Good for tourism, good for the planet and good for you
We know that the majority of our visitors want to travel and holiday in a sustainable way, to support planet-friendly businesses and visit places that are environmentally conscious. Many of the tourism and hospitality businesses in White Cliffs Country, from food and drink outlets and places to stay to visitor attractions and experience and transport providers are also keen to work in more sustainable ways. There are restaurants, cafes and pubs that are sourcing their ingredients as locally as possible and reducing their waste, shops that sell locally-grown, reared and made produce, hotels and guesthouses working hard to be as sustainable as possible and attractions encouraging people to arrive on public transport.
Join thousands of others and embrace planet-friendly tourism in White Cliffs Country.
"You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make."
White Cliffs Country is well-connected with good public transport links - we are just over an hour from London by high-speed train - with five mainline stations at Dover, Martin Mill (for St Margaret's Bay), Walmer, Deal and Sandwich. Once here, you'll find many interesting and varied walking and cycling routes.
There are several electric vehicle charging points in Dover District Council's Pay and Display car parks and certain on-street locations in Dover, Deal and Sandwich (7kw chargers; £0.35 per kWh). You will need to set up an account on the Connected Kerb mobile phone app to gain access and pay for charging. Several supermarket car parks also have EV charging points.
Bring your own bikes to get around while you're here or hire them here. There are several places to hire from and an e-bike hire scheme in Dover. The Click2Cycle scheme offers visitors the option of collecting a bike at one point, such as Dover Priory Station, and leaving at another, such as the seafront or the White Cliffs Visitor Centre - you'll need to download the app to hire these bikes.
Sleeping under canvas is the obvious eco choice when it comes to places to stay. We have fantastic camping and glamping providers in White Cliffs Country and the list is continuing to grow. What’s more, we have one of the warmest and driest climates in the UK, so you're less likely to wake up to a soggy groundsheet.
Many of our hotels, B&Bs and self-catering places are also working hard to reduce their carbon footprint and make your stay more sustainable, such as using eco-friendly laundry practices and Fairtrade products and reducing waste. Browse our 'Stay' pages to check out the wide range of accommodation available in White Cliffs Country and search for those who are aiming to be more sustainable.
Many of our cafes, pubs and restaurants source local produce to offer great seasonal food and reduce food miles. The White Horse in Dover, for example, sources most of its produce from within a 20 mile radius and everything is homemade on the premises. You'll find vegetarian and vegan options on most menus and some eateries serving purely plant-based food, such as PeK (Planet Earth Kitchen) on the Dock, the vegan food outlet at Dover Marina Curve.
Kent is known as 'the Garden of England' for a reason, being a bountiful producer of fresh fruit and vegetables. We have our fair share of local organic produce and shops that specialise in selling locally grown, made or reared food, such as The Black Pig butcher in Deal and Felderland Farm Pick Your Own near Sandwich, which is committed to sustainable farming practices.
If you'd like to gather your own food, The Wild Kitchen's fantastic foraging experiences will teach you about nature's free food and how to pick sustainably and carefully.
As well as travelling lightly and supporting eco-conscious businesses, have you thought of visiting in the off-peak season? White Cliffs Country is a wonderful place to visit in winter, with the calm stillness of the countryside and the wild natural beauty of the sea and coastline. Not only is it cheaper to stay here at off-peak times, beaches and trails are quieter and dogs are welcome on our beaches between October and April.
Reducing the number of day trips to and from a destination will reduce emissions and is much kinder to the environment. There’s no need to daytrip to and from White Cliffs Country as you could easily fill more than a week here with incredible places to explore and experiences that the whole family will love. A wide range of quality places to stay means you can enjoy several days or more without making constant long-distance journeys.
We look forward to seeing you.
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