Day 33 - England South East Coast - Dover - The "key to England"...

Ask someone what comes into their heads when you say "British coast", and chances are they'll mention the white cliffs of Dover. (I think I would!?) For centuries, the cliffs were the first thing international travellers saw, arriving on passenger ships from the continent.

Today it is still a major port, with ferries leaving every few minutes to make the 21 mile crossing to France. And the best place to see them coming and going is Dover Castle, perched on the hill above town. It is a superb spot. The castle is imperious, with 270-degree views of the coast. It's been a very important military stronghold since its beginnings nine centuries ago. Indeed, it's always been known among army men as the "key to England".

Dover Castle to the left, Roman lighthouse and St Mary's Chapel in the centre, and Dover harbour to the right...click for a full screen version.


Dover Castle...

The iron age folk used it as a fort, and then the Romans built a huge lighthouse, which still stands today next to St Mary's chapel on the castle grounds. And the castle has been garrisoned continuously from 1066, when William the Conqueror built the first version of the castle, to 1958. Only the Tower of London and Windsor Castle can claim likewise.

It's a worthwhile visit. There are three things you shouldn't miss. First, Dover Castle itself. It's very well preserved...perhaps more so than any other castle I've seen on my trip. Make sure you walk to the top of the Great Tower in the centre, for fine views.

Second, St Mary's chapel next to the Roman lighthouse...the chapel is one of the oldest in the land. It's also got the best view across the channel.

And third, do the Secret Tunnel tour...

When Napoleon and the Brits locked horns in the late 1700s, the army built a vast network of tunnels underneath the castle, to house up to 2000 soldiers. No threat really materialised, but the engineers of the time could never have known how important their work was to become.

During World War II, the tunnels served as the bomb-proof command centre for Operation Dynamo. In May 1940, hundreds of thousands of Allied troops were cornered by the advancing Germans on the northern beaches of Dunkirk in France. The Britisn army's survival was at stake. The navy was tasked with getting them off the continent and back home, so they could fight another day.

From the tunnels the senior naval staff commandeered close to 700 ships, and in nine days more than 300 000 troops were rescued. The ships comprised naval vessels, fishing boats and any number of volunteer leisure boats. It came to be known as the "miracle of Dunkirk," because initially it was thought that only 90 000 troops could be rescued.

The Tunnel Tour will let you see what it was like for those naval officers, as well as the doctors and nurses that worked in the underground make-shift hospital.

Trying to look like Churchill...the Prime Minister came to Dover Castle to monitor the Battle of Britain...

Soon afterwards, the castle's tunnels were used again to monitor the Battle of Britain (July to October 1940). Winston Churchill watched the Spitfires and Hurricanes dogfight with the Luftwaffe's planes, knowing that the war's outcome depended more on this battle than perhaps any other. For it was Hitler's intent to invade Britain across the channel, landing 60 000 German soldiers on the 21st September 1940 between Dover and Brighton. The Nazi leader knew that air supremacy was crucial to the success of his naval operation, so he sent hundreds of planes across the channel to destroy the British air bases.

Three thousand British pilots in 20 squadrons were waiting for them, and the battle reached its climax on the 15th September 1940, when 85 German aircraft were destroyed or seriously damaged, and only 26 Royal Airforce planes were shot down. It was one of the turning points in the war, and led Churchill to praise his pilots with perhaps an incomparable commendation: "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."

Almost 600 Allied pilots died during the Battle of Britain, and more than 800 died later in the war.

And that's why the most memorable thing you can do is visit the Battle of Britain Memorial on the coastal road between Dover and Folkestone. On top of the cliffs is a statue of a young pilot, sitting, waiting...pensive and silent, alone. He's looking out to sea, across to France...watching for German planes, ready for the call to jump into his Spitfire or Hurricane. It's a powerful experience...and brings home the sacrifice that each pilot had to make during those few weeks in 1940.

The names of all the pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain are engraved on a wall behind the statue, and nearby is "Bob", a statue of one of the squadron dogs, who's also looking attentively out to sea, waiting for his pilots to come back safely.

Dover Castle is a great visit, but the Battle of Britain Memorial is more impressive, despite it's simple design and slightly run-down state. (It's maintained by volunteer money, so make sure you donate when you're there!)

The Battle of Britain Memorial between Dover and Folkestone...

