Leisure
With 21 miles of coastline and a fifth of the district within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AoNB), you won’t be lost for things to do in your leisure time. From stunning beaches to some of the best golf courses in the country, and from world renowned heritage to stunning parks and gardens, there’s something for everyone to discover in Dover district.
Discover Dover and take to the water
As the closest part of the UK to mainland Europe, you’re never far from the sea. Opportunities to take to the sea are many and varied. For serious swimmers, Dover marks the start of the greatest endurance swim of all, the English Channel! Most weekends during the summer will see swimmers training in Dover harbour for this epic, 21-mile open water swim.
If sailing rocks your boat, there are many local clubs, including the Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club in Dover, the Downs Sailing Club in Walmer, and the Sandwich Sailing & Motorboat Club. Boat moorings are available at Dover Marina, or the Quay in Sandwich. The £2.5 million Dover Sea Sports Centre is located on Dover seafront and offers a whole host of RYA accredited sea sports, including sailing, wind surfing, rowing, and kayaking from a purpose built facility, including changing rooms, disabled access and facilities. There is also a restaurant with views across Dover harbour.
If you’re just after a paddle, try Walmer Paddling Pool
This traditional paddling pool is situated on Walmer Green has the perfect location looking over the beach and lawns.
Discover the Home of the Open
Dover district boasts some of the finest championship Links golf courses in the country, many of them in spectacular coastal settings. The premier golf course in Kent is Royal St George’s Golf Club in Sandwich, which has played host to The Open on 15 occasions.
The nearby Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club is another fine Links course and hosted The Open in 1900 and 1920 which has hosted the Amateur Championships, along with a third Links course at Princes Golf Club, one of the leading venues for society and corporate golf days with extensive function facilities. Further along the coast, Walmer & Kingsdown Golf Club is located high on the famous White Cliffs with panoramic views across the Channel to France. This ‘hidden gem’ welcomes youngsters and families into a very friendly and community-feeling club.
Discover places to keep fit and healthy
Dover District Leisure Centre opened to the public in 2019. The centre offers a wide range of facilities including a 25m county standard swimming pool, 15m learner pool, 4 court sports hall, health & fitness studio, clip n climb wall, sauna and steam room, 2 outdoor 3G pitches and 2 squash courts.
Tides Leisure Centre is a multi-sport leisure centre. The swimming pool proves to be very popular with families, with its beach style pool, wave machine, slides and jacuzzi pools. The centre also offers a 4-court sports hall, health & fitness club, sauna/steam suite, and a superb Indoor 4-court Tennis Centre and Terrace Café. There is a range of membership packages available, or you can simply pay as you go.
Located on Dover’s historic seafront Dover Sea Sports Centre offers a range of sports including sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, rowing, and swimming and a coastal sea safari. And if you are not taking part in sport, then you can relax and enjoy a meal in the highly regarded fish restaurant on the upper floor offering spectacular views of Dover Castle, the White Cliffs and Dover Harbour.
Deal Indoor Tennis Centre is next to the Tides Leisure Centre in Deal and features 4 indoor acrylic courts, spectator areas and a comprehensive membership and coaching programme. The courts were funded by the Lawn Tennis Association and opened in the summer of 2011.
There are 6 tennis clubs in the district and contact information can be found on the British Tennis website.
Goodwin Academy (formerly Castle Community College) offers an outstanding all-weather floodlit pitch suitable for many sports, including football. The pitch can be hired for both training and matches on weekday evenings, weekends and throughout school holidays. Additional facilities include changing rooms, a gymnasium and coaching rooms/classrooms.
Sandwich Sport & Leisure Centre is a multi-sport leisure centre with facilities that include a state of the art fitness suite with spin cardio theatre, 4-court sports hall, aerobics/activities studio, squash courts, tennis courts, netball courts, and a brand new 3G artificial turf pitch and a crèche facility.
Aylesham Welfare Leisure Centre is one of the district’s newest facilities and offers a state of the art fitness suit, a Multi-Use Floodlit Games Area (suitable for netball, basketball, tennis, and football), a floodlit artificial turf pitch (suitable for football and rugby with shock absorption padding built in) and grass pitches for hire (football, rugby & American football). There is also a social bar, cafe, and changing rooms within the facility. For more information visit Freedom Leisure or telephone 01304 840661.
A number of clubs use Betteshanger Sports and Social Club, a lasting legacy from the area’s place at the heart of the East Kent mining community. Activities include indoor and outdoor bowling, bingo, football and cricket, fishing and pigeon racing, an allotment section, a Welfare Brass Band, judo and knitting.
Discover places to take a stroll (or surf)
Deal Pier is a significant local landmark and public amenity offering excellent views of Deal sea front. It is internationally recognised as an angling venue and features a glass-walled café-bar at the end.
Situated between Deal and Sandwich, Betteshanger Country Park offers a day out in the fresh air for all the family with the Kent Mining Museum and The Lamp Room restaurant adding to the attraction.
This former coalfield site has been transformed into a nature reserve and a leisure/sporting venue with a packed calendar of events. The park offers a range of activities including cycling, walking, running, orienteering and play areas. Bikes can be hired and used on either the purpose built 3-mile tarmac track or on the surrounding leisure tracks.
There is also a BMX circuit and single-track trails for mountain bikers. The site is home to numerous sporting weekly/monthly sporting events and clubs, and well as a site for ‘Healthy Walking Groups’. Make a day of it and bring a picnic whilst taking in the sweeping views of the East Kent Coastal plain.
Planning approval has been granted for a new hotel and surfing lake at Betteshanger Country Park, adding to the attraction of Dover district as a visitor destination.
Discover Dover’s historic parks and gardens
On the outskirts of Dover the Kearsney Parks are the district’s most popular public parks. They include Russell Gardens a Grade II Listed park owned by Dover District Council. It was originally designed for a private residence by Thomas Mawson, the leading Edwardian landscape architect. Many of Mawson’s trademark features can be seen to this day including a magnificent canal pond, boathouse and pergola bridges. Just across the road from Russell Gardens, Kearsney Abbey is a popular family picnic spot, with its open parkland, heritage features, and a Grade II Listed cafe.
Another famous team of Edwardian designers were behind the creation of The Salutation, a Grade I Listed manor house in Sandwich. Designed by the renowned architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens, the Secret Gardens were designed by Gertrude Jekyll. They were restored and open to the public in 2007.
Another Grade I listed manor house is Goodnestone Park, built in 1704 and surrounded by 14 acres of parkland and formal gardens. The author, Jane Austen, was a regular visitor to Goodnestone Park when her brother lived on the estate.
Travelling east along the White Cliffs from Dover you arrive at the village of St Margaret’s. Here too there are strong connections with famous authors, with both Noel Coward and Ian Fleming among former residents. The Pines Garden at St Margaret’s is a sustainbale and organically managed 6-acre site with a sensory garden, lake, grass labyrinth and organic kitchen gardens. The gardens are also home to the Pines Calyx, and award winning conference, wedding and events venue, and the St Margaret’s Museum.