Driving along the White Cliffs country in Kent, England you can hardly miss the castle. It reaches over one hundred meter above sea level and it’s huge!
It looks over the English Channel, and if the weather is willing you can see France on the continent.
Many years ago we had our first visit here, after becoming a member of the English Heritage. This allowed us a free entry. Prices are varying from day to day. Depending on the season, and your age. So there it’s hard to give prices that are accurate – check the site of Dover Castle to make sure. One tip: if you book online it’s cheaper. And it pays to be a member of EH: it makes a revisit easier and/or visiting other highlights in the region. There are overseas memberships available.
The castle is a fortied complex and it’s huge. The drive up the hill where it is is impressive. A narrow lane brings you to the free parking lot. There is a part where you really have to be careful how to steer as the porch is very narrow. And you don’t know anymore whether you’re driving on the left or on the right. It’s safe though as there are lights to manage traffic.
On the parking you can see a part of the huge huge place. Checking in, showing your pre-booked tickets or buying there on the place. Then the walk *up* to the main area of the Great Tower.
Mind you – if you are disabled: you can ask to park on a higher deck or take the service bus, which will take you up. Sometimes the bus doesn’t work, but most of the times it does.
On entering the Great Tower we opt for a drink first. Just to get the energy to see it all. There are several restaurants on the premises, with reasonable prices. But of course you can always take your own drinks and food.
First: the Great Tower. Where to begin? Taking the stairs up to the rooftop? Or starting downstairs in the kitchen? It’s a long climb upstairs (no lift), but you can take breathers at every point you want to as the stairs are either going up or down.
And once you’ve reached the rooftop it’s an amazing 360-degree view over the English Channel, or the Kent landscape. It can be windy though or cold from mist. But every season has its own highlights. Once we were there with a huge storm – the tower was closed, and even the courtyard was. Those who were already in the Tower had to wait as it was unsafe to go outside. An exciting visit.
The Tower shows life during the many centuries it has been there. The kitchen with the sounds of pots and pans, a great show of how things were done. The Royal Hall has a throne on which you are allowed to sit and make a picture of you pretending to be of importance.
There also is a Royal chapel, where the sounds of praying monks can be heard. Or harp music. A real retreat within the busy castle.
If you’re really watching it all, listening to the stories told by the volunteers, smelling the open fire during autumn and winter … then you need time to digest it all.
That’s btw the overall feeling of the place: take your time. There is so much to see and do that you’ll need the full day to really see it all.
Outside the Great Tower you’ll have to make choices: go to the Napoleontic underground tunnels? Walking on the outer ramparts? Walk to the Roman Lighthouse, the oldest building on the grounds, dating from around 50 AD. Or visit the church next to the lighthouse and feel the serenity? A Saxon church, rebuilt in the Victorian era.
Or choose one of the two underground tunnel experiences?
One is about the drama of the Dunkirk evacuation of May 1940, the rescue of so many soldiers who got trapped in France. The whole operation, called ‘Dynamo’ was plotted here.
The tunnel gives special effects, dramatic projections and films. It really brings the whole thing to life.
The other tunnel experience is about the Annexe. Here the expected casualties from the fierce bombing and shelling of Dover could be given medical treatment in safety, and stabilised before being sent to hospitals further inland. Again a very dramatic display of things. You can almost smell the ether in there.
This new tunnel complex was designed on a grid system, with longer communication tunnels linking shorter tunnels that held reception areas, wards, an operating theatre, kitchens and stores. The whole area was bombproof. Lack of light, noise from the ventilation system and cramped conditions made life tiring for both patients and orderlies. Nonetheless, an operational medical unit remained in Annexe into the early 1950s.
After the war the tunnels were to be used as a shelter for the Regional Seats of Government in the event of a nuclear attack.
The tunnels don’t cost you extra money, but you have to wait at times for the guided tours.
You will leave the tunnel per stairs – a double spiral staircase. Those who are unable to do can leave via an other route, but if you can: take the staircase. It’s a wonder in itself to see how both the staircases intertwine.
Coming above ground again it’s easy to cross the road you’ve driven to the parking lot and go straight towards the Fire Command Post.
During World War I the whole Dover area was officially designated to house a complete garrison of more than 10.000 men/women. The castle was the headquarter, and played a crucial role in protecting the harbour of Dover.
The Post is interesting and explains so many things. Not only tactical things about the war, but you can also experience to be in the watchout, try your best at morse signalling, etc.
And of course you’ll have to climb the Outlook and enjoy great panoramic views or let yourself fall into the fierce blowing wind … all depending on the weather during your visit. There is a authentic anti-aircraft gun, the only working example in the world.
The picnic area up there is great too. Just sit, relax and give your feet some time to recuperate. As you walk a lot you have to take break, right?
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Willemina (or Wil for short) is a retired social worker. In total worked for 42 years in the fields of unwanted pregnancies, refugees and lastly the homeless people.
Interested in many things, but mostly reading, cooking, nature and odd places. World War II has a special interest too, due to my parent’s history. Not the military battles, but the human interest of it.