Sandwiches on the cliffside

Today we took a day trip to the seaside town of Dover! About 1.5 hours out of London, this was the perfect day trip for getting out of the bustle of London and exploring the quiet English coast.

View of Dover from above

We started off by walking to Dover Castle, one of the oldest and largest castles in England. For lack of a better description, this was the castle-iest castle I have ever seen. It has everything from a moat, to towers, to barracks…

Castle moat and walls

What I also loved about this castle is how its rich history is physically engrained in the buildings. The oldest structures was a lighthouse built by the Roman army, dating back to 130 AD.

Roman lighthouse (right)

The grand castle seen today was built in 1180 by Henry the II, but the growth of the fortress didn’t stop there. Dover castle was occupied by many other rulers who all added their own touches to the castle, making it an architectural mosaic!

It was even used during the First World War to hold troops, during the Second World War where it was pivotal in the planning of operation dynamo, and during the Cold War as a seat of the government in the event of a nuclear attack.

Walls around the Great Tower build by Henry the II

There are also 4 miles of tunnel under the castle, which Liam was courageous enough to brave while I waited outside with some hot chocolate.

Entrance to some of the castle’s tunnels

My personal favourite part of the castle was exploring the Great Tower, which was very nicely staged with medieval furnishing and many small rooms that you could explore.

Laying down my sword before dinner

But the main reason we came to Dover was to see the White Cliffs! When the castle ticket salesman heard we were going to the cliffs too he said “oof that will be a lot of walking”… but clearly he didn’t know who he was talking to. It took about 40 minutes to get from the castle to the top of the cliffs and it was so worth the hike.

View of the Dover Cliffs from below

The imposing majesty of these cliffs “stands in stark contrast to the ocean below” (to quote Liam) and is truly breathtaking. Their chalk composition makes them a striking white, which also rubs off on your hands and shoes! We were able to walk up to the cliffs and all along their top following really well kept walking paths. The views were stunning! We could see France on the other end of the English Channel.

Walking trails on the cliffs

The White Cliffs of Dover

What better place to sit and eat our homemade cheese sandwiches than on a cliffside in England, looking out to the mainland of Europe where we will be in a few weeks time…

Snack-time views to France

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