Coastal Smugglers Routes: The Secret Pathways of Britain's Illicit Trade

The Rise of Britain's Smuggling Trade

To understand the smugglers' routes, we must first understand the economic and political conditions that made smuggling so widespread. The story begins in the late 17th century, when the British government significantly increased customs duties to fund its ongoing wars with France. Taxes on popular imported goods such as brandy, tea, tobacco, and silk reached astronomical levels, sometimes exceeding 400% of the goods' value.

These punitive taxes created an enormous price gap between legally imported goods and those smuggled into the country duty-free. With such financial incentives, smuggling quickly evolved from small-scale opportunistic ventures into a sophisticated criminal enterprise involving thousands of people along Britain's coastline.

The scale of this illicit economy was staggering. By the mid-18th century, historians estimate that over 70% of all tea consumed in Britain was smuggled, while in coastal areas, nearly everyone drank smuggled spirits. The revenue loss to the government was enormous—by some accounts, equivalent to half the annual budget of the Royal Navy.

Smuggling's "golden age" lasted from approximately 1700 to 1830, when a combination of reduced duties, more effective law enforcement, and economic changes finally made the trade less profitable. During this period, however, smugglers developed an extensive network of routes specifically designed to evade detection by customs officers and government patrols.

The Sussex Smugglers' Highway: Paths of the Hawkhurst Gang

Perhaps the most notorious and well-documented smuggling routes were those used by the infamous Hawkhurst Gang, who operated throughout Sussex and Kent in the mid-18th century. At their height, this organization controlled smuggling operations across much of southeastern England, employing hundreds of people and moving contraband worth millions in today's currency.

The Hawkhurst Gang's main landing sites were along the Sussex coast, particularly between Hastings and Rye, where the shoreline offered numerous secluded beaches and coves. From these landing points, they developed a network of inland routes, typically following natural features that provided both concealment and navigational landmarks.

The Hastings-Hawkhurst Route

One of their primary routes ran from the beaches near Hastings northward to their base in Hawkhurst, Kent. This 20-mile journey traversed what was then largely undeveloped countryside, following stream valleys where possible and utilizing ancient tracks that predated Roman roads. The route deliberately avoided main roads and settlements where excise officers might be present.

Key features of this route included:

• Ecclesbourne Glen – A wooded ravine near Hastings where boats could land on the beach, and goods could be quickly moved inland out of sight
• Icklesham Ridge – A high point offering lookouts views in all directions to spot approaching revenue men
• The Udimore Road – An ancient track running along higher ground, allowing smugglers to avoid the marshy areas of the Brede Valley
• Strategic Inns – Including the Mermaid Inn in Rye and the Oak and Ivy in Hawkhurst, which served as headquarters for planning operations

Walkers today can follow sections of this historical route, particularly the stretch between Hastings Country Park and Rye, which offers both spectacular coastal views and connections to well-preserved smuggling sites.

Cornwall's Brandy Path: The Route from Polperro to Bodmin

Cornwall's deeply indented coastline, with its countless coves and caves, made it perfect for smuggling operations. Its relative isolation from centers of government authority allowed smuggling to become an integral part of the local economy, with entire communities involved in the trade.

One particularly well-documented route is the "Brandy Path" connecting the fishing village of Polperro with Bodmin Moor. Polperro, with its narrow, sheltered harbor entrance and labyrinthine streets, was perfectly designed (some say deliberately) for smuggling operations.

From Polperro, contraband—primarily brandy and other spirits—would be transported inland along a network of tracks and paths that deliberately avoided the main roads where Excise officers might be patrolling. The route utilized natural features including:

• The Wooded Valleys – Following the Pol River valley, which provided natural cover from observation
• Ancient Sunken Lanes – Medieval trackways worn down below the level of the surrounding fields, offering concealment for smugglers and their pack horses
• Remote Farmsteads – Isolated farms that served as storage locations and distribution points
• Bodmin Moor – Whose vast, desolate expanse provided the perfect area for moving and hiding goods before distribution to markets throughout southern England

Unlike some smuggling gangs, the Cornish operations were deeply integrated with local communities. Fishermen, farmers, miners, and even local clergy participated in different aspects of the trade. This community involvement meant that smuggling routes often connected to everyday paths and tracks, but with subtle markers or features known only to those in the trade.

