Dover may be known for the iconic White Cliffs and its historic military fortifications, but further inland you’ll find a hidden treasure for ramblers and nature lovers.

Or maybe that should be three hidden treasures.

Reserves Whinless Down, High Meadow and Nemo Down together cover an expanse of 150 acres, encompassing a network of paths for walkers seeking stunning views which overlook the town and coastline.

The trail from Whinless Down can take you all the way to the nearby parish of Hougham. I discovered it just by chance while on furlough during the pandemic, when I was doing a lot of hill walking in Dover.

In the distance from you can see the Dour Valley, where the town centre is, along with the castle and the harbour.

From there, cross Folkestone Road valley and you will spot the Western Heights fortress, built during the Napoleonic wars and designed to protect the town from a French invasion.

Closer by, and down a very steep hillside, is the neighbourhood of Elms Vale.

It was along here that walkers often came across the nature reserve’s most famous resident; Kyra the horse. Homeowners in Elms Vale could sometimes see her from their properties.

She grazed there for more than 30 years but died last autumn aged 36.

Other horses and ponies can still be found in the area.

Cattle can be spotted grazing in the 48 acre site, and keen-eyed nature lovers should keep a lookout for butterflies, woodpeckers, adders, lizards and kestrels.

Nemo Down and High Meadow are on the northern side of the hills, just north west of Tower Hamlets.

They provide a different vantage point of Dover, and from here you can see Coombe Valley, where St Radigund’s housing estate, Poulton Close business centre and Buckland Hospital sit.

Konik horses, a small Polish breed, graze on High Meadow, and there are also five Exmoor ponies munching away on the grass. Kestrels and ravens have been sighted on the nature reserve, which like Whinless Down, is owned by Dover Town Council and managed by the White Cliffs Countryside Partnership.

Adjoining High Meadow from the west, Nemo Down has been owned by Kent Wildlife Trust since 2014 following a period of neglect which began in the last century.

The land had become overgrown by shrubbery but that is now being controlled by, again, grazing konik ponies, and longhorn cattle.

The area is now full of wildflowers such as common-spotted and pyramidal orchids.

Birds there include yellowhammers and lesser whitethroats, recognised by their dark cheeks and pale throat.

How to get there

Whinless Down

By car: There is no on-site parking but free spaces are available at the Elms Vale Recreation Ground car park, on Elms Vale Road.

On foot: Footpaths from Kings Road take you to Whinless Down.

By public transport: The nearest bus stop is Queens Avenue, which can be reached from the number 61, 63 and 63a.

High Meadow and Nemo Down

By car: No on-site parking. On-street parking available nearby.

On foot: There are several entrances including from Edred Road and steep steps from Coombe Valley Road.

By public transport: The Nearest bus stop is Northbourne Avenue where you can get the No 63.

All three sites have uneven surfaces and steep slopes and there are no on-site facilities.

Dog owners are asked to keep their pets on leads near grazing livestock.