"Bob", the squadron dog...waiting for his pilots to come back from their battles above the channel.

Day 32 - England East Coast - West Mersea - "Sitting on the dock of the bay, wastin' time..."

Sittin' in the mornin' sun
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come
Watching the ships roll in
And then I watch 'em roll away again, yeah

I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
Ooo, I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time

Otis Redding's famous song "Dock of the Bay" could have been inspired by Mersea. This island is only 70 miles from London, but it might as well be a 1000 miles. If you're looking to get away from the capital, it's a good bet. At 6pm you'll leave your desk job, sober and serious, in suit and tie, fretting over your mortgage, and by 8pm you'll end up amongst osyster farms, boozed fishermen, delapidated fishing boats and a superb sunset- all of which can be seen while sipping an ice-cold beer on the lookout deck at The Victory. And after two beers (or G&Ts), you'll want to move to Mersea to join the fishing fleet.

Although the island sits just offshore from the mainland (connected by a half-mile causeway), in a river estuary, there is a sense of separation that extends beyond the tenuous geographical isolation; the "island way" lifestyle is reassuringly disparate from that in the nearby cities and towns. It might have something to do with the pungent smell of the sandbanks when the tide goes out, or the harbour men who seem to have spent more time on the bottle than on the boat. But it's great, because it's real. After travelling through some brash and ballistic theme-park resort towns on the east coast (as fun as they are - if you're in the mood), Mersea is a dreamy reminder of how fishing villages should be.

And once again, I find people who've moved away from the madness of the cities to the "backwaters". Peter and Gill Tydie at The Victory ditched their corporate jobs in advertising and sales, and spent a "gap" year sailing the canals of France. They figured there was an alternative to an "8 to 6" day in the office, and after a spell at a pub in Hertfordshire, they bought the Victory on the shorefront in West Mersea. I have met plenty of people on my trip who have done very similar things...(are we city folk missing something here?)

The beach at Mersea...click for a full screen version. (Sorry about my shadow!)

Upstairs in the two-storeyed Victory are three decently comfortable rooms, and below is a very good contemporary restaurant (have the tuna steak salad), bar and separate sports pub. Sleep with the porch door open - the rooms look onto the many yachts and fishing boats in the harbour.

There's a good sense of humour in the service too: Peter and Gill are always up for a good chat, and the waiters and waitresses even more so. And the motto of The Victory ("a great place to sink a few") ties in nicely with the menu's battleship theme (starters are "take aim", mains are the "big guns" and desserts are "extra ammo".)

An aside...The HMS Victory was Lord Nelson's flagship which gave the French a wallop at Trafalgar - and is the oldest naval ship still in commission! It sits in a drydock in Plymouth as a museum ship...(looks like a worthwhile visit).

Mersea is famous for oysters, and The Company Shed is the most famous place on the island to eat oysters. Proudly non-chalant and low-brow in its atmosphere, this is the place to come for a fish-feast. But because the Shed is so wonderfully focused on fresh sea-food, you'll have to bring your own bread and drinks!

And coming up soon on the 22nd August is West Mersea's sailing regatta, which has been running every year since 1838...check out more info here.

Some more videos of Edinburgh Tattoo 2009...

Okay, here are some more videos of the 2009 Edinburgh Tattoo! Some are up to 10 minutes long, and you'll need a decent broadband connection to view them. But they're definitely worth a look! My favourite is Swiss Top Secret Drum Corp...it's brilliant. And The Last Post with The Lone Piper is also very atmospheric. And of course the fireworks are probably one of the main reasons people go to the Tattoo.

If you are going to Edinburgh next year in August, do yourself a favour and go to the Tattoo.

Swiss Top Secret Drum Corp


RAF Massed Bands


Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and Royal Regiment Band of Scotland


Fireworks display, including "God save the Queen" and "Auld Lang Syne"


"Abide with me", The Last Post and The Lone Piper


"Amazing Grace"


Highland Spring Dancers


"Going Home"


She Hou Cultural Act Xi'an from China


Burns Vocal Vignette


Traditional Bag Pipers!!

Day 31 - England East Coast - Great Yarmouth to West Mersea - The Vanishing Coast at Dunwich

There's less and less to see on the east coast of England. That's because - well - the coast is actually vanishing...

