After, we went to Deal and had fish and chips on the beach. Well I say on the beach but by this time it was chucking it down with rain, so we sat in the car and looked at the water driving down the windows.
The plan was then to spend the rest of the day at Dover Castle, making the most of our English Heritage membership, so undaunted by the rain (which did ease off a bit as we meandered round the country lanes) we made our way there.
When we arrived the guy checking our tickets told us that included in the price was a tour of the secret underground tunnels, next tour starting in 20 mins. He booked us in and helped by the wind forcing us down the hill, we made our way down to them.
The tour was quite interesting, and despite not liking tunnels, you didnt really feel you were in one. More an air raid shelter that went on and on. The war time engineers had built a whole network of tunnels, one layer containing a whole hospital, complete with operating theatres and all.
Other levels hid a repeater station,
a telephone exchange,
a barracks and a war combat control centre, as it was from here that Ramsey controlled the Dunkirk landings.
When we came out though, not only was the rain coming down in droves, the wind was now lashing it across the ground. Dover Castle is set on a very steep hill, so wearing heavy sodden coats and fighting the bitting wind and rain was not giving us any pleasure. I am afraid to admit we gave up and came home. I did feel sorry for anyone who had paid the £10.50 entrance fee and so was more or less obliged to stay (and there were a fair few) but equally very impressed with the spry old dear in only a thin rain mac carrying a walking stick who carried on regardless.
NB Photo's curtesy of the English Heritage site as you are not allowed to take photos underground, and above ground the weather was just too horrendous.
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