White Cliffs of Dover Rockfall 2012 - 2020, Kent England UK

On the 4th of March 2012, BBC News reported that a large section of Dover's famous white cliffs had broken away and crashed into the English Channel (1)

This zoomed shot of approximately 2.5 miles from St Martin's Battery on the Western Heights shows the western terminator of the landslide as a vertical line running down the center of the photograph:

The "smeared" cliff face to the right of the terminator is an oblique view of the area affected. Note the thin horizontal chalk crevasse on the cliff top above and beyond the top edge of the "smear" but just below the skyline.

The photo was taken about an hour before high tide and consequently it doesn't show the full height or spread of the spoil heap:

This section of cliffs is shown in the Rough and Ready White Cliffs of Dover Video (along with a close-up of HM Dover Coastguard station mentioned below) that was filmed at the same time as the main photo was taken.

This next photo has been extracted from the Daily Telegraph video that follows it.

The video was taken soon after the cliff collapsed in 2012 and the image shows the coastline a little  further to the east (ie out of sight of my vantage point at St Martin's Battery):

The "horizontal chalk crevasse" in the main photo is the top right boundary of the lozenge-shaped area of cliffs that might be where the next substantial cliff fall into the English Channel occurs.

The one-minute Daily Telegraph video, "White cliffs of Dover fall into the sea" (no commentaty):

A final photograph taken on the 22nd of July 2010 prior to the rockfall of 2012:

P&O Ferries cross-channel passenger ferry, MS Pride of Calais in front of the Eastern Arm pier and Eastern Docks of Dover harbour (Port of Dover).

On the cliff top behind the ship's funnel is a foreshortened view of the top-left chalk crevasse shown in the video still; the area of the 2012 cliff fall is to its left (nearer the stern of the ship).

MS Pride of Calais was a cross-channel ferry owned and operated by P&O Ferries. She operated the Dover to Calais route between 1987 and 2012.

In early 2013, under bareboat charter to Transeuropa Ferries, she served on their Ramsgate to Ostend route and was re-named MS Ostend Spirit.

After further lay-up in the Port of Tilbury she was sold for scrap and finally beached at a salvage yard in Turkey on 13 November 2013. (3)

The White Cliffs of Dover, part of the North Downs formation, is the region of English coastline facing the Strait of Dover and France.

The cliff face, which reaches a height of 350 feet (110 m), owes its striking appearance to its composition of chalk accented by streaks of black flint.

The cliffs, on both sides of the town of Dover in Kent, stretch for eight miles (13 km). A section of coastline encompassing the cliffs was purchased by the National Trust in 2016. (4)

Also on this blog:

Shakespeare Cliff

Shakespeare Cliff (west of Dover) marks the point where Great Britain most closely approaches continental Europe. On a clear day, the cliffs are easily visible from the French coast.

East Cliff and History

This panorama shows the area of White Cliffs of Dover between the River Dour valley (the town) to the left and Broadlees Bottom (A2 Jubilee Way) to the right.

The post contains close-up of three items of historical interest.

(1) Abridged from White cliffs of Dover section falls into sea:

A large section of Dover's famous white cliffs has broken away and crashed into the Channel, according to the coastguard.

Tonnes of rock collapsed into the sea between Langdon Cliffs and South Foreland Lighthouse.

Dover Coastguard said no-one was injured during the "substantial" rockfall, which happened in an area know locally as Crab Bay.

The National Trust has put up warning signs to alert walkers.

It is thought freezing conditions over the winter may have weakened the chalk cliffs.

(2) The main photograph was taken from St Martin's Battery on the Western Heights on the 24th of April during a permitted Coronavirus bike ride.

(3) Extract from MS Pride of Calais.

(4) Extract from White Cliffs of Dover 

See the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Covid-19 lockdown: a cycling route map and biometrics can be seen on this Polar Flow web page.

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

Rough and Ready White Cliffs of Dover Video, Kent England UK

This one-minute video was filmed from St Martin's Battery on the Western Heights during a permitted Coronavirus Lockdown bike ride on Friday, 24th of April, 2020.

A panoramic landscape that includes zoomed shots of the cliffs and Dover Coastguard station. Final shot shows the Eastern Docks cross-channel ferry terminal and English Channel beyond:

Elsewhere in the video: Dover Castle, Dover harbour (Port of Dover), and the English Channel.

After brief comments on the White Cliffs of Dover, there are photographs showing close-ups of three points of interest in the video: a Victorian print of Langdon Bay, "Space City" (Eastern Docks) at Dawn, and the "twin Towers" of the Coastguard station.


The White Cliffs of Dover 

These cliffs which form part of the British coastline facing the Strait of Dover and France. The cliffs are part of the North Downs formation.

The cliff face, which reaches up to 107 metres (351 ft), owes its striking façade to its composition of chalk (pure white calcium carbonate) accentuated by streaks of black flint.

