First up in the morning was a visit to Samphire Hoe, a park along the English Channel near Dover. To get there, you exit off the highway and pass through a single lane, two-way tunnel to get to the white cliffside on the channel.
- Unique Origin: It was created from 4.9 million cubic metres of chalk marl excavated during the construction of the Channel Tunnel, it turned industrial spoil into almost 75 acres of thriving nature reserve.
- Rich Biodiversity: Home to over 200 plant species (including wild orchids), dozens of butterfly types, and hundreds of bird species against the backdrop of the White Cliffs of Dover.
- Scenic Walks: Features a wide, flat sea wall ideal for gentle strolls, a pebbly beach, and circular walking routes with dramatic views across the English Channel toward France.
Samphire Hoe gets its name from a combination of a local plant and an Old English term, chosen through a public competition when the park was created.
- Samphire: Refers to rock samphire, a wild, fleshy green succulent that historically grew on the nearby White Cliffs of Dover. In the 16th and 17th centuries, people risked their lives harvesting it from the sheer chalk faces to be pickled in brine and sold in London as a meat accompaniment—a dangerous trade famously mentioned in William Shakespeare’s King Lear.
- Hoe: An Old English word meaning a piece of land that sticks out into the sea (a promontory or ridge).
I took a peaceful 3-mile hike along the seawall in the brisk early morning air. About the only sounds were the winds, some sea birds, and the mournful wail of fog horns and I only saw one runner and two fishermen.
And I found out the hard way that a portion of the port is French territory! I took the wrong exit out of a roundabout and headed toward the ferry terminal instead of my intended path. When I said I just needed to find an exit since I had come this way by mistake, the Frenchman at the “border crossing” station, after a laugh, checked my passport, and then directed me ahead to a “hidden” turnaround route and I made it safely back to England! Definitely did not want to board a Channel ferry to France. Even Verizon knew I goofed up because they sent me a text welcoming me to France and letting me know I would have full cell service and data!
Next was a trip to the real White Cliffs of Dover for a 5-mile hike along the cliff top. The weather was partly sunny and comfortable, with only light winds. It was still pretty foggy / hazy looking out across the channel, but still beautiful. Up to 350 feet high, the chalk cliffs are an iconic fixture along the channel.
Next on the agenda was a 30-minute drive to Canterbury to visit England’s First Cathedral.
Founded by St Augustine in 597 AD, Canterbury Cathedral is a unique place of worship, a major pilgrimage destination, a masterpiece of art and architecture, and one of the UK’s most-visited historic sites. Often referred to as ‘England in stone’, the Cathedral has been at the centre of momentous events and upheavals.
It is the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion, seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, UNESCO World Heritage Site, and resting place of royalty and saints. The cathedral is also the site where Archbishop Thomas Becket was murdered in December 1170 by four knights of King Henry Il, thereafter making Canterbury one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Europe.
Thomas Becket was killed here on December 29, 1170. His death changed Canterbury Cathedral forever. Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury and had once been a close friend of King Henry II. After a bitter dispute between them, four knights came to Canterbury hoping to win the King’s favour. Using their swords, they murdered Becket in this Chapel above.
Soon after, pilgrims began to visit the site of Becket’s death and his burial in the Crypt below the main Cathedral building. They believed that by making this pilgrimage their illnesses would be cured or their prayers answered. Miracles were reported by those who had prayed here. Less than three years after his death, the Pope made Becket a saint and in 1220, St Thomas of Canterbury’s body was moved to a magnificent new shrine in the Trinity Chapel up in the Quire.
To be buried this close to the site of Thomas Becket’s Shrine, you had to be a major figure in medieval England. Edward, known as the Black Prince, was a military hero who defeated the French at the Battle of Crécy. He died in 1376 at the age of 45, before he could become king, but he was the son of King Edward Ill and the father of King Richard II. Edward designed his own tomb which is one of the most impressive in medieval England. His effigy, a model of himself, lies dressed in full armour which is as high quality as Edward would have worn on the battlefield.
And a few pictures from around Canterbury:
Dover Castle
And my final stop of the day was back in Dover to visit the famous Dover Castle, and the series of tunnels nearby that were used extensively during World War II.
Entrance to the Cliff Casemates (Tunnels)
We were not allowed to take photos in the tunnels. But it was very interesting as they toured us through the hospital section, and simulated casualty arrival, movement, the operating room with the surgeon talking, air raids, lights flickering, scents in the air, etc.. Pretty cool!
The entrance is to a ramped passage leading down into underground tunnels. Known as the Cliff Casemates, the tunnels were built between 1797 and 1799 during the French Revolutionary Wars (1793-1802) as underground accommodation for soldiers of the Dover garrison. This was a time when England was at war with France and expecting an invasion.
The Cliff Casemates were used again in the Second World War (1939-45) for several regional headquarters, including the Royal Navy’s Dover Command, and for the Coast Artillery and Anti-Aircraft Artillery operations rooms.
In 1940, the evacuation of Dunkirk (Operation Dynamo) was coordinated from here. From 1942, the Cliff Casemates became part of a Combined Headquarters for all military services, one of three command centres for the re-invasion of Europe.
The Castle
OBTW, after that long day and my hiking, I’m “knackered (extremely tired or exhausted). But more tomorrow as I head to a famous battlefield!
Just a bit more…
Well, here I am! What are your other two wishes?
