Kent

We leave Dover and head south. It was funny to think Geoff had been born in the hospital in Dover. We stop for a photo of the white cliffs.

Geoff couldn't work out why it looked so different as he remembered the water lapping around the cliffs at Dover. Then we realised that the landform was different because they had dumped half of the rubble from the English -France tunnel in this area, using it as a construction site during building. They have now made it into a nice picnic and walking area.

Train running at the foot of the cliffs

We saw France in the distance

Geoff wanted to re live a memory of going on the miniature railway at Dymchurch. We missed it leaving there so raced to Romney to pick it up there. It was very cute

It took us to Dungesse. There is no way you could say this was scenic but it was an interesting alternative view to the beautiful England we had been seeing. The little railway ran through some very down in the mouth areas ending up in a bare rocky fishing village which backs onto a nuclear power station.

Then onto Battle to see how the French stole Britain. The town was medieval.

There was a really good interpretative walk around the battle site which gave you an eerie feeling of the sights and sounds of the battle. We walked around the remains of Battle Abbey which was built on the site of the original abbey that William the Conqueror had built as penance for the bloodshed he caused.

The battlefield

The English were on the high ground where the abbey is now and the Normans were down the bottom of the hill.

This is part of the abbey which is now used as a private school

Remains of the abbey

This is supposed to be where Harold died. William made the High Altar of the abbey church on this spot as a sign of respect to Harold.

We walked along a portion of th abbey wall. Nice views.

We treated ourselves to cake and hot chocolate for afternoon tea. Yum.

We then set off for Eastbourne where we were staying. It had been dreary weather all day but suddenly the sun came out and it was just beautiful. The hotel turned out to be quite grand ( or it would have been 50 years ago!) and we had paid an extra $2 for a room with a sea view.

View from our window.

We went for a lovely walk out to the pier which was opposite our hotel and had a walk around the seafront.

What a relaxing day. Hard to top this holiday.