The best countryside walks in Camber Sands, England

Medieval buildings and cobblestone streets are not the only things to experience in Rye. Camber Sands beach, countryside walks and sheep turds (as in dodging them) are some of the many things you can do in the surroundings of Rye, England. On our weekend trip, we did a few walks to explore the seaside and the east-Essex countryside, and said hi to the sheep, hence the sheep turds! 🙂

We had a bit of drama getting there… we were supposed to arrive with our friends on a Friday night. But unfortunately, I caught a cold, and you know how it is these days, a little sniffle could be “Covid”! So thought I’d do the right thing and wait it out, just in case.

Fortunately, I felt much better in the morning. So we set off to Rye. By the way, if you bought off-peak train tickets, it’s only valid to travel on the day it was purchased. Well d’uh!

We had to buy another last-minute, very expensive ticket. Oh well! It couldn’t be helped.

By the time we arrived, our friends were already in Camber Sands. So we literally dumped our bags at the property and caught a taxi out to meet them. There are local buses too but we just missed one and the next one was 30 minutes away. It was only a 10-minute journey and the ride came to just over £10, which I was happy to pay in exchange for time back.

Camber Sands is one of the best beaches in the UK

I refused to believe that sandy beaches exist in the UK until I discovered Camber Sands, beautiful dunes with soft fine golden sand!! Oh my gosh!!

Have you seen the dunes by the seaside? There are plenty of them in Camber Sands. Fresh, crispy air with gusty winds sending the chills right down my spine. It was only May after all.

I couldn’t believe people were sunbathing and swimming in the sea! Brrrr!! I was in two layers and a spring jacket, and I was still cold! haha…

Anyway, if you catch the taxi, it will drop you off at the main car park, which is where most beach-goers park themselves. And this part is not dog-friendly. But if you walk towards the right (if facing the beach), think towards zone d or e, it is dog friendly and you get the whole beach to yourself.

It was so beautiful and tranquil here. I could stay there all day listening to the waves if it wasn’t so cold!

Camber Sands is said to be the sunniest part of the UK. But I wouldn’t know because, within 30min of our arrival, the sun disappeared! There are also several eateries around, but unfortunately, not many places were open, due to Covid.

Countryside walks and sheep turds

There are many other hiking routes you can take from Rye. The next day, we did a circular walk from the city centre to Rye Harbour and Camber Castle.

It wasn’t a particularly exciting walk, to be honest, the routes were mainly flat grass terrain. There was a section where we had to walk through a bramble tunnel. The brambles were so tall all I could see was the path ahead.

A typical English countryside walking path is through people’s farmland, which is legal by the way. We walked past herd after herd of sheep. So spent a lot of time watching the ground and dodging sheep turds! haha… At least when we looked up, there were nice cotton candy clouds.

We arrived in Rye Harbour just in time for lunch. We made a dash for William the Conquerer pub. I had the most amazing halloumi and roasted vegetable salad. I loved it so much that tried to recreate it a few times!

After we polished our food and down some Pimms (an English countryside walk is not complete without Pimms). We carried on to the Camber castle.

After lunch, we carried on dodging sheep turds and made our way to the Camber Castle.

The last stop, Camber Castle. It was built during the Henry VIII era to guide the Rye Harbour. You can book a guided tour to go inside, but sadly it was closed on our visit.

Countryside Walk Etiquette

As I mentioned earlier, English countryside walking paths are through people’s farmland and their livestock, so as elegant ladies, we need to be mindful that we are stepping into people’s private space. This is legal. It’s not trespassing, unless the property has a sign saying otherwise.

We should extend certain etiquette and behaviour when we are walking through their properties. This is normal by the way, it’s a well-accepted activity. You won’t be taken to jail for bad behaviour unless you intend to steal their livestock! But please just be nice and respectful. It is the Ladylike thing to do.

So here is a list of things you should be mindful of when going on those beautiful countryside walks and (dodging sheep turds):

• Be considerate of everyone living there, and/or other walkers enjoying the countryside too. You will walk through gate after gate, just be gentle and leave them how you found it. Sometimes the gates are left open, this is so the animals can go back, so just keep it open.
• When you see people, be nice and say hi! It’s not London! hehe… 😉 I’ve found everyone to be really friendly on the walks.
• If you have a four-legged friend, keep them on a leash (particularly where there are livestock in sight) or within your sight and control them. Don’t just let them run wild and damage or hurt the other animals.
• If the animals are not yours, stay away and leave them alone. You are just walking by, do not disturb their days. I’m sure you wouldn’t like it if people come barging into your room and disrupted your day.
• Finally, follow the local signs and stick to the conventional paths. Help protect the environment and take your litter with you. This includes your dog’s poo, please!!

This a wrap for our Rye weekend. Hope you enjoyed coming to Rye and East Essex with us. Don’t forget to check out the “Quintessentially English medieval town, Rye” post if you haven’t read it. Make sure you plan time for Camber Sands, countryside walks and (dodging) sheep turds. And always always practise etiquette and act like a lady, even in the countryside.