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Cornwall Day 4 & 5 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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Thursday morning saw us waking up to Momma’s birthday, and she decided she wanted to spend it with a coastal walk from Mousehole to Lamorna.


Although this is a beautiful stretch of the South West Coast Path, it turned out to be a little more rugged than anticipated! The walk started gently, winding through Mousehole and into a wooded area, with some lovely views back towards St Michael’s Mount.

Things soon became a little more challenging, with steep stone steps, narrow dirt trails, muddy sections, tree roots and plenty of scrambling over large boulders. What started as a leisurely birthday stroll quickly turned into a bit of an adventure!


It was definitely a challenging walk, and one that neither Momma nor Santa will be rushing back to do in a hurry. But, for a pair of more mature farts, they absolutely smashed it! Thankfully, there was a café waiting at the end, which was very welcome. We also decided that, as Cornwall has an excellent bus network, catching the bus back would be the safest, and undoubtedly more enjoyable option.

The bus dropped us off in the village of Paul, where, unfortunately, there happened to be a pub conveniently located right next to the bus stop. So Santa enjoyed a very well-deserved pint before we tackled the downhillwalk back into Mousehole. 

After a quick freshen-up, we set out on another walk.. although this one was a lot less squeaky-bum! This time, it was a gentle downhill stroll along a proper pavement into Newlyn before continuing on to Penzance.
Newlyn is home to one of the largest working fishing fleets in the UK, but there’s more to the town than just fishing. It also has a trendy food scene, traditional fishermen’s cottages, contemporary galleries and plenty of acclaimed seafood restaurants. All of this, of course, meant one thing: the perfect setting for Momma’s birthday photo session!

As we continued into Penzance, we stumbled across the highlight of the whole trip — Cornwall Pride! 😂 We arrived towards the end of the event, so some of the stalls were already starting to pack away. Despite this, the promenade was still buzzing, with food vendors, craft stalls and plenty of people enjoying the festivities. The main stage was also still going strong, hosted by some fabulous drag artists.

It was definitely not something Momma had planned on seeing on her birthday! That evening we had a lovely meal and finished the day off with a glass of fizz.

For our last morning in Mousehole, we headed to Mousehole Deli for a delicious breakfast before taking one final stroll around the harbour and the village’s little shops. There was also a craft fair taking place, with local makers selling all sorts of lovely handmade goodies — from jewellery and paintings to cosmetics and Christmas decorations. It was the perfect opportunity for a bit of last-minute browsing (and, of course, a few purchases!) before saying goodbye to Mousehole.

Our final destination of the trip, before the epic drive home, was Godrevy. Being a Sunday with decent weather, it was pretty busy. Thankfully, we managed to find a parking spot up by the lighthouse end, which meant we could head over to see the seals.

We strolled along the dunes, taking in the views, and of course, a treat from Kabyn — a horsebox-style café right on the beach. Getting down onto the beach is slightly challenging, as it involves navigating the dunes or tackling a long set of steep steps. So, if you have limited mobility, this probably isn’t the beach for you. The surfers, however, appeared to have absolutely no problems whatsoever, shimmying up and down the rocks like a bunch of barefooted mountain goats. 

And with that, our few days in Cornwall came to an end. Momma had a birthday filled with walks, cake, craft stalls and plenty of opportunities for photographs, while Santa managed to locate a pub almost everywhere we went — so I think it’s safe to say they both had a successful trip!

Cornwall Day 3 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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This morning was all about exploring St Michael’s Mount – a tidal island crowned by a medieval castle and church. At high tide, the only way to reach it is by boat, but we wanted to walk across the historic cobblestone causeway (and, more importantly, give Momma the chance to take yet more artistic photos), so we timed our visit for low tide.

If you’re planning a visit, make sure you book your tickets in advance. You can walk across the causeway without one, but you won’t get onto the island itself (unless in ‘Autumn season’ which starts on 13th Sept). I did enjoy watching the heated exchanges between people who had happily walked across, only to discover they weren’t getting any further.

The ancient cobbles are steep and uneven, so decent footwear is definitely required. The number of people attempting it in flip-flops and even heels was staggering. One woman was getting increasingly annoyed as her foot kept slipping out of her flip-flop wedge. I couldn’t help thinking she perhaps hadn’t done quite enough research before coming!

Once at the top, we were rewarded with great views back over the causeway, before joining the queue for the castle. We hadn’t expected it to be quite so busy on a Thursday morning, and the crowds made it difficult to properly stop and read anything inside the castle, so we made our way through quicker than anticipated. Even the deadly fart someone let rip didn’t manage to clear the room..! 

Thankfully, the crowds thinned out once we reached the stone battlements, where we could enjoy the views and catch a glimpse of the gardens, which were unfortunately now closed for the season.

