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All the United Kingdom England Folkestone Zigzag Path

Zigzag Path

A winding cave grotto walkway built to provide employment for veterans after World War I.

Folkestone, England

Added By
Mictlān Tēcutli
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  Helmut Zozmann/cc by-sa 2.0
  Helmut Zozmann/cc by-sa 2.0
Cave-like section of the Zigzag Path.   pam fray/cc by-sa 2.0
  pam fray/cc by-sa 2.0
Archway on the Zigzag Path.   pam fray/cc by-sa 2.0
View from the top of the Zigzag Path of Folkestone Beach and the English Channel.   Marathon/cc by-sa 2.0
  Helmut Zozmann/cc by-sa 2.0
Top of the Zigzag Path.   pam fray/cc by-sa 2.0
  Steve 55 / Atlas Obscura User
  Steve 55 / Atlas Obscura User
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About

After the First World War, many soldiers returned from the battlefield to face a precarious state of unemployment in Great Britain, which was in a major economic recession. One way the British government attempted to deal with this problem was to develop a number of public work schemes across the country. 

One such project was the construction of the Zigzag Path in the leas area of the coastal town of Folkestone. It began in 1921 and mobilized hundreds of local war veterans to build a new ornamental feature in the Lower Leas Coastal Park. This winding path leads down the cliff from the Upper Leas to the seafront, stretching over an area approximately 160 feet high and just as wide. 

The steep but scenic walk down to the Lower Leas zigs and zags through artificial grottoes sculpted out of a material known as Pulhamite, a mix of sand, cement, and rubble. The workers also built several landscape features along the path, such as steps, seats, plant pockets, low walls, tunnels, arches, and of course, the series of linked caves.

The European fashion of including grottoes in private gardens began much earlier, in the late Georgian era and the Victorian age. But the trend continued into the 20th century in Edwardian Britain, where grottoes became incorporated into public gardens as well. Today, more than a century on, the Zigzag Path in Folkestone still stands as a testament to this period of local history, and an interesting feature of the seaside town.

Related Tags

Caves Grottoes Parks Wwi Cliffs War History Public Works Ecosystems Military

Know Before You Go

The ornamental cave walkway is located in the Lower Leas Coastal Park and is free to visit.

Community Contributors

Added By

Monsieur Mictlan

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Meg, Steve 55

  • Meg
  • Steve 55

Published

August 9, 2019

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Zigzag Path
Lower Sandgate Rd
Folkestone, England
United Kingdom
51.073873, 1.165054
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Nearby Places

House of H.G. Wells

Sandgate, England

miles away

Sandgate Castle

Sandgate, England

miles away

Aefre

Kent, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Folkestone

Folkestone

England

Places 2

Nearby Places

House of H.G. Wells

Sandgate, England

miles away

Sandgate Castle

Sandgate, England

miles away

Aefre

Kent, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Folkestone

Folkestone

England

Places 2

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