Uk Trip Report, Hateful Solar Daytime 9, London: Hateful Solar Daytime Trip To Dover Castle

DAY 9, MAY 6, 2013, Mon (22°C-11°C):

We caught the 8am develop from London Victoria as well as reached Dover Priory station after a 2 hr lovely journeying through dark-green province side.

Put the ticket into the station machine yesteryear error (the lever opens exclusively when the ticket is inwards but if you lot remove the ticket, you lot receive got to go through the manual gate showing the ticket to staff) ... as well as so realised nosotros needed the ticket to larn our discount at the Dover Castle— 2 for 1 offering is valid if nosotros exhibit the track tickets.

The station master copy was sort plenty to receive got out the ticket. We hailed a taxi (£6) from the station as well as arrived inwards five minutes at the castle much ahead of our swain passengers who were walking the 2 mile distance.

DOVER CASTLE:

It was corking to live the begin on the castle grounds—bought 2 tickets paying for only 1—£21.

It was a cool foggy morning... looked corking but has non photographed well...

Fog ruining the photo...this is the moat at the entrance. Can run into the drawbridge.

Dover Castle is a medieval castle inwards county of Kent. It was founded inwards the 12th century as well as has been described every bit the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. It is the largest castle inwards England. It has the shortest ferry ride—6km— from U.K. to Europe—Calais inwards France.

Crossing the 800 yr old drawbridge as well as at the castle entrance... so overnice having the house to ourselves.

The ticket counter daughter told us to run into the clandestine country of war fourth dimension tunnels begin but nosotros went to the chief castle as well as went upward the chief tower.

Cannons.

Henry II built the castle. In 1216, a grouping of rebel barons invited Louis VIII of French Republic to come upward as well as receive got the English linguistic communication crown. He had some success breaching the walls but was unable to receive got the castle.

During the siege, the English linguistic communication defenders tunneled outwards as well as attacked the French, hence creating the only counter tunnel inwards the world.

By the Tudor age, in that place was gunpowder for defence. The castle was improved yesteryear Henry VIII, who made a personal visit, as well as added the Moat.

The foggy atmospheric condition added to the ambience of beingness piece of job of a imperial past.

Drawbridge here...

Within this magnificent showpiece, Henry could welcome as well as print distinguished visitors to England– especially noble pilgrims travelling to the novel shrine inwards Canterbury Cathedral of St.Thomas Becket, slaughtered earlier the altar yesteryear Henry’s menage knights exclusively a dozen or so years earlier the Great Tower was begun.

This is the Great tower... climbed upward the whole tower as well as took several videos of the awesome interior every bit the lite within was non plenty for pics.

Great Tower, 83 feet high as well as 100 feet square, alongside walls upward to 21 feet thick was built betwixt 1180 as well as 1185.

Kitchen area.

The interior has been latterly renovated... sat on the throne to run into what that feels like...

The king's bed—when nosotros returned on the agency back, the curtains were drawn as well as a instrumentalist was playing a santoor similar musical instrument to lull the Rex to sleep.

St Beckett epitome nigh the bed...

Saint Thomas Becket was murdered at Canterbury. The church building priest was against the taxes levied yesteryear the Rex Henry II. The Rex was annoyed yesteryear this revolt as well as exclaimed.. won't some ane receive got tending of this priest? His soldiers took this every bit an society to kill the priest as well as slayed him correct within the Canterbury cathedral when he was walking inwards for prayers. After his death, the priest was hailed every bit a saint yesteryear the people who flocked to pray to him at the cathedral. Several miracles started to conduct house as well as the Rex was aghast virtually the murder. He walked barefooted all the agency to the cathedral as well as allowed himself to live flogged yesteryear all the seventy monks to atone for his sin.

Roaring forest burn was welcome.

A study nook.

No catch what this bike is for.looks similar a pulley organisation to push clitoris upward a trap door.

Chapel.

Palace comes alive—performer playing music inwards the king's bed chamber..we recorded it on video.

Once the king’s closest friend, Becket had after go his bitter enemy objecting to his taxes: as well as though Henry in all likelihood did non retrieve his murder, he did extravagant penance for a offense which shocked all 12th-century Europe, walking barefoot to Canterbury as well as allowing himself to live flogged in that place yesteryear all seventy cathedral monks. Having done his penance, Henry capitalised on the province of affairs as well as re-established his prestige yesteryear edifice the Great Tower. Here the distinguished visitors who began flocking to Becket’s tomb really before long after his martyrdom could live inwards no dubiety virtually the king’s power, wealth as well as authority.

The museum is pretty good.

There were several local families alongside kids every bit that Mon was a banking concern holiday. We chose it because in that place are special shows of Castle comes live on holidays.

Up on the terrace...

Down the battlement walks as well as circular route.

WAR TUNNELS:

On our agency to the country of war fourth dimension tunnels.

No pics allowed inside...