The cliffs spread east and west from the town of Dover in the county of Kent, an ancient and still important English port.

The cliffs have great symbolic value for Britain because they face towards Continental Europe across the narrowest part of the English Channel, where invasions have historically threatened and against which the cliffs form a symbolic guard.

Because crossing at Dover was the primary route to the continent before air travel, the white line of cliffs also formed the first or last sight of the UK for travelers.

The cliffs are located along the coastline between approximately: Latitude 51°06'N, Longitude 1°14'E and Latitude 51°12'N, Longitude 1°24'E.

Shakespeare Cliff

Shakespeare Cliff (west of Dover) marks the point where Great Britain most closely approaches continental Europe. On a clear day, the cliffs are easily visible from the French coast.

The link on the left contains another of the Victorian prints shown below.

The cliffs are composed mainly of soft, white chalk with a very fine-grained texture, composed primarily of coccoliths, plates of calcium carbonate formed by coccolithophores, single-celled planktonic algae whose skeletal remains sank to the bottom of the ocean and, together with the remains of bottom-living creatures, formed sediments.

Flint, quartz, and iron pyrites ("Fools Gold") are also found in the chalk.

See the National Trust's web page about the White Cliffs of Dover.


Victorian Colour Photo of the White Cliffs of Dover, Kent UK

Derived from a United States Library of Congress photo-mechanical print dated circa 1890-1900 (the above Shakespeare Cliff link has another of these prints)

From the book, The Economy of Kent (Kent History Project):

In 1900 on the White Cliffs of Dover the benefits of American cereals were advertised by two gigantic notices marked 'Quaker Oats'.

Does this photo show one of them on the cliff-top?

This stretch of cliffs contains Langdon Bay, Crab Bay, and Fan Bay; the SS Preussen and SS Falcon are local shipwrecks.


Rain at Dawn for Space City: Eastern Docks of the Port of Dover, Kent

An 1800-yard zoom photo from St Martin's Battery on the Western Heights of the futuristic Eastern Docks cross-channel ferry terminal of Dover Harbour.

English Channel ferry operators: P&O Ferries and DFDS Seaways.

Shows the A2 Jubilee Way flyover and light trails on the A20 at East Cliff (Marine Parade); Dover Coastguard Station on skyline.

The photo was taken on the 17th of September, 2010.


Twin Towers of HM Dover Coastguard Station from the East, Swingate, UK

An early morning view of the station at Langdon Battery photographed on Thursday, April the 7th, 2011.

On the right is the Radar Scanner or Antenna. A similar antenna is used by the French Coastguard at the CROSS Gris Nez Rescue Center.

On the left, 70 yards behind the radar tower, is the Microwave Radio Mast whose dishes receive additional radar data from radar sites at Fairlight (near Hastings, East Sussex) and Margate (North Kent).

Between the two towers is the sloping roof of the futuristic-looking Operations Room or Control Room.

There are other buildings and a helipad out-of-shot to the right. There is also a third, smaller mast (tower) on the station, possibly used for gathering meteorological data.

See the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

Covid-19 lockdown: a cycling route map and biometrics can be seen on this Polar Flow web page.

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

Kearsney Abbey, Good Friday, 10th April 2020, Dover, UK

Video contents: views of landscapes, lakes, birds (especially waterfowl), squirrels, the cedar tree of Lebanon (and other species, of course!), and the Georgian era cafe:

The video was made in one shot with no re-takes (using "pause" when changing location) on a Google Pixel 2 smartphone during a permitted cycle ride under the UK Coronavirus lockdown rules.

This isn't just laziness: my steam-driven computer just isn't up to the task of video editing!

However, I admit that my enthusiasm to share videos and photos is progressively eroded by the time spent in "post-production".

The technique that I've used here requires no post production whatsoever so I'm pretty pleased about it.

Kearsney Abbey is about two miles from Dover and was never an abbey in the religous sense.

It was built by John Minet Fector as a family home between 1820-1822 using remnants of medieval Dover. The Georgian era former Billiard Room, now the cafe, is all that remains of the original mansion.

The Abbey is now part of Kearsney Parks along with the nearby Russell Gardens.

The two lakes shown in the video are formed by the River Dour that enters the sea at Dover's Wellington Dock in the Marina.

A photo taken on the 5th of April (Swan Invades Social Distancing Space, Kearsney Abbey);

From White Cliffs Country:

Kearsney Abbey and Russell Gardens are currently undergoing restoration work as part of a £3.1million National Lottery funded project, Kearsney Parks. The works are due to be finished in summer 2020.

The gardens at Kearsney Abbey are laid out as informal parkland around two ornamental lakes through which the River Dour flows.

The old house was demolished many years ago and only the old billiard room remains. This was used as a café for many years and it will form part of the new café extension that is being built.

The site is popular at all times of the year but especially in the summer time when the lawns become a favourite picnic site at weekends. A play area for children is available and the lower lake is used for model boating.

