential.
5 miles: Country Park Walk – starting at 10am from Deal Pier.
11 miles: Windmill Walk – starting at 10am from Walmer Railway station, pub stop.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30

4 miles: Nature at Betteshanger Country Park – starting at 6pm from the park cafe.
12 miles: Battle of Britain Walk – starting at 10am from Alkham village green car park.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31
2 miles: Drop Redoubt and Grand Shaft – starting at 2pm from Dover’s Western Heights car park (near the top of Military Hill).
4.5 miles: Chairman’s Closing Walk – starting at 2pm from Kearsney Abbey.

HOW TO BOOK

White Cliffs Walking Festival programme is on a leaflet available in tourist information centres, pubs, council offices, shops and other outlets in south and east Kent. It is also on the festival’s website whitecliffswalkingfestival.org.uk.