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/dover-castle/exploremap/

has floorplans of the tunnels carved inwards the limestone cliffs below the castle—it served every bit the naval HQ during footing country of war II. Only twoscore persons allowed on ane guided tour which lasts twoscore minutes...thankfully nosotros joined the tour alongside hardly five infinitesimal wait. We walked through all the tunnels as well as heard the information given yesteryear the navy guys as well as saw the actual footage every bit good every bit enactments of the events of Operation Dynamo:

Troops were stranded at Dunkirk every bit High German forces closed in as well as had to live rescued.

Working within Dover Castle's top clandestine tunnels every bit country of war raged outside, Vice Admiral Bertram Ramsay pulled off a miracle in only x small days inwards 1940. With no technology scientific discipline as well as alongside lamentable resources he masterminded the rescue of 338,000 troops.

Interesting ... nosotros were reminded of our Pearl Harbor see inwards Hawaii... a lot of jingoism inwards the commentary as well as the other side is painted every bit unmitigated villain.

These are pics from the net.

They tin easily allow inwards twice the release at ane go— lot of drama....

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/dover-castle/wartime-tunnels/operation-dynamo/

has a small video as well as moving epitome within the tunnel.

After the tour nosotros reached the exterior of the tunnels.

The information board on the operation..

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/dover-castle/wartime-tunnels/operation-dynamo/360-panoramic-tunnel/

has the panorama video of the chalk tunnels nosotros went through.

There are panorama pics of the sleeping quarters at

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/dover-castle/wartime-tunnels/underground-hospital/360-panoramic-sleeping-quarters/

There is a similar underground infirmary alongside an operating theatre— in that place was a queue entailing an hr hold back for that, so nosotros decided nosotros did non desire to run into it.

The actual contents of the tunnels volition receive got five minutes to glance as well as walk through but they brand it a large drama alongside a sound, lite display etc.. in that place is a panorama moving epitome for these every bit good at the same website.

White cliffs:

Here's the famous white cliffs .

Another glimpse of the white cliffs as well as the sea. 350 feet downward below.

The White Cliffs of Dover are cliffs which shape piece of job of the English linguistic communication coastline facing the Strait of Dover as well as France.

The cliff face, which reaches upward to 350 feet owes its striking façade to its composition of chalk accentuated yesteryear streaks of dark flint.

The cliffs receive got corking symbolic value inwards Great Britain because they face towards Continental Europe across the narrowest piece of job of the English linguistic communication Channel, where invasions receive got historically threatened as well as against which the cliffs shape a symbolic guard.

Because crossing at Dover was the primary road to the continent earlier the advent of air travel, the white trouble of cliffs also formed the begin or concluding sight of England for travellers.

The cliffs are composed mainly of soft, white chalk alongside a really fine-grained texture, composed of calcium carbonate . Flint as well as quartz are also found inwards the chalk. In a poll , the cliffs were named every bit the third greatest natural wonder inwards Britain.

The cliff confront continues to atmospheric condition at an average charge per unit of measurement of 1 centimetre (0.39 in) per year, although occasionally large pieces fall. On march 15th, 2013, only a calendar month earlier our see a large flake of the cliff alongside tonnes of chalk savage into the English linguistic communication channel:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2298868/Huge-section-White-Cliffs-Dover-falls-sea-just-yards-row-beach-houses.html

Heavy artillery guns installed on the roof.

Though this shuttle ride is included inwards the toll of our ticket nosotros walked the grounds every bit the shuttle starts exclusively after 11.

Roman lite house:

On the agency to the Roman lite house.

A modest limestone stone from the cliff.... the chalk keeps falling... quite dangerous.

At the human foot of the 2000 yr old Roman lite house.

The surviving Roman lighthouse (or Pharos), is ane of 2 that were built yesteryear the Romans shortly after their invasion of Great Britain inwards 43AD.

It stands on the eastern heights of Dover within the fortification of Dover Castle. The lighthouse stands closed to 25m inwards height.

Alongside is St Mary inwards Castro Church, which used the lighthouse every bit a bell tower inwards the 13th century. this Saxon church building was built on the Eastern Heights closed to AD1000.

Entrance to chapel— St Mary inwards Castro Church

It is at in ane lawsuit following to the surviving eastern pharos, which was used every bit a source of spolia: Roman tiles tin live nonetheless live seen inwards the church building fabric, especially inwards the window arches (usually of stone), as well as flintstone as well as tile from the pharos is used throughout the church's walls.

From 1555 to 1557 the church building was walled upward every bit it was felt unsafe due to lack of repairs,

Today Saint Mary inwards Castro is nonetheless a thriving church building serving the Army as well as local people,

The vault as well as the altar give away were in all likelihood both added at the goal of the 12th century.

Local families receive got driven in—we got a 2 for 1 discount for entry tickets for coming inwards yesteryear train.

tickets for all U.K. palaces/castles are valid for 1 year—so overnice for locals.

Had planned to receive got a speedboat ride on the channel but did non mass inwards advance. Their provide policy inwards illustration of bad atmospheric condition was a coupon for utilisation on some other 24-hour interval which did non conform us tourists!

Rang upward the fellowship but in that place was exclusively 1 topographic point available for the 2.30 ride. We decided to go dorsum to London.

Report of our following 24-hour interval inwards London is here:
http://www.kris-sapiutri.blogspot.com/search?q=uk-trip-report-day-10-london-st-pauls