A new, family friendly walking route has opened in a ceremony at Russell Gardens.

The Kearsney Loop is a scenic 2.6 mile walk taking in Russell Gardens, Kearsney Abbey, Bushy Ruff and Scotland Common.

It is the result of negotiations between the Ministry of Defence – which owns some of the land – and the White Cliffs Ramblers to create a permissive path across Bush Ruff, thus

avoiding a good half mile walk along a busy road.

The new walk will feature in the programme of the White Cliffs Walking Festival, organised by the group and taking place between August 22-28.

Go to whitecliffswalkingfestival.org.uk

Dover Mayor Gordon Cowan, who had been invited to open the route, was unable to make the ceremony last Tuesday. So instead the walk was opened by Alan and Jane Ford, members of the walking group who live in Broadstairs.

The couple paid for some steps on the route, which were installed by White Cliffs Ramblers volunteers. The steps and two gates, also put in by volunteers from the group, ease access for walkers.

Other guests at the ceremony were three members of the MoD’s Defence Infrastructure Organisation, including Maj Bhupjit Rai, who said the DIO was delighted to have worked with the Ramblers to create this new walk, and it was excellent good that families could use the route safely.

Les Preston, from the White Cliffs Ramblers, said: “This circular walk is available thanks to cooperation between the White Cliffs Ramblers, the DIO and Dover District Council. It can be undertaken in either direction, and can conveniently be combined with a visit to Kearsney Abbey.”

A Kearsney Loop leaflet has been produced, with full details of the route and its points of interest and details can be seen on the White Cliffs Walking Festival website.

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