Take Dunwich, between Great Yarmouth and Felixstowe, for instance. It's the most spectacular case of disappearing coastline. When the Romans pitched their tents on Dunwich's natural harbour, the coastline was almost 2 kilometres east of where it is today. (On the map below, that would be about two centimetres - on the map scale - to the right of its current location.) And imagine a twisty estuary, with a big harbour. Because there was one (even though there isn't a trace of a harbour today!), and it gave Dunwich a lot of strategic power. It was one of the few natural harbours along this coast with deep anchorage.

View Edge of Britain in a larger map

During medieval times, the town's population of 4 000 was only half that of London's. (Today it's population is only a few hundred). But the coastline was disappearing even then. In the 1000 years from the Roman arrival to the arrival of William the Conquerer in 1086, the coast had already retreated by almost one kilometre.

But no-one was complaining, because the harbour was still one of the best in the region. Dunwich continued to thrive. It was one of the ten biggest towns in Britain, and had eight churches, three chapels and two hospitals, plus close to one thousand houses.

All Saints Church in Dunwich in 1904

And the same church in 1919...

The north sea, though, kept bringing more and more shingle on its tides, twice a day. And when a storm raged for three days in 1286, a large chunk of the town was swept into the sea. Equally catastrophic for Dunwich, the harbour was partially closed by huge banks of shingle stone. Another storm in 1328 sealed it off completely. Dunwich's commercial and political power collapsed along with it's coastline - without a harbour, it was useless to traders and shipmen.

Today, all the old houses and churches have been captured by the sea, except for the last remaining ruin of All Saint's Church, whose final capitulation is inevitable.

The whole story of Dunwich is very well told in the museum of the town. Below is a snippet of a DVD entitled "Whatever Happened to Dunwich", produced by John Cary, and copyright of Dunwich Reading Room and Museum. The DVD is sold for £4.95, and can be bought at the museum or from John Cary Studios.

Right next to the museum is The Ship, a pub and inn that serves very good food. It's not the usual burger and chips - you'll get a freshly-made, diverse menu.

About ten minutes from Dunwich is Minsmere Nature Reserve, one of the leading birding spots in Britain. You can see more than 300 species of birds - check out the seasonal highlights.

Day 30 - England East Coast - Cleethorpes & Skegness - Theme park theatrics...

Compared to a lot of other scenery I've been fortunate to see in Britain, the Lincolnshire coast is not very eventful. It's mostly flat, with few big drawcards...

One of the "nicest" little towns is probably Cleethorpes, which is small, simple, clean and - yes - "nice" (it really is the best way to describe it). I stayed there with Tudor Terrace Guest House, and had a good dinner at Signtaure Restaurant down the road. Kids will enjoy the coastal light steam railway nearby...it's a miniature train that goes up and down the coast. The Discovery Centre on the sea front has extensive views of the Humber Estuary.

Check out the Lincolnshire tourism website for more things to do in the area.

Go further south to the theme parks at Skegness. Do so entirely at your own risk, because your kids will chain you to the roundabout and throw away the key. It's a galactical law that all kids love theme parks, and if Skegness were a planet, kids would be in charge. Be prepared for anything and everything...Skegness is raw. I wouldn't recommend it for Vuitton-brandishing Londoners - for the rest of normal humanity, it could be the most fun we've had for a long time.

I have never seen so many happy people in one place.

Day 29 - English East Coast - Yorkshire - Bridlington and Hull - Finding the gems...

One of the interesting things about my trip (so far) is that I had no idea what to expect before I started. I'd never travelled to the coast of Britain. For sure, I knew something about the areas I was going to travel to. But names were just names, and I didn't associate "good" or "bad" with any of them. And because I'd booked into towns quite randomly, without knowing too much about them, I've been exposed to a wide range of travel experiences.

I've seen some places which at first don't look very enticing, and then - on digging a bit deeper - I've found one or two things which redeem the area.

Bridlington is one of these places. In it's Georgian heydey, it was one of the most visited towns on the coast of Britain...thanks in part to its sophisticated cultural scene. However, it's not a naturally pretty spot. Bridlington wouldn't rank too highly on my list of "The Most Beautiful Places on the British Coast That I've Seen". (I'm going to compile one at the end of my trip.) The beach is brown, and the sea not as colourful as other spots I've seen. The town's buildings are not as quiant and lovingly cared-for, and the geography of the area doesn't lend itself to panoramic, elevated views.