Hidden Infrastructure

The Cornish smugglers created an impressive hidden infrastructure along their routes, including:

• False walls and floors in coastal cottages and inns
• Concealed caves expanded and improved with stone shelving for storing barrels
• Underground passages connecting buildings in Polperro
• Disguised markers along routes, including distinctive arrangements of stones or notches cut in trees
• Modified wells and mining shafts used for storage

Walking this route today provides a fascinating glimpse into this clandestine world, with many physical features still visible to the observant explorer.

The North Sea Connection: Yorkshire's Smuggling Coast

While smuggling is often associated with the south coast, England's east coast also developed significant smuggling operations, particularly for goods coming from the Netherlands and Scandinavia. The Yorkshire coast between Whitby and Flamborough Head was especially active, with its numerous fishing communities maintaining close trading connections with Dutch and Danish ports.

The north Yorkshire smuggling routes had distinctive characteristics shaped by the region's unique topography. The high cliffs of the Yorkshire coast meant that landing sites were concentrated around the few accessible bays and inlets, particularly Robin Hood's Bay, Runswick Bay, and Staithes.

From these landing points, contraband would be quickly moved inland, often following the deep, sheltered valleys (known locally as "gills") that cut through the Cleveland Hills and North York Moors. These narrow, wooded valleys provided perfect concealment for smugglers moving goods inland.

The Robin Hood's Bay Network

Robin Hood's Bay developed perhaps the most sophisticated smuggling infrastructure of any Yorkshire coastal settlement. This small fishing village, with its tightly packed houses cascading down a steep ravine to the sea, was said to have an underground network of passages connecting many buildings, allowing contraband to be moved from the beach to storage locations without ever being visible from outside.

From Robin Hood's Bay, several smuggling routes radiated inland:

• The Littlebeck Route – Following Littlebeck valley northwest toward Whitby and then inland
• The May Beck Path – A route through the densely wooded May Beck valley to concealed farms on the moorland edge
• The Fylingdales Route – Heading southwest across the high moors toward Pickering and York

These routes were chosen not only for concealment but also practicality—many followed watercourses that provided both drinking water for pack animals and landmarks for navigation across the often fog-bound moors.

What makes the Yorkshire smuggling routes particularly interesting is how they connected with older historical pathways. Many followed sections of medieval trading routes, prehistoric trackways, or drove roads used by cattle traders. This layering of historical use adds depth to the walking experience today, with many routes offering evidence of multiple historical periods.

Kent's Labyrinthine Routes: The Romney Marsh Network

Perhaps the most complex smuggling infrastructure developed around Romney Marsh in Kent, a low-lying coastal wetland that formed a natural labyrinth perfectly suited to clandestine activities. This vast area of marshland, drainage channels, isolated farmsteads, and scattered villages created an environment where outsiders could easily become lost, while locals knew the safe paths and crossing points.

Romney Marsh was ideal for smuggling for several reasons:

• Its proximity to France (just 20 miles across the Channel)
• Its maze-like network of drainage ditches and waterways
• Its sparse population and isolation from major centers
• Its numerous small landing places along Dungeness and the shingle beaches

The smuggling routes across Romney Marsh weren't single paths but rather a network of interconnected trackways, with multiple alternative routes that could be used depending on where revenue officers might be patrolling. This network connected coastal landing points like Dungeness and Dymchurch with inland destinations including Ashford and even London.

Secret Marks and Hidden Messages

Given the complex, changing nature of the marsh landscape, smugglers developed sophisticated systems of navigation and communication:

• Church towers served as daylight navigation landmarks
• Lantern signals from church windows indicated safe or dangerous landing conditions
• Deliberately positioned windmills acted as navigational markers
• Chalk marks on gateposts or trees indicated current safe routes
• Positioned farm implements warned of revenue patrols in the area

Churches played a particularly important role in Romney Marsh smuggling, with many local parishes deeply involved in the trade. Church crypts and even the spaces within altar tables were used to store contraband, while remote churchyards became meeting points for handovers and transactions.

The Role of Inns and Taverns

Along the smuggling routes of Romney Marsh, certain inns and taverns served as crucial nodes in the network. Establishments like the Star Inn at St. Mary in the Marsh, the Woolpack at Brookland, and the Ship at Dymchurch functioned as intelligence centers, storage locations, and distribution points.

These buildings often featured special architectural elements to facilitate smuggling operations:

• Cellars with concealed access points
• Secret rooms hidden between normal floors
• Tunnels connecting to nearby buildings or escape routes
• Specialized hiding places built into chimneys, staircases, and fireplaces

Many of these historic inns still operate today, and some have preserved their smuggling features as historical attractions, making them fascinating stops along the modern walking routes.