We finished our visit by taking yet more photos of St Michael’s Mount from pretty much every angle possible from the beach, before heading into the town of Marazion in search of a cream tea. We didn’t have to look for long and opted for Moondog.

The scone was absolutely enormous and the portion of cream was very generous… what more could you want?! We had a little wander around the town, popping into all the cute gift and nick-nack shops, before heading back to the car and onto our next destination.

Porthleven is a picturesque Cornish fishing village, with its double-walled harbour surrounded by pastel-coloured cottages, quirky boutique shops, cosy cafés and, of course, plenty of traditional pubs. I also picked up a selection of fudge to keep our  energy levels up while we explored – which was delicious.

Santa was very excited to hear that Porthleven is home to a highly rated pub – The Ship Inn.  A proper traditional boozer where the walls are covered in beer mats, currency, and other nautical items. His beer today was from Tintagel Brewery, and we grabbed the last bench overlooking the harbour to enjoy the drinks. 

Our last stop before heading off for our chippy tea was Church Cove at Gunwalloe, where a tiny medieval church sits tucked away amongst the sand dunes. It’s nicknamed ‘The Church of the Storms’, thanks to its exposed position on the Cornish coast and the fact that it has weathered centuries of wild Atlantic storms. If you look closely at this photo, you can just about make out the roof of the church hiding amongst the dunes.

We walked a small section of the South West Coast Path before heading back down to the beach, where we stopped for a while to watch the waves crashing against the shore. 

Tea was from a delicious chippy in Newlyn, and it was only right to finish off another lovely day at The Ship Inn, where Santa enjoyed an Admiral’s Ale. Unfortunately, there was a particularly fragrant gentleman sat very close to us who, judging by his enormous backpack – and, more importantly, his smell – was clearly walking the length of the South West Coast Path. However things took a turn for the worse when he decided to take his walking boots off.. The smell was too much for Momma, who started gagging… so we decided that was probably our cue to call it a night 😂

Dorset – Day 3 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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Day 3 saw us spending the morning exploring Corfe Castle itself, and trying out some of their delicious coffee shops. Perched high on a natural grassy mound, we walked the ruins of this impressive castle that was largely destroyed in 1646. From up there, we also got a different perspective of the steam train crossing the viaduct below. A lot of the castle is undergoing a £2 million conservation project to stabilise the ruins, which unfortunately means scaffolding and red plastic fencing.. but that doesn’t take away the experience of exploring one of England’s most iconic castle ruins.

We chose ‘By the Castle’ for a coffee and cake stop after admiring the treats every time we walked past. Luckily, it wasn’t just style over substance—the cake was genuinely delicious. And of course, it had to be paired with a flat white.

You can’t visit Dorset without stopping at Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove—and that’s exactly how we spent the next few hours. We started at Durdle Door and arrived at the same time as a huge coach load of German tourists. We quickly hurried past them (as they would definitely ruin Momma’s photos), only to discover that access to the beach is currently closed due to storm damage to the steps. So, it was cliff-top views only—but it did mean photos with nobody on the beach. Every cloud!

We headed over to Man O’ War Beach on the opposite side of the headland, as access there is still open. Obviously, everyone else had the same idea, so what’s usually a quieter neighbour to Durdle Door was a little busier than normal. That said, it was still a great spot to watch the waves roll over the pebbles and crash into the rocks.

A word of warning—the walk back up to the car park is a seriously sweaty one. It’s a deceptively steep climb and much harder work than it looks!

After a slight overpayment (by £7.50 😭) at the car park because I read it wrong, we headed over to Lulworth Cove, which for a weekday was surprisingly busy (bloody tourists!) We walked up the hill for a panoramic view of the cove, before heading to the pub for Santa to enjoy another Butcombe, and sharing bowl of patatas bravas.

We decided to finish the day at the beach, but after putting the wrong car park into Maps, we ended up at Ringstead Bay instead of Ringstead Beach. Luckily, it turned out to be a happy accident, as this ended up being one of our favourite walks of the trip.

The walk down to the beach was about a mile, with gorgeous coastal views the whole way—and when we arrived, we had the beach completely to ourselves.

On the way back, we passed St Catherine by the Sea Church, a small, picturesque chapel perched on the clifftops overlooking the bay. It has a tiny graveyard for local residents and those lost at sea – which we thought was interesting criteria!

The final stretch took us past some of the cutest sheep, just as the weather started to close in.

Santa’s Sesh 🎅🏻 Origin IPA – 4.3% from the DBC Brewery – The Greyhound Inn, Corfe Castle

Dorset – Day 2 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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The original plan for today was to head over to Shaftesbury to see Gold Hill (aka Hovis Hill). However, a quick Google revealed it was bin day… which would have completely ruined Momma’s photos! So, with a swift change of plan from the side of the road, we headed instead to Studland Bay for a walk out to Old Harry Rocks.

