Monday 11 May 2020

1/2 First Covid-19 Lockdown Cycle Ride, Dover Seafront, UK

A permitted Coronavirus cycle ride along the promenade from the Eastern Docks to the New Marina Pier, Port of Dover, Kent, England, UK.

After the video there are close-ups of numbers 1 to 10 of the mainly historical local landmarks that are mentioned in the commentary.

A second post, 2/2 First Covid-19 Lockdown Cycle Ride, contains close-ups of landmarks 11 to 20 (nb "First" in both titles indicates that I'll be making another video of the same route):


The video was filmed on Sunday, 10th of May 2020, using a head-mounted GoPro Hero 8 Black action camera and its built-in microphones.


Entrance to what was once a builder's yard in Tower Hamlets at 13 West Street, CT17 0DU, Dover, England. This is where I live and do private research into Evolution (Internal Evolutionary Mechanism), Psychology (The Archeotrauma, Trauma), and aspeccts of Social Psychology.
Time Lapse Video Start

Two days later I made a three-minute GoPro "Time Warp" (time lapse) video with commentary.

It contains a sequence that also shows the promenade from the Eastern Docks to the New Marina Pier.

Local landmarks, numbers 1 to 10:

Click on a thumbnail for a larger view, or any text link to go to the related blog post.


Georgian listed building built in 1834. Charles Lightoller moved here in 1916 in the Royal Navy's Dover Patrol, serving on the destroyer HMS Falcon. He once applied for The Spanish Prince which became a blockship in Dover Harbour in 1915.
Charles Lightoller in Dover
8 East Cliff, Marine Parade

Former home of Charles Lightoller, survivor of the 1912 RMS Titanic iceberg disaster.

Moved here in 1916 during World War One after joining the Dover Patrol.

Born 1824, educated King's School Canterbury, entered Bengal Artillery 1842. Transferred Royal Artillery after Indian Mutiny 1857. Married 1863. Made Knight Commander Order of the Bath, Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee 1897, died 1 East Cliff 1899.
1 East Cliff (Marine Parade), Dover
1 East Cliff, Marine Parade

Former home of General Sir Henry Le Geyt Bruce, Knight Commander of the Bath, 1824-1899.

Transferred from Bengal Artillery to Royal Artillery after 1857 Indian Mutiny.

Seaplane Station

First World War RAF or RFC squadron location.


The Mote, or Moat's Bulwark artillery battery has a semi-circular lower level or gun platform and an upper level terrace containing the West Gatehouse or Guardroon ruins. Built by King Henry VIII in 1539, one of his 'little forts'. Re-developed during the Napoleonic Wars.
Moat's Bulwark, A20 Townwall Street
Mote's Bulwark, White Cliffs below Dover Castle 

One of King Henry VIII's 'little forts' of which there were three in Dover.

The other two being the Black Bulwark and Archcliffe Fort.
Autumn (Fall) panorama of Norman Keep and Dover Castle on the Eastern Heights above River Dour valley and Dover Harbour. Houses of Victoria Park above Gateway Flats apartments. Marine Parade Gardens and promenade. History, Travel, and Tourism.
Dover Castle and Gateway Flats
The Gateway Flats

Built as a result of damage sustained during the Second World War.

The Gateway, with 221 flats that all have views of the English Channel, was completed in October 1959 at a cost of one million pounds.

Victorian former Lord Warden Hotel in the Western Docks. Built by architect Samuel Beazley between 1848-1853. Royal Navy's HMS Wasp Shore Station in World War II. Now Lord Warden House used by freight agents. Grade II Listed Building. Port of Dover, Kent, England.
Lord Warden House, DWDR
Lord Warden Hotel (now Lord Warden House)

Where Louis Blériot (link to blog post) had breakfast after the first flight across the English Channel in 1909.

Ex-HMS Wasp in World War II. Now used by freight agents.

Statue of Matthew Webb who first swam the English Channel on 25 August, 1875, symbolically resting on fish and seashell. Located on seafront between Gateway Flats and Promenade above beach. Webb died trying to swim Whirlpool Rapids below Niagara Falls 24 July 1883.
Matthew Webb, Dover Seafront
Captain Matthew Webb

Bust (or statue) symbolically rests on fishes and seashell above  plinth,

First recorded person to swim the English Channel in 1875. Died Niagara Falls 1883 (USA and Canada border).

Commemorates Rolls' non-stop return flight across English Channel, 2nd June 1910. Co-founder Rolls Royce motor cars. Statue in front of seafront Gateway Flats facing English Channel. Matthew Webb bust is nearby. Skyline: Roman Pharos, St Mary-in-Castro church, Dover Castle.
Charles Rolls facing Strait of Dover
Statue of Charles Rolls, Dover Seafront

In 1910, he became the first man to fly non-stop across the English Channel and back again.

Co-founder of the Royal Aero Club and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

Sculpture by Mark Humphrey on Marine Parade commemorates the 100th anniversary of the end of the Great War (World War One) on November the 11th, 1918. Camden Crescent and distant King's Arms Library shown; plinth where 'The Waiting Miner' once stood is nearby.
Every One Remembered Statue
WW1 Every One Remembered Statue

First World War Centenary Commemorative Sculpture by Mark Humphrey.

Located in Granville Gardens, symbolically facing the English Channel, France, and the Western Front beyond.

Two-dimensional silhouette statue of Jamie Clark, 2012 Olympic Torch holder; Dame Vera Lynn who sang There'll be Bluebirds over the White Cliffs of Dover in World War Two; Ian Fleming, author of 007 James Bond novels who lived at St Margaret's-at-Cliffe. Marine Parade.
Dover Seafront Promenade
Sustrans Portrait Bench, Marine Parade

Silhouette sculpture of Jamie Clark, 2012 Olympic Games Torch holder; Dame Vera Lynn (WW2 song, There'll be Bluebirds over the White Cliffs of Dover; Ian Fleming, author of 007 James Bond novels.


Cycling route map and biometrics are on this Polar Flow web page.

Abridged versions of this post are also on Facebook and Twitter.


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