Walmer Castle
Castle · A Tudor fort turned official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, set in colourful gardens by the sea.
Deal
A Kent seafront town of narrow old lanes, a 1950s pier and Henry VIII's coastal castles, with a shingle beach running the whole way.
From King's Cross St Pancras: 1 h 38 min by train · 2 h 36 min by car
Travel times by TravelTime
Time there: 4.5–8.5 h to see all 6 places
Get directionsTownBy the seaBeachesCharming streetsLandmarksCastlesIndependent shops
Must-see places
Deal Castle
Castle · Henry VIII's low, rounded coastal fort, its bastions ringing a central keep, with a dark passage circling the whole castle.
Time Ball Tower
Landmark · A seafront tower, once a semaphore station, whose time ball dropped at 1pm so ships could set their clocks, now a small museum.
Deal Pier
Waterfront · A 1,026-foot pier opened in 1957, with a restaurant at its far end and anglers along the rails, looking out across the Channel.
Deal Beach and Seafront
Beach · A steep shingle beach below a promenade, facing the Channel with no harbour wall and the odd fishing boat pulled up on the stones.
Middle Street and Deal's Old Lanes
Old streets · A narrow lane of old brick and painted houses running parallel to the seafront, in Kent's first conservation area.
Quick facts
Deal Castle, built in 1539–40 for Henry VIII, is among the most elaborate of his coastal artillery forts, and a dark passage called the Rounds circles the whole castle.
Deal Pier, opened in 1957 and 1,026 feet long, is the last fully intact leisure pier in Kent, with a restaurant at its far end and anglers along the rails.
Narrow lanes such as Middle Street, Kent's first conservation area, lead down to a long shingle beach where France can be seen on a clear day.
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