So when air-travel in the 50s kicked in, the wealthier folk who usually flocked to Bridlington ended up travelling further afield to Europe...and the town lost its lustre.

Bridlington in its prime...

There is one thing though, which might make Bridlington famous for you. The Spa (not a health spa) is a small music venue that has hosted every single rock band since the 1950s. And it continues to do so, with Oasis, Travis, Kasabian, White Stripes, Placebo and Beautiful South all playing recently.

In the old days, only the Beatles never played at The Spa. Otherwise, all the other big names did...The Rolling Stones, The Who, Cliff Richard (big name?!?)...they all did. And thanks to this musical history, modern acts use Bridlington Spa as the venue for their one "intimate" performance. This August, Oasis is playing at Wembley to 40 000 people, and the week after they are coming to Bridlington to play to 3 500 people...the only small venue to be used by them on their tour.

With all due respect to Bridlington, you'd never expect to find a music - and theatre - venue of this high quality. It's the best thing about the town - so check out the Spa's website for upcoming music and theatre shows.

The view from Rags Hotel & Restaurant, where I stayed in Bridlington. Rags is right on the harbour.

Just north of Bridlington at Flamborough is a lighthouse tour...it's a stock-standard offering, however it is fun if you've got a rainy afternoon to spare. And it's educational for kids (and adults!) interested in maritime matters. For me, the technology is fascinating. The lens weighs 3,5 tons, yet is powered by two small electric motors; because the lens rests on half a ton of frictionless mercury, it can swivel around with the minimum of force. And because there are 500 different prisms in the lens, only a 1000 watt bulb is required to emit a light beam that extends about 45 kilometres out to sea (essentially to the horizon).

The Flamborough Lighthouse near Bridlington...

Futher south in Hull, The Deep is the biggest - and best - tourism attraction in the region. It's an award-winning aquarium which is not only fun and informative, but also scientifically respected (The Deep's marine biologists have been invited by the Cousteau Organisation to study marine life in the Red Sea.)

The highlight of The Deep would probably be the 10 metre-deep shark tank, in which divers periodically feed the 50 rays, sharks and other big fish (check out the video below). But there's so much else to see that it'd be hard to choose. After seeing some pretty shoddy aquariums on my trip (eg. dirty tanks, lack of educational info), The Deep is a bright blue star. It's a super slick experience, and one I'd trust to educate my niece properly about marine conservation. You could easily spend a whole morning here - just try and avoid the crowds, because it can get very congested.

The Shark Tank at The Deep in Hull....

And divers feeding the sharks...

Day 29 - English East Coast - Northumberland & Yorkshire - The unexpected coast...

This part of the British coast is not well-known. While the Scottish west coast, Cornwall and the South Coast are more popular, the Northumberland and North Yorkshire Coast is strangely not. That's because it has a reputation for being wild, windy, and bleak. But there are some gems along the way...

There are three castles that should be visited, if you're a castle fan: Bamburgh Castle on the Northumbrian Coast, the dramatic Dunstanburgh surrounded by cliffs, and the polyagonal Warkworth Castle further south.

For pretty towns, it's hard to beat Whitby (lorded over by the imposing ruins of Whitby Abbey), the tiny fishing village of Staithes (situated along a narrow inlet) and finally Scarborough (the original and most famous Georgian sea-side resort).

Whatever you do, please check out Holy Island (also called Lindisfarne). It's just south of the Scottish border near Berwick-upon-Tweed, and is home to a Tudor fortress which once housed the Lindisfarne Gospels, considered at the time to be the most beautiful book in the world (!). (The original book is now in the British Library).

Day 27 & 28 - Scotland East Coast - Edinburgh - Things to do over a weekend...

Edinburgh deserves its reputation as one of Europe's best cities to visit. It's small enough to walk around and see the best bits. It's hilly topography- and the castle's position high up in the centre of town - makes Scotland's capital one of the more beautiful cities in Britain. And it's vibrant combination of medieval history and contemporary culture ensures that there is something for everyone.

Most of the city is a World Heritage Site, thanks to it's colourful and pertinent history, as well as it's ancient and modern architecture. And it is also home to the queen's Scotland residence - Holyroodhouse.

