If there is one tour that ranges across the whole recorded history of Folkestone, this is it. Discover Iron Age settlements, observe an excavated roman villa and marvel at fortifications built to forestall Napoleonic and Nazi invasions.
Stand on the cliff and gaze down at one of the most spectacular stretches of coastal railway line in the country as it weaves through the historic Warren Country Park to the White Cliffs of Dover. Pay a visit, subject to prevailing Covid-19 restrictions, to the National Coastwatch Institution lookout and survey the Channel from Dover to Dungeness, and from which, on a clear day, you can see Bonaparte’s statue in the centre of Boulogne-sur-Mer.
Look down on the harbour and visualise the steam trains trundling across the railway viaduct on their way to disgorging passengers on to the cross-channel ferries docked alongside the pier (now the renovated and vibrant Harbour Arm).
And it’s not all about history. We will encounter several of the public artworks created for the five Triennials, including Folkestone’s mermaid sat on the rocks at Sunny Sands, the closest sandy beach to London, courtesy of the High Speed Rail Link. And we will be able to visit St Peter’s Church, built specifically for the fishing community in the mid nineteenth century.
So there is a lot of variety in this tour – history (ancient and modern), stunning scenery and plenty of art.
At the mid point of the tour we take tea at the fabulous Little Switzerland cafe with its stunning views across the Channel.
This is probably the most strenuous of the tours on offer, the first half requires some climbing – but then it is all downhill after that!
To make a booking go to the Tour Booking page.