Scotland's Whisky Trails: The Secret Paths of Illicit Distilling

While much smuggling elsewhere in Britain focused on imported goods, Scotland developed a unique form of smuggling centered around locally produced whisky. Following the 1707 Act of Union and subsequent increases in spirit taxes, legal whisky production became prohibitively expensive, driving the industry underground.

By the early 19th century, it's estimated that over half of all whisky consumed in Scotland came from illegal stills hidden in remote glens and moorlands. This created a distinctive network of smuggling routes designed to move locally produced whisky to markets rather than bringing foreign goods inland from the coast.

These Scottish whisky smuggling routes had several distinctive characteristics:

• They often followed high mountain paths to avoid settlements and excise officers
• They utilized natural features like watercourses that could both hide the sounds of production and dilute the smell of fermentation
• They connected remote production sites with trusted distribution points, often legitimate inns and taverns

The Smugglers' Path: From Glenlivet to Tomintoul

One of the best-preserved whisky smuggling routes runs from the Glenlivet area (famous for illicit stills before becoming a center of legal production) over the mountains to Tomintoul and eventually to markets in southern Scotland and England.

This high mountain route deliberately traversed some of the most challenging terrain in the Cairngorms, including areas that could be snowbound for months. While this made transportation difficult, it also minimized the risk of encountering government forces, who rarely ventured into these remote areas, especially during winter.

Key features along this route included:

• Hidden bothies (small huts) that offered shelter during journeys
• Concealed cave systems used for temporary storage
• Natural landmarks like distinctive rock formations that served as navigational aids
• Falls of Glenlivet – Waterfalls where the sound masked distilling operations

Walking these routes today offers a powerful connection to Scotland's whisky heritage before the industry became legalized and commercialized. Many of the footpaths follow the exact routes used by whisky smugglers, traversing spectacularly beautiful but challenging mountain landscapes.

The Maritime Connection: Sea Routes and Landing Sites

While our focus has been on land routes, it's important to remember that smuggling was fundamentally a maritime activity, with specific sea routes and landing techniques forming a crucial part of the system. The most successful smuggling operations coordinated their land and sea activities with precision.

Channel Crossing Points

The English Channel smuggling routes weren't random but followed specific channels and approaches determined by:

• Prevailing winds and currents
• Locations of sandbanks and other navigational hazards
• Areas with minimal naval patrol presence
• Proximity to friendly ports in France, the Netherlands, and the Channel Islands

Certain crossing points became well-established, such as the route between Roscoff in Brittany and Cawsand in Cornwall, or the short crossing between Gravelines in northern France and the Kent coast around Deal and Dover.

Landing Techniques

The transfer of goods from ship to shore was the most vulnerable point in the smuggling operation, requiring careful planning and coordination. Various techniques were developed to minimize risk:

• Floating cargo – Waterproofed containers dropped offshore to be collected later
• Night runs – Quick beach landings during moonless nights
• False bottoms in fishing boats that could pass inspection
• Lighthouse signals – Corrupted lighthouse keepers would briefly alter light patterns to signal safe landing times

Each coastal region developed specialized techniques suited to its particular shoreline. In Cornwall, with its steep cliffs, goods were often hoisted up using pulley systems. In the flatter eastern counties, shallow-drafted vessels could penetrate far inland via river systems, avoiding coastal patrols entirely.

Walking Smugglers' Routes Today: What to Look For

For modern walkers interested in following these historical routes, there are several distinctive features to watch for that indicate smuggling heritage:

Architectural Elements

• Churches with separate bell towers – Often used as lookout points
• Cellars with unusual access points in coastal buildings
• False walls and priest holes adapted for smuggling use
• Oversized chimneys that could accommodate contraband
• Inns with unusual internal layouts designed to confuse strangers

Landscape Features

• Holloways (sunken lanes) – Ancient trackways worn down below ground level, providing concealed movement
• Smugglers' cairns – Stone piles that served as navigational markers or drop points
• Flash pits – Small ponds used to signal between inland groups and coastal landing parties
• Ancient hedgerows with unusual gaps or crossing points

Place Names and Local Lore

The linguistic footprint of smuggling remains embedded in the landscape through place names and local terminology. Watch for names like:

• "Brandy Path," "Smugglers Lane," "Run Hill"
• References to "Gentlemen" (a euphemism for smugglers)
• "Ghost" locations – Places with supernatural reputations often deliberately cultivated by smugglers to discourage curious visitors

Local folklore often preserves smuggling history through stories, songs, and legends. Many smuggling tales featuring ghosts or supernatural elements were deliberately spread to keep people away from active smuggling sites.