We descend into the dark.

 Look what buzzed the shore line yesterday. A huge transport plane. And that wasn't all. Three Spitfires and what Ian believes to be a modified American Thunderbolt (thanks to a comment made by microdave, it is a WW2 T6 Harvard and the transport plane is a Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules)  Amazing what is seen over the Dover cliffs.

 

Today we walked… and boy did we walk! Well over 7 miles, all along the top of the Dover white cliffs to the South Foreland light house and back. Not an easy track by any means and for those that suffer from acrophobia, not for them!   

 

Along the route found more WW1 tunnel shelters. Tours taking folk down was on today and for a tenner each one could take the 137 steps down to the very damp, cold, claustrophobic and dark (no lights other than on the hard hat) underground tunnels But a bonus...as NT members we got in free...result. 

 

llk

Fascinating to see the marks etched into the walls from bored solders.

Remember Roger Moore as the Saint? Well story goes he came down to the tunnels and scratched out this picture of a saint! Possible tongue in cheek me thinks!

And a fossil of a giant clam on the ceiling.

What was fascinating and something I was unaware of was the huge dish shape carved out of the cliff. It was used as a sound mirror during WW1 Here is an excerpt from NT site

Sound or acoustic mirrors were one of the first early warning detection systems invented to give advanced notice of an approaching enemy aircraft. These worked by focusing the sound from the plane’s engine so it could be heard before it was visible.

I was put at the back of the group for the ascent of those 137 steps. Personally I think our guide used me as an excuse! With his age similar to mine, he admitted once we got to the top that he needed the rests and was very relieved that I also wanted to stop frequently!

With legs shaking from the effort, we once again continued toward the lighthouse. Thankfully a tour had just left which meant a good sit down until the next one!

Very glad of that rest because yet more steps to ascend and descend. Over a hundred in all. I should be that fit with all that climbing but instead I end up aching all over! Most unfair!!

That walk back....OMG I hurt....Both knees this time screamed for me to stop. There was no other way than to go the same way back. Painkillers were immediately taken on the return to MB, and with the lateness of the afternoon, it was decided to return to last night's car park at St Margarets and set off early the next day. 

We leave Kent tomorrow heading  for Nymans in Surrey. We are heading back toward the Midlands and a stop-over was necessary. It's another NT house and gardens and about 20 minutes from a CL site a necessary stop for water and loo emptying.

And wildlife today,

Dead Mans fingers growing on rotten timber in the WW1 tunnel