South Foreland LightHouse and Fan Cove

The weather was amazing on the Saturday so we took a walk along the cliffs, going to the South Foreland Lighthouse and Fan Cove Deep Shelter. We could walk to the lighthouse from our caravan so this was our first stop.

Our guide was brilliant, really informative and funny and we learnt a lot about the lighthouse. Including that Michael Faraday used to work there, working on an alternative power source to whale oil. 

Lighthouse keepers desk

The light - glass made in Birmingham.

View from the top

Unfortunately we couldn't go out at the top as they are repainting but it was still good.

                                     

Back down we got lunch at the cafe, which is amazing. And sat looking out over the sea, before starting our walk. 

Over Dover.

Fan Cover

View from the entrance to the tunnels.

We went down the tunnels and took the tour which was as good as las time.

How it would have looked.

The tunnels took 100 days to build and were meant to be accommodation for soldiers. But the condensation made it unliveable so it become an emergency shelter which was often used during WWII.

Office water cooler.

Fossil.

We went out onto the cliff front and the guide explained the concrete sound mirrors, used to locate boat, planes, and troupe movements in the Channel. And they still work. They were covered up after the war so were protected until uncovered in 2015.

Fungi.

Giant shell

We walked back to the lighthouse for a cuppa before making it back to the caravan. But we knackered Mom out. Her ankle still isn't up to as much walking as we put her through.
We eat at the caravan that night with mom resting her ankle with an ice pack. Oops!

Dungeness

Last weekend Mom and Dad came down for a road trip. It didn't start well. They arrived on the Thursday evening and I spent a portion of the night being sick. No idea why. Plus my cold was still in full force at this point. We were carried on, on Friday morning down to Dungeness - I just spent a few days eating little bits of very boring food before I was convinced by stomach would handle it.

We drove to New Romney and get the miniature railway to Dungeness.

On the train.

Train!

On route.

We had some lunch and took a little walk on the beach. We couldn't go far as Mom's ankle is still not great and she had trouble walking on the pebbles.

Dad and I took some photos of the boats. A few are still working but some equipment has not moved in a long time.

We'll have to go back and take a longer walk at some point. I would also like to go up the lighthouse but every time I go, I seems shut. This time it was due to high winds, though to be fair it was really windy.

After this, we headed to our caravan in St. Margaret-on-Cliffe. We had a caravan (which was very nice) for 3 nights and then moved to the hotel for another 2 nights. 

Weekend with Friends

A few weeks ago, I spent the weekend with some friends back in Dudley. It rained all day Saturday so we just wondered around some shops. On Sunday it was drier so we had a Sunday lunch at the arboretum before taking a walk. Livvy slept through us eating but was not too happy about this when she woke (who is when they miss food?) She was much happier when she got hers.

On our walk, Clare was much more impressed with the cows when Livvy. 

But we did get smiles!

However one of the maintenance men was really rude to us so we decided to leave and will not be going back.

The train trip back was awful as they had 'forgot' to put enough couches on. Some people had seats booked on couches that didn't exist. Luckily we had seats but the trip was not fun. And I caught a cold which I am only just getting over. 

Glasgow 2018

On Saturday after a really big brunch (which proved to be a rookie mistake later on), we went to see the People's Palace. The Palace sits in a park but the Proms in the Park was on so the park was closed.  

Largest terracotta fountain in Europe/world - not 100% sure

Inside there is large green house and cafe and a museum on the history of Glasgow.

And they had Billy Connolly's banana shoes. (I use the image of banana shoes at work to stay sane.)

They had some interesting exhibits on WWII and the living conditions in the tenements. They really crammed them into those houses. 

Not sure this would survive a bomb blast

View from the top of the green house.

We booked an afternoon tea which was amazing! We upgraded to add a G&T, which was so worth it. I have found Harris Gin, from the Isle of Harris. It seems destined.

Gin!

When we saw the actual afternoon tea, we realised at the mistake of having a good size brunch. (Next time we are going hungry. But they did give us a box to take away the leftovers so it wasn't wasted.)

Cake stand

Cakes.

Sandwiches (one level each)

And tea.

There was also unlimited tea, which we frankly didn't do justice to. And the tea menu was extensive - I wanted to try so many more.  I really love Glasgow!
We had plans for after but we could barely walk so wondered around a little (very slowly) before going back to Caroline's for movies and eventually the rest of our cakes. 

Isle of Cumbrae and Millport

This weekend I went up to Glasgow for the long weekend to visit Caroline. On Friday we headed over to the Isle of Cumbrae. And the weather was amazing! It didn't rain. In Scotland!

The trip took a while but it was worth it. After an ice-cream, we got the ferry to the isle. It was a tinkly little ferry but crazily efficient. They started putting down the car ramp quite a while before we got to the shore. Everyone was looking a little nervous as it started be lowered. But they have it timed to the minute.

On the ferry across (with an ice-cream)

The ferry lands on the north East side of the island. Where there is nothing. So we got the bus to the south and the main (only) town, Millport. It is a beautiful little town which some gorgeous beaches.

Beach.

Enjoying the sun

They were holding a country music festival that weekend (sadly it didn't start until the Friday evening so we missed it) but the whole town got into it with a lot of flags. (Even a Confederate flag - I am guessing they didn't know what it meant.) Embarrassingly it took me a while to figure this out. 

Lots of flags.

We found the cathedral which is the smallest cathedral in the UK. And it was pretty small. It took us a while to find a way in but the walk around was nice.

UK's smallest cathedral.

Not sure what is in here.

Before lunch we wondered along the sea front to visit the crocodile.

Caroline told me to pose - I think she expected serious. 

The crocodile is famous on the island. It's a rock that someone has painted a crocodile face on.

Crocodile

After lunch, we went for a walk to the tea rooms. The path started off as a path. Soon, as with all the walks I seem to go on, it soon become less clear.

Walking.

Less obvious.

Then we ended up going through a field of cows. They watched us suspiciously but thankfully were mostly more interested in the grass. And then the path just become a suggestion down the hill with some lovely muddy patches. Next time I am having no input. I always pick dodgy paths. 

But we did make it to the tea rooms. 

And then we realised the only other way back (other than back up the hill we just slide down) was going to take an hour. But the route was only the coat so very pretty. We stopped part way to investigate some rocks. Why not?

War memorial.

We were very happy to get back to the bus, which broke down on the way to the ferry. We did make it in the end and we're on holiday. We didn't care.

We ended up at thai for dinner and back at Caroline's early, both knackered. I am really not used to walking that far.