This is a great walk to do as it’s pretty flat, but you’re rewarded with some seriously spectacular coastal views. Think iconic chalk formations—cliffs, stacks, stumps, and arches. You also get panoramic views over Studland Bay and Bournemouth. We did a 4-mile circular, which also gave us views over Swanage, and of course, the all-important trig bagging!

And what else is important at the end of a hike.. a snack! Joe’s Cafe is a very short detour down onto South Beach, and we sat here enjoying the sound of the waves, with a delicious flat white, sandwich, and a homemade brownie.

We jumped in the car and headed over to Knoll Beach, but unfortunately this is where our weather luck ended. The heavens opened and it absolutely poured with rain. We tried to stick it out as long as possible, but being battered by the wind and rain really isn’t fun.. so we sadly gave up, got back in the car, and drove to a highly rated CAMRA pub. The Square and Compass in Worth Matravers is definitely one of the more quirkier pubs we’ve been to. It’s got that proper old-pub feel, with no fancy bar in sight, just a serving hatch, stone floors, and a charm that makes it feel like it hasn’t changed in decades. Everyone was sat around large tables, or a selection of chairs by the fire. Santa thoroughly enjoyed his pint of Butcombe.

The rain had finally stopped and, with a few hours of the day left, we squeezed in a bit of a whistle-stop tour of Swanage. We started with a wander along the remains of the old pier—restored to keep its heritage charm, it’s perfect for a gentle stroll and a dose of seaside nostalgia.

We headed over to the heritage train station, and although we had just missed the train, we were still able to admire the vintage details, similar to those at Corfe Castle.

I dragged Momma to the 2p machines, where we lost our money in record time, before taking a walk along the beach. We rounded things off with a classic chippy tea and headed back to the Airbnb. Note to self – much more time is needed in Swanage!

Santa’s Sesh 🎅🏻 Square Logic (Eight Arch Brewing Company) a 4.2% Pale Ale in The Fox Inn – Corfe Castle

Dorset – Day 1 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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Although Dorset is well explored by myself and Momma Wood, it remains largely uncharted territory for Santa. This week we’re based at Corfe Castle, and our plan is to revisit some of Dorset’s iconic spots whilst also uncovering a few hidden gems along the way.

We travelled via Somerset, and with the weather (unsurprisingly) awful, our planned coastal walk was quickly scrapped. Instead, we stopped in Ilminster for a wander around the charity and antique shops. A special shoutout has to go to Cafe No57 — a treasure trove of cosy rooms filled with antiques and vintage clothing at reasonable prices, not to mention some genuinely delicious coffee and cake.

As none of us had been to Dorchester before, we swung by to kill some time before check-in. It didn’t quite win us over however, so we didn’t stay long.

Luckily, our host let us check in early, and we’ve chosen well — a gorgeous cottage with a stunning interior and a basket full of treats waiting for us.

We spent our first afternoon and evening getting our bearings in Corfe Castle, watching the steam train roll in and out and chatting with a very enthusiastic volunteer about the heritage railway.

Santa’s Sesh 🎅🏻 Palmers 200 – a 5% premium ale in The Bankes Arms. This will no doubt be one of many real ales over the course of the week.

London 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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What do you do when GWR drops a sale, you snag bargain tickets to London, and you’ve already ticked off all the usual tourist hotspots? You head to TikTok and YouTube, of course, hunting for obscure and quirky hidden gems. We built a huge list of places to explore (expertly plotted on a map by Momma) but unfortunately, time wasn’t on our side, and we barely made it through half of them. This can only mean one thing: another trip is officially required to finish the job.

V&A cafe – I love a coffee shop with something a little different or quirky about it, and since we’d already visited Attendant (the disused Victorian lavatory in Fitzrovia), this felt like the perfect way to start the day in London. Said to be the oldest museum café in the world, it’s an absolute feast for the eyes. Enormous lights hang from the ceiling, sunlight pours through vast stained-glass windows, and grand arches frame walls covered in colourful ceramic tiles. Even better, the coffee and cake were delicious—and surprisingly reasonably priced.

WW2 battle scars – Outside the V&A, take a close look at the facade and you will notice various pockmarks – these are the remnants of the Blitz.

Vincent Street Fireplace – Here sits the remains of a fireplace from the Second World War. Although the surrounding terraced house was destroyed during the bombing, this small fireplace survived. More than 80 years on, it still stands as a reminder of the devastation of that time.

Ghost signs – London is full of these, and you could easily spend a whole day hunting them. Also known as ‘fading ads’, they often reveal past services or businesses. Here are a couple we found today.

Westminster Cathedral – Not to be confused with Westminster Abbey… Santa has been searching for this place for years, so he was thrilled to finally get a look inside. It’s absolutely stunning, with multiple chapels adorned with intricate, colourful mosaics.

