This month's caravanners
Adrian and Celia Reynolds and their daughters Alice (13), Bethan (10)
and Isabel (3)
Outfit used
2006 Ford Galaxy 1.8 TDCi Zetec 130bhp
2000 Elddis Crown 505 MTPLM 1300kg
You’ve no doubt heard of Dover. Vera Lynn, bluebirds (we couldn’t find any) and all that. You’ve probably been through Dover. It’s still the UK’s number one point for travelling to Continental Europe. Coming home, the sight of the White Cliffs is your reminder that you’ll soon be back in your own bed and, as you scoot up the A2 or M20, you give little thought to the treasures of South East Kent. So, at best, Dover has been a one-night-only kind of experience for you.
That’s certainly how we felt and now we know better! The White Cliffs country has loads to offer for a great family break. We’d been through Dover plenty of times on route to Holland, France and Belgium. But this was our first stay in Dover itself.
Dover is just 22 miles from Calais across the Channel. This means that for several millennia Dover has been the focus of cross-channel trips, forays and invasions. It is this legacy that shapes the surrounding area. For example, Dover Museum contains the oldest intact ship in the world (over 3500 years old), while Dover Castle, which itself has a long and illustrious history, played an active part in the Second World War.
Family holidays in those weeks before winter bites can be quite tough as beaches and outdoor parks are out, but our trip to this ignored corner of Kent proved a success.
We chose a site midway between Dover and Folkestone. This gave us an ideal location for Dover, the White Cliffs and the Downs and Folkestone, the Cinque ports and the beaches. First stop was the Battle of Britain Memorial. This moving memorial records the names of the airmen who lost their lives in 1940. It was an opportunity to explain this important moment in history to the older girls, as well as admire the cliffs.
The memorial is a reminder that this corner of the country is steeped in history. Just a couple of miles from our site is the groundwork from a Roman fort overlooking Folkestone. Dover Castle is Norman, the famed Martello Towers are Napelonic and there is lots from WWII to see. It feels like invasion corner, and is all the more fascinating for it.
This is exemplified by Dover Castle where we headed next. The main keep of the castle dates from 1138. The interior of the keep has been recreated from its Tudor layout. On the walls stand Jacobean carronades (short canons), overlooking the town and old harbour. The garrisons were remodelled as part of the defences against Napoleon and the first lot of casemates (tunnels) were built.
The tunnels are most famous for the part they played in WWII. From here, Vice-Admiral Ramsay choreographed the Dunkirk evacuation and the protection of the Channel shipping. An excellent 50-minute tour takes you around the underground hospital, barracks and war rooms. Churchill himself often used to visit and survey the French coast – which we could see clearly from the Dover shore.
The castle kept the girls interested all day, historical tales and adventure, views and places to eat all kept Bethan and Alice awake. Just don’t forget there’s more to do in Dover! In fact, our most amazing find took us back before Churchill, Napoleon or even Caesar’s time. Tucked away in Dover Museum is a Bronze Age boat – almost entirely intact – excavated just a few years ago. This boat plied its trade across the channel: a sort of ancient cross-channel ferry. It has been dated around 2000BC, making it older than Tutankhamun. Dover Museum is worth the entry fee for the boat alone, but there are plenty of other mementoes from Dover’s history to commend it, including a collection
of photos of cross-channel swimmers.
Extract
|
