Royal Military Canal path, Hythe to West Hythe
Hythe, East Kent
Photo: Ethan Doyle White, CC BY-SA 4.0Photo: Ethan Doyle White, CC BY-SA 4.0
A canal dug between 1804 and 1809 to defend the coast against Napoleon, now a 28-mile waymarked path from Hythe to Cliff End in East Sussex. The restored stretch between Seabrook and West Hythe Dam is flat and easy, ideal for buggies, bikes and wheelchairs.
Highlights
- Flat, surfaced path from Seabrook to West Hythe
- Picnic tables and benches along the way
- Dragonflies, marsh frogs and kingfishers in summer
- Interpretation panels on the canal's history
Good to know
- Explore Kent has downloadable route sections all the way to Rye
- The Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway is close by
Getting there
Royal Military Canal path, Hythe to West Hythe, Royal Military Canal, West Hythe, Hythe, Kent, CT21 5NNParking: Free car parks at both ends of the canal.
Get directionsChecked on 16 October 2026 against explorekent.org. Details change, so please confirm with the venue before you travel. How we check
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Nearby
Image: Explore KentHythe Beach
Hythe Beach is a long sloping shingle shore with wide, uninterrupted sea views, a short walk from the winding streets and independent shops of the old town. Combine a seaside stroll with a ride along the Royal Military Canal or a walk from nearby Brockhill Country Park. It suits couples and families for a relaxed few hours.
Image: St Leonard's Church, HytheSt Leonard's Church and Ossuary, Hythe
St Leonard's has overlooked Hythe for nearly a thousand years and is known as the church with the bones, thanks to the ossuary in its crypt. Around a thousand skulls line the shelves alongside a huge stack of bones, the largest and best-preserved collection of its kind in Britain. It suits curious teens and history lovers and needs about an hour.
Photo: pam fray, CC BY-SA 2.0Brockhill Country Park
Brockhill Country Park near Hythe mixes a lake, woodland and meadows with a play area, picnic spots and the Brockhill Café. Follow the waymarked paths, try geocaching or feed the ducks, and look out for wildlife through the seasons. It suits young families and makes a relaxed two to three hour outing.