DOVER... The majority of visitors to Dover arrive through the frankly uninspiring Ferry Port on the Eastern side of Dover Harbour - they drive off the ferry and straight onto the main motorways leading to London and beyond. Others arrive at the Western Docks by cruise ship and are herded onto a coach trip to experience the sights of London! 

While most of these arriving passengers will have spotted the famous white cliffs from the sea and some may even have noticed the famous Dover Castle perched high above the port, they are missing out on some real hidden gems. There is a lot more to Britains oldest port than its white cliffs so make time on your visit for a little portExplore. We’ve put a few suggestions together of things that you can do for free (or the price of a pint!) within walking distance of the ship.

1. Old Dover Maritime train station … at the western edge of the harbour is a large brick built doorway with a steep flight of stairs, leading to a long glazed walkway. Every passenger travelling from London to Calais would have used this passage from its construction in the 1920s until the late 1960s - its a very evocative space. At the very end of the passage you can see down into the old ticket hall and past that is the entrance to the harbour wall. Although it is owned by the Dover Sea Angling Association they are normally happy to let visitors walk it. This is a really good place to take some wonderful pictures of the port, your cruise ship, the White Cliffs and Dover Castle. It can be very bracing buts its an interesting little walk!

2. Shakespeare Beach & Cliffs… Walk back through the station walkway and at the bottom of the stairs turn left, follow the road round past the fishermen’s huts and onto the shingle of Shakespeare Beach.  Although this is NOT a good place to swim because of the serious undertow this is a good beach for a nice crunchy, bracing walk. Go right to the far end and you will find Shakespeare’s Cliff - it is called that because it is mentioned in the play King Lear. Shakespeare wrote a description of the Samphire pickers who scrambled down from the cliff top, clinging to a rope and clutching a basket to pick the green samphire - a local delicacy which you can still see growing on the cliff.  Don’t attempt to climb around the headland or onto the cliff itself as it is quite unstable, with frequent and dangerous rock falls. 

3. Samphire Hoe… further to the west, on the other side of Shakespeare Cliff, but only accessible from the top of the cliffs, is an award winning nature reserve. To find it follow the footpath out of Dover, marked as The North Downs Way, it will take you to the tunnel entrance and down through the cliffs to Samphire Hoe.

A stunning location and outstanding scenery with peace and quiet - walks, wildflowers, birds and wildlife. The site becomes wilder the further you get from the visitor centre but most of the Hoe is accessible for wheelchair users and the mobility impaired who can follow a route marked on the map displayed by the Cafe. If you turn and look up the cliff you will be able to see remnants of the old footpath which used to be the only access but is now defunct and extremely unsafe.

The 30 hectare site is a model of biodiversity, a peaceful place to see plants, butterflies, sheep, dragonflies and birds. The location of the Hoe, just across the Channel from mainland Europe, means it is an important area for migrant birds. 

4. The Lanes Pub… after all this walking you will be pleased with choice no 4!! The Lanes Micropub in Worthington Street,  Dover, was named at Kent named as Pub of the year 2018 by CAMRA, the real ale society. It is small, friendly and family run and if you’re not a beer fan they also sell Kent wines, Mead, ciders and Perry (cider made form local pears.) They don’t do food but are quite happy for you to buy something from the Deli opposite and bring it back! A refreshing change in these days of Gastropubs - good conversation, board games, no keg beer, lager, or piped music- a proper English pub! 

6. Western Heights

Climb up to the Western Heights, a wooded area directly above the ports western docks for amazing views across to France on a clear day. You can follow various trails through the cliffs and discover the remains of a Knights Templar chapel, a roman lighthouse, WW1 dugouts and gun emplacements  as well as the massive defences built to defend against invasion by the French, that never actually happened.You can see these Napoleonic defenses… forts, barracks and a unique triple Helix staircase that runs 140 foot down through the cliffs - so lots to explore and see, or you could just sit and look at the view!

I hope you enjoy your time in Dover, let me know below what you think below ! It would be lovely you could share this Blog on Facebook or Twitter so your friends and family can read too or maybe pin it on Pinterest for future reference.

 Happy portExploring!

 Love

Cathy

xx

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