Our walk begins in Upper Walmer, an inland village where, if you look closely, you can still get a sense of its medieval origins. Peek over the wall of Old St Mary’s church, and you’ll see the romantic stone and flint remains of Walmer Court. Built in the 12th century, this was once the manor house – the beating heart of the village – which owned and controlled the land and the villagers' lives. Unlike its flashier neighbour Deal, today, Upper Walmer feels out of the way, off the beaten track even. But this is no accident. Thanks to its proximity to the coast, Walmer’s fate has long been linked to the sea. From at least the 18th century, a spit of land grew northwards from Walmer to Deal.