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Kent
Foresters Group Trip to Kent September
A trip we’ve been looking forward to for months, having booked this way back at the beginning of the year. We have been to Kent before, Pam, in this instance, on more occasions than I have as she had relatives down in Kent, at Chartham, and her grandparents would pay for her to holiday with them, in the area.
One of the reasons we wanted to join the trip was the low cost, the Forester trips being heavily subsidised and for the fact that part of the trip, being based as we are in Dover itself, is to visit the castle. We’ve seen it in the distance as we drive through on the way to catch a ferry on numerous occasions, making use of the Dover Calais link. We did, in 2007, visit Dover with the boys (see picture) but went in this instance to the White Cliffs Car Park, operated by the National Trust. Here we stood overlooking the port. We could obviously see the castle to our left but didn’t have time on that occasion to pay a visit as the next day we would again be boarding a ferry for our chaotic holiday to Disneyland Paris.
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In addition, to the Castle visit, coach trips are planned to a winery and an award-winning garden. Add to this Bed, Breakfast and evening meal in a sea front hotel with a Marco Pierre White restaurant what more could we want, well one thing decent weather.
As before with Forester trips, being Derbyshire based they set off from Derby bus station. With an early morning start we decided as we did with the earlier outing to the isle of Man, to stay overnight at the Premier Inn. The hotel is handily located atop of the bus station. Rather than struggle across to Derby on the bus, especially with Pam using the electric scooter, Joanne offered to take us, which was definitely much easier. As a treat to our daughter and, by way of a thank you, we stopped off at a local eatery on Pride Park prior to arriving at the hotel where Jo, later, dropped us off.
Comfortable room, not with the scenic view though this year, but never mind. We were allocated a disabled room which meant plenty of space for the scooter and suitable accommodation in the bathroom although it wasn’t necessary, thank goodness. After a reasonable night sleep, we awoke to take breakfast in the hotel prior to me nipping across the road to Greggs to pick up food and drink for the journey. Despite being on top of the bus station others from the group were already standing waiting prior to our arrival and we had the shortest journey.
The journey down to Dover was thankfully uneventful and after two comfort stops, we arrived at the hotel ‘The Best Western Plus Dover Marina Hotel & Spa’ on Waterloo Crescent overlooking the inner harbour. Once comfortably ensconced in our sea front room and cases unpacked and contents stowed away, I fancied a walk and despite the rain set off to explore the area. Drenched but refreshed from a dollop of fresh air I quickly dried off and changed ready for dinner.
A view of the Hotel, taken on my soggy walk not long after arriving. The next two show the view from our fourth floor window and once again show the appalling weather conditions on our day of arrival.The last picture taken in the hotel foyer, with Pam recreating the Marco Pierre White pose.
The food in the hotel was excellent if initially, at least for the first three meals, repetitive in being chicken in different guises. It did change thankfully on our last night. No qualms at all with the quality of the hotel, accommodation, facilities and especially the food.
Our first trip out was to ‘Chapel Down Vineyard’ where we were given a guided tour and talk on the various large areas in which the variety of grapes were grown. Pam not taking her scooter, wisely, as the ground around the fields was rutted in a number of places, sat and had coffee in the site café. A coffee she didn’t pay for, which in fact was brought for her, unknowingly at the time, by one of the vineyards directors who was in a meeting in the café as she perched herself on a nearby table. They got into conversation as to why she wasn’t with the group. Pam’s resulting explanation resulted in him offering to buy the coffee.
With the field tour part over we were taken to the processing plant, surprising small, when you look at the area covered by vines. The staff explained the various processes that they have to go through, not just at this site, but at their other locations, from receiving the grapes through to bottling.
Then we were all invited, Pam included, to walk to another area of the grounds where we were given the chance to sample a variety of the finished products, seven in all were tasted, both red and white, with varying prices ranging from £8 to £16 per bottle. As good as the latter wines were; the initial ones being rather dry, the nicer wines were as you would expect at the higher end of the prices. Despite the prices a number of the party descended on the shop to make purchases. Pam and I just looked.
The group, minus Pam, who was taking the photo from the upstairs cafe,showing us all suitably attired in high vis jackets prior to the start of the tour. The tour guides in white and lesser hign vis jackets. One section of the fields containg vines are behind the large hedge in the picture.