For a complete list of what to do, check out the official website.

Here are a couple of must-do's.

- Visit the castle, and make sure you do the tours, which are free and last about 15 minutes. You'll get an entertaining and fascinating insight into Scotland, the Scots, Edinburgh...and how Edinburgh Castle has often been central to them. The castle is more than just an impressive building. It houses the "Honours of Scotland" - the ancient crown and spectre of the Scottish kingdom. And the castle is home to St Margaret's Chapel, built in 1130, and the oldest building in the region.

But perhaps my favourite part was the Scottish National War Memorial. The name of every single Scot who died in the world wars (as well as smaller, yet no less significant wars, such as the Anglo Boer war in South Africa) is documented in large registry books...more than 200 000 names are listed, and include date of birth, death and cause of death. And for those who died unknown, there is an adjoining memorial...

- Walk up Arthur's Seat. This 250 metre-high hill is in the middle of the city, and gives great views across the city. Romantics will believe that the name derives from King Arthur, but skeptics will probably agree that it comes from "Archers' Seat", alluding to it's strong defensive position. Both Arthur's Seat and Edinburgh Castle are built on extinct remnants of ancient volcanoes. Take a picnic with you, and enjoy the sunset...

- Explore the haunted past. As Edinburgh expanded in the 18th and 19th centuries, buildings were built upon other buildings, and eventually a network of subterranean passages were formed. Initially they were used as storerooms, but during economic depressions they were used as homes by the poor migrants arriving in the city. During the black plague in the late 1600s, it is believed that the majority of the ill lived in the area around Mary King's Close, a street in the "Old Town". The medieval authorities took the decision to board up the area, trapping the sickly and letting them die within the compound. Plenty of paranormal and haunted tales have been recorded...so scare the living daylights out of your kids and do the Real Mary King's Close tour.

Below are photos from the Tattoo, when the castle is lit up with various efffects...

Scotland Coast - Some panoramics...

Here are some more panoramics from my trip along the Scottish coast...click on each image for full screen version.

Field near Thurso, north Scotland coast...

Derelict farm house on hill near Durness on the north Scotland coast.

Elgin Cathedral in Elgin, east of Inverness.

Dunnotar Castle near Stonehaven on the east coast of Scotland.

Day 27 & 28 - Scotland East Coast - Edinburgh - The famous Tattoo

Every year in August, Edinburgh turns into the world's festival city. The International Festival is all about the old classics: operas, orchestras, ballet and dance. The opening concert, for instance, is Handel's Judas Maccabaeus, and lasts more than three hours.

The Fringe Festival is the modern version, including comedy, modern dance, cabaret and contemporary musicals. Shows range from "Porn - The Musical" to the dance show "Love Machines", and from "Soweto Gospel Choir" to the theatre show "My Darling Clemmie", which is the theatre story of Clementine Churchill, Winston's wife.

The Fringe is - according to some stats - the biggest tourist attraction in the UK, although I don't know how they work that out. But it is huge, with hundreds of shows over the whole month of August. The traditional International Festival runs from 14th August to 5th September. Across both festivals, I doubt that anyone from anywhere won't be able to find something to enjoy.

The most spectacular individual event in August, though, is probably the Military Tattoo (which forms part of the International Festival). This music and light show is set against the backdrop of the 12th century castle in the middle of Edinburgh. Various military bands from around the world play a two-hour show every night for three weeks, regardless of the weather.

Although it obviously has a militaristic theme, it's more a tribute and memorial to those in the armed forces. Hundreds of bagpipers start and end the show, while in between, bands from other nations - as diverse as Tonga, China and Switzerland - show off their impression of military music. Each act has its own special lighting effects on the castle, and the fireworks display at the end is probably half the reason why people watch the Tattoo.

The really short videos below are off the official Edinburgh Tattoo website, and intended to give you a taste. However, I've recorded almost the whole show from the weekend, so the file sizes are really large...and I'll upload them once I find a really quick Internet Connection. !

And in case you're wondering (like I was), why it's called "Tattoo", it comes from the 17th century, when drummers would march through town, signalling to their fellow soldiers - who were enjoying their ales in the pubs - to head back to barracks. The inn-keepers would then shout out: "Doe den tap toe" (Turning off the taps).

Even if you're no fan of military themed shows...take a look at the videos, and see what you think.