Enjoy walking around the gardens or relax watching the wildlife on the lake.

A Dover District Council web page currently states:

Coronavirus

In line with measures to encourage people to stay at home, the car park in Kearsney Abbey is closed until further notice. This is to protect public safety and discourage large gatherings.

The Kearsney Parks mobile café and temporary toilets have been removed from site. The playground in Kearsney Abbey is closed.

The location the photo was taken from is marked "V" on the map near the top:

Cycle route: Tower Hamlets in Dover to Buckland Bridge, River village, Temple Ewell, Kearsney Abbey, Eastern Docks, New Marina Pier, Priory Station, Robsons Yard in Tower Hamlets.

Original map and biometrics are on this Polar Flow web page.

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

Swan Invades Social Distancing Space, Kearsney Abbey, Dover, UK

"Six feet means six feet!"

This photo of two mute swans squabbling on the Boating Lake of Kearsney Abbey (near Temple Ewell and the village of River) was taken on a permitted Coronavirus lockdown bike ride (see map below).

It is one of my favourite images taken during the last few weeks because it came out far better than expected and contains satisfying amounts of my favourite colour, British Racing Green.

Mute Swans [1]

The mute swan (Cygnus olor) is a species of swan and a member of the waterfowl family Anatidae. It is native to much of Eurosiberia, and (as a rare winter visitor) the far north of Africa.

It is an introduced species in North America – home to the largest populations outside of its native range – with additional smaller introductions in Australasia and southern Africa.

The name 'mute' derives from it being less vocal than other swan species.

Measuring 125 to 170 cm (49 to 67 in) in length, this large swan is wholly white in plumage with an orange beak bordered with black. It is recognisable by its pronounced knob atop the beak, which is larger in males.

Kearsney Abbey [2]

A landscape made by people

Kearsney Abbey is laid out in an informal style. Its 10 acres of open parkland and lakes are popular with families.

Although never a monastic estate, the history of Kearsney Abbey can be traced back to the Norman Conquest.

The park as it exists today can be attributed to John Minet Fector, a local banker and merchant, who built a grand mansion on the site between 1820-1822.

Two adjoining ornamental lakes on the course of the River Dour provide a haven for water fowl. Kearsney Abbey also has a fine collection of specimen trees, including Beech, Lime and Yew.

A prominent feature is a Cedar of Lebanon tree which is believed to be one of the oldest specimens in the country.

The location the photo was taken from is marked "P2" on the  map at the top of the red triangle:

Cycle route: Tower Hamlets in Dover to St Radigunds Abbey via Coombe Valley. From ruins of St Radigunds Abbey to Kearsney Abbey via Minnis Lane. Returned to Dover through the village of River.

Original map and biometrics are on this Polar Flow web page.

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

[1] Source: Mute Swan

[2] Source: Kearsney Abbey

The Animal World, Horses Social Distancing near Dover, UK

The photo was taken on the 3rd of April, 2020 about 200 yards west of Elms Wood House on Elms Vale Road, a Dover to West Hougham country lane.

The view is looking west towards West Hougham with part of Long Wood visible at top left:

A few minutes earlier I had seen a large fox padding along the lane some 80 yards in front of me.

I stopped to take a photo (my camera has a 250mm zoom lens)  but a car coming up from behind alarmed the fox and it disappeared into the hedgerow.

Oh well, better luck next time!

The location the photo was taken from is marked "P" on the  map:

Cycle route: Dover to Capel-le-Ferne via West Hougham then returning to Dover via the B2011 Folkestone Road after joining it at the Winehouse Lane junction at Capel.

Original map and biometrics are on this Polar Flow web page.

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

Ordnance Survey information on West Hougham.

A permitted coronavirus lockdown bike ride.

Pergola Bridge of Trees, Elms Vale, Dover, Kent, UK

Located on Lowslip Road between West Hougham and Dover.

Some of the beautiful scenery that makes a bike ride along the country lanes from Dover to Capel-le-Ferne (via West Hougham) so enjoyable.

Part of the North Downs, clay over chalk.

The location this photo was taken from is marked "P2" on the route map:

Start and end point of cycle ride is the green dot below the "S" at top right.

Original map and biometrics at Polar Flow

Abbreviated versions of this post are also on Facebook and Twitter

Ordnance Survey information on West Hougham.

Permitted cycle ride under the Coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown rules. 

Elms Wood House and Farmland, Elms Vale, Dover, UK

White-painted Elms Wood House, an unlisted period house, is situated between West Hougham and Dover in the Elms Vale or Valley:

Photo taken on a bike ride from Dover to Capel-le Ferne via West Hougham.

View is looking west with "Long Wood" at top right.

The location this photo was taken from is marked "P1" on the route map:

Start and end point of cycle ride is the green dot below the "S" at top right.

Original map and biometrics at Polar Flow

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

Ordnance Survey information on West Hougham.

Permitted cycle ride under the Coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown rules.