Dover

Warren and I went to Dover with Cierra and Lisa over March bank holiday weekend. The white cliffs were absolutely beautiful. While walking along the cliff path we each received "Welcome to France" notifications on our phones and told we would be charged more for using them. Crazy to think we were that close to another country. 

The cliffs are made from chalk, a very finely grained pure limestone. They formed millions of years ago from the skeletal remains of incredibly small algae mixing at the bottom of the ocean with the remains of other creatures. That ocean bottom is now exposed above sea level resulting in the chalk edge of the iconic White Cliffs of Dover. 

During World War II, these cliffs were installed with large gun batteries along the coast to attack enemies across the Channel. They were an important part of keeping German shipping from moving freely along the French coast. The coastal batteries sank and damaged 29 enemy vessels during the war. 

Along the trail we came across these horses grazing in an open area. I've noticed that in England there are many animals, especially birds, that are the same as back home but have different colouring or features. I don't remember seeing horses like this back in Nebraska but they are beautiful. 

Dover castle is often described as one of the most impressive in England. It is up on the highest hill in the city which provides an amazing view of the English Channel and on a clear day you can even see the French coastline. 

Since Dover Castle is so well preserved, it is often used in movies including Avengers: Age of Ultron, Into the Woods, The Other Boleyn Girl, Wolf Hall, Hamlet (the one with Mel Gibson), and an episode of Doctor Who.

They had many rooms set up how they would have looked during the reign of King Henry II in the 12th Century. One of the rooms was the kitchen which we took full advantage of for photos. 

Also in Dover Castle is the oldest lighthouse in the country and one of the oldest in the world, the Roman Pharos. Dover has always been a common crossing point to get to the continent since the Dover Straight is at the narrowest part of the English Channel (about 20 miles to France). 

We really enjoyed both sights in Dover. The white cliffs are more impressive than I imagined and Dover Castle is well worth a visit.