April to May 2015 – Eastbourne and Dover

Our first day in Eastbourne was orientation day around the marina.  It is a large complex with many flats surrounding the marina, and restaurants to cater for most tastes.  A bridge separates the inner and outer harbours which takes you to the retail area and a cut through to a retail park with an Asda. 

Eastbourne outside the lock, low tide.

Eastbourne outside the lock, high tide.  There was a dredger present when we left and you can see from the first picture why they need it.

Eastbourne lock, there are two, which are well managed and well maintained with floating pontoons, which make the nerve wracking lock entry much easier.

Info: Excellent showers, very clean with hotel driers and a plug socket.  Approx £24 per night.  Asda close by, Lidl a much longer walk.

24th April – Friday

Walked into Eastbourne from the marina.  It takes a good half hour along the sea front.  The pier is currently being renovated, but it is still possible to walk around.  The Bandstand on the prom is the best we have ever seen and it regularly hosts events during the summer.

 

From the pier you walk down a main street which is edge to edge restaurants and takeaways, then you round the corner and find a modern, comprehensive shopping centre, with every shop you can think of.  It is well hidden and does not detract from the seafront.  We thought Eastbourne was a genteel version of Brighton, which we enjoyed very much.  We had both only ever driven through and it was worth a visit.

Followed by a couple of lazy days reading and planning.

27th April – Monday – To Dover

Early start to sail the 47 miles to Dover 07:00 to 17:00, we had 16 knots of wind with lots of sunshine, but it was very cold.  Some good sailing and motor sailing.

Sailing past Dungeness Power Station.  We have worked there in the past and it was great to pass it on the sea.  It is one of those landmarks that you see two hours before you get there and can still see two ours after you pass, so that filled 4 out of our 10 hour journey.

Then you get your first glimpse of the white cliffs of Dover.

Dover and Dover Castle

Dover West Harbour Entrance

Info: As we stayed for 11 nights in the Granville Harbour the fees were only £21 per night.  There are 3 sets of toilets and showers, which are acceptable.  The ones at the corner of the Wellington Harbour are the best and have hotel hairdryers and a plug socket.  They also have movement detectors to turn on the showers, beware of sharp movements.  There is a Co-op near the town square, a Morrison’s and small Asda in a retail park behind the main street and an Aldi which is approx 40 minutes walk.

There is a nice promenade which leads to the town centre.  We saw Vic Reeves sat in a shelter in full leathers.

We then had several days of sun and high winds, then rain and high winds, so we read, planned and I finished 3 bears.  We also have a walk every day, think we have done Dover now.

See www.handmadebyannmarie@blogspot.co.uk for detailsf

5th May – Tuesday – Bus Trip

We needed to expand our horizons so hopped on a Bus to Canterbury.  £6.50 for an Explorer ticket, but £10.50 for two people travelling together.  Canterbury is a beautiful old city.

Sadly we did not go into the Cathedral as it is £10.50 to get it.  I really don’t think you should have to pay to go into a church.

Next stop Margate.

Margate seafront and the clock tower.  There were many tankers anchored off shore as the winds were very high and the sea state was rough. 

The town centre was a bit run down, but we found out why on our way to Ramsgate as we passed a large out of town shopping centre.

Next stop Ramsgate.

Ramsgate Seafront.  There is a large marina and along the side of the harbour in the arches of the harbour buttress wall there are cafes, chandlers and several antique/junk shops which are worth a look.  We had a lovely pot of tea and cakes at the Cosby Tearoom, excellent value at just £8.30.

Next stop Sandwich.

The archway leads from the bridge into the lovely old town.

We literally stumbled across the BnB ‘The Salutation’ owned by the Posh People from Gogglebox.  It is £7 to go in the gardens and they have a gift shop.  Think they are doing OK.

We had circumnavigated Planet Thanet (pronounce Plan-It Fan-It by the locals).

I think we managed to get our monies worth out of the ticket.

7th May – Dover Castle

Several people had recommended that we visit Dover Castle but the £19.50 entrance fee was putting us off.  However Inspector Bond found a 2 for 1 deal if you had a valid bus ticket bringing you to Dover.  Go to the Stagecoach website and obtain a number which you show at the door with your bus ticket.  Excellent.

The Great Tower is great fun to explore and unlike others, it has lots of floors and each floor has many rooms and nooks and crannies to explore.  The children who were visiting seemed to love it.

You get great views from the top.  It is not a visit for people with mobility issues, everything is up or down a hill or flight of steps.

There are the Operation Dynamo tunnels to explore, where they planned the Dunkirk Evacuation and D-Day, also the Hospital Tunnel Annex, all of which are carved out of the White Cliffs.

There are also Medieval tunnels, a Saxon church and a Roman lighthouse, phew.  Exhausting but excellent day out.