Zig Zag Path

The Zig Zag Path cuts down the cliff face between Folkestone and the seafront like a giant staircase carved into the landscape. It's not some grand engineered marvel - just a practical series of switchbacks that walkers and locals have used for years to avoid the longer route round. The path itself is straightforward and free to use, taking maybe twenty minutes depending on your pace and how often you stop to look back at the views.

This one's for walkers and anyone staying at Varne Ridge Holiday Park or Black Horse Farm who wants a quick blast of coastal scenery without committing to a full day out. It's the sort of walk that feels properly purposeful rather than touristy - you're getting somewhere, not just wandering. The switchbacks mean there's a steady gradient; it's not brutally steep but it's not a leisurely amble either.

The real appeal is the access to the cliff-top views and the beach without having to follow the main promenade. On a clear day you can see across the Channel, and the path gives you a sense of the landscape's geography in a way coastal roads don't. Allow an hour if you're combining it with a walk along the beach, less if you're just popping down and back up.

Greenhill Glamping and Hawthorne Trench Campsite are both within reasonable distance, making this a solid addition to a wider coastal walk rather than a destination in itself. It's the kind of thing you do while you're in Folkestone anyway - straightforward, rewarding, and costs you nothing.