Next day was scheduled for the Castle visit but Brian the driver had somehow managed to either visit or talk to staff at the castle to find out that the usual Land train that takes visitors from the coach park; located some distance from the castle approach road and then from this point up a steep slope before you even gain entrance to the castle, wasn’t available. This meant a walk but more importantly a steep climb from the roadway to the entrance. As a result, he, Brian, was proposing for those that still wanted to visit the Castle to drop them off at the foot of the slope and for the rest to take them to an alternative venue, Walmer Castle, which didn’t have access difficulties. A number, yours truly included, decided that the castle was number one and despite the offer of the coach picking up at a set time later in the day, decided instead to walk back to the hotel. This meant that I wasn’t constantly looking at my watch and could make full use of the visit. Glad that I did as I spent hours wandering and, at times, being shown, by very informative guides, around the magic that is Dover Castle. Pam, wisely decided on Walmer and fully enjoyed the experience
My long-awaited visit to the Castle, despite the foul weather, made worst by the exposed nature of the location, was extremely rewarding. Despite there being a number of school parties on site I managed to avoid them throughout the 5 hours I was exploring this amazing structure. For those that have never been, the castle covers a large area above and below ground. In fact, I would estimate that there is as much below as above such is the use that the Castle as been ‘called to action’ over the centuries.
The site of the castle may well have been the location of an iron age hillfort upon which in the 12th century it is clearly known the Henry 2nd started to build a castle as we know it today. Throughout the centuries it has helped defend Britain from attack, being used most recently playing useful roles in the 1st and 2nd world wars.
I was privileged to be given close to a one to one tour of the 2nd World War hospital installations built below ground in which numerous soldiers were treated. The underground safety also provided accommodation for the staff organising the successful Operation Dynamo, the evacuation of the British and allied troops trapped on the beaches at Dunkirk. My one to one guided tour transpired because I was early arriving at the entrance and invited to stand inside rather than get wet. It was pouring down. I still had time to wait for the official tour but was at least dry. It transpired that a school party were due but as they hadn’t appeared the guide who had invited me into the dry said that she would take me and another couple through. This was a treat as the three of us had a most informative tour of the facilities. With just the three of us we were able to ask questions and without being rushed given the most informative responses from an extremely interested and knowledgeable member of staff. A stroke of luck as on the next tunnel visit, I was just part of the herd, literally corralled from one section of the exhibition to the next, not given the opportunity to ask questions and, more than likely a lack of response, from the un-interested shepherd.
There was no opportunity to take pictures of the installations below ground, however elsewhere throughout the castle grounds and buildings there were no restrictions.
Despite this, the time spent exploring the grounds and the numerous buildings was extremely interesting and well worth another visit sometime in the not too distant future. Hopefully next time the weather will be a little kinder.
The steep incline approach to the castle entrance and having already made the other steep approach from the roadway. Thats before you got inside to be greeted by another incline to reach the centre of the castle. The Roman lighthouse and next to which is the Anglo-Saxon church.
The trip that Pam made to Walmer also sounded interesting so much so that she purchased a guidebook so that I could also appreciate what she had seen. Walmer was built in the 16th Century as part of Henry 8th artillery forts. The fort only ever seeing action during the Civil War in 1648 when it became a Royalist stronghold. The building was later adopted as the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, one of the most famous being The Duke of Wellington. He actually died at Walmer in 1852. It was also the residence of Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger. The latter improving the buildings and gardens to become his home for entertaining by the sea.
Our last trip out before returning home was to Pashley Manor Gardens at Wadhurst, East Sussex, ironically the identical route that we had taken two days prior to visit the vineyard. Apparently, it had been originally planned that we would visit ‘Chapel Down’ in the morning and ‘Pashley’ in the afternoon, which was logical, being that both locations were in the same vicinity of each other. However, the vineyard couldn’t accommodate us on the same day. Had this been the case then we would have had a free day to do as we please. How it worked out was much better., especially considering the weather.
Nicely laid out gardens with lawns leading down from the magnificent grade 1 listed building, The colour in the garden provided on our visit from a wide array of various species of Dahlia. Some of the areas looked in need of attention, especially the lower water features which were overgrown and some even stagnant, nothing like the mass of water depicted on the map. The gardens acted as a natural back drop for a number of sculptures located throughout the different areas of the grounds. Very quiet, peaceful surroundings, as the brochure describes it, as you would expect for this part of the country, having the luxury of being miles from the nearest inhabitants and traffic.
A plan of the gardens followed by a view of the house taken from the bridge over the large pool. A display of various geraniums and streptocarpus within the hothouse. The families private bathing pool which they can access directy from the house.
I would imagine that at specific times of the year, this, like lots of gardens would look magnificent with a profusion of spring bulbs, then summer roses, in full colour. The dahlias thankfully offering some colour during our visit.