Paxton & Whitfield – One of the oldest cheesemonger in England and Proud Royal Warrant Holders since Queen Victoria in 1850. This insanely smelly shop is perfect for cheese lovers. We tried some samples and got a BOGOF sausage roll – delicious.

Police coat hook – Blink, and you’ll miss this tiny relic of hiatorical London. It’s said that during the hot summer months, police officers tasked with directing traffic at this busy intersection would hang their heavy capes on this hook while they worked.

The noses of Soho – The first nose appeared in 1997, without notice or any apparent meaning. Over the course of that year, more than 30 noses were quietly fixed to landmarks and public buildings across the city. Whilst most were removed almost immediately, a few have survived—and are still out there waiting to be hunted down.

Police box – These were very common in the 1920s and it’s thought there was around 685 around the city. They enabled members of the public to contact the police in an emergency, and then a light on top would flash to signal an officer to call in. With the arrival of portable radios, the need for these declined by the 1970s.

Postman’s Park – The park earned its name from its popularity as a lunchtime garden for workers at the nearby old General Post Office. It also features a poignant memorial with 54 plaques, each honoring an “ordinary” person who did something extraordinary—they gave their life trying to save someone else.

Rising Sun – One of London’s pubs with a gruesome past; this was once notorious for body-snatching. Gangs are said to have drugged unsuspecting patrons and murdered them, selling the bodies to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital. Staff have often reported objects moving and mysterious noises.

Golden Boy of Pye Corner – We all know where the Great Fire of London started, but do you know where it was stopped? At this seedy corner of medieval London – the corner of Cock Lane and Giltspur Street. The ‘golden fat boy’ is said to have been a warning to Londoners that their gluttonous vices had been the cause of the fire.

Lovat Lane – This street offers a classic, picture-perfect view of The Shard, where the towering modern skyscraper is perfectly framed by the narrow, historic, and charming alleyway of the City of London.

If you’ve made it to the end.. well done! Hopefully you will spot some of these treats on your next trip to London.

Kent Day 5 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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For our last day, we enjoyed a lovely birthday breakfast for Mum before packing up the car and heading home via Chartwell and Hever Castle. Unfortunately, our visit to Chartwell was brief (definitely not just to collect a National Trust stamp for the passport), so we couldn’t explore the inside of Winston Churchill’s family home. However, the gardens were stunning and truly reflected his love of landscape and nature. It’s definitely a place we would love to return to when we have more time.

We arrived at Hever Castle, as always, just a the heavens opened. Luckily it was just a quick downpour, and we were treated to glorious sunshine for the rest of our visit. The childhood home of Anne Boleyn is somewhere I have wanted to visit for a long time, and it didn’t disappoint. Although it was smaller than I had imagined, it was beautifully crafted in Tudor architecture and covered in ivy.

I recommend grabbing an audio guide to explore the castle. You can step into the room where it is believed Anne decided to marry King Henry VIII, as well as the room where he slept during his visits to Hever Castle. Due to his fear of being assassinated, he even brought his personal locksmith to install a special lock for his bedchamber.

The gardens are beautifully designed and well-maintained. We saw many dedicated gardeners throughout the area, meticulously tending to the plants to ensure everything looks its best. William Waldorf Astor designed the garden between 1904 and 1908, and it is now recognized as one of the world’s great gardens. The landscaped grounds include a formal Italian garden, a historic Tudor garden, and a large lake, as well as mazes to explore. Spanning 125 acres, the estate also showcases a herbaceous border and a rose garden, offering visitors a diverse and enriching experience in nature.

The drive home was long ,thanks to multiple crashes and diversions, but we really have had a fantastic week exploring Kent, and hopefully these blogs have given some inspiration for your own trip there.

Kent Day 4 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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Day 4 was all about Chatham, but we decided to have an en route stop at Aylesford, because Mum read they had a cute bridge. This tiny village is indeed picturesque and is said to be one of the oldest in England. The free car park, which offers views of the Grade I listed bridge, is an added bonus! As usual, it was raining, so we walked up the road to The Friars Café at Aylesford Priory for some shelter and a flat white. Fortunately, after our quick stop, the blue sky returned, which made for a much nicer backdrop for our bridge photos.

Part of Mum’s birthday present was a the Call the Midwife Tour at Chatham Docks, but before we joined that, we were able to explore some of HMS Cavalier – a CA-class destroyer. Launched in 1944, she saw service in the Arctic, Western Approaches and British Pacific Fleet before finally paying off at Chatham in 1972. 

As Santa has absolutely no interest in CTM, he went off on another tour of HM submarine Ocelot, where he learnt that water was rationed, particularly if they were going on a a spying operation, as they never knew how long they would be gone. The crew had only a small bowlful of water per week for washing and shaving, and each man had just two pairs of pants. You can only imagine the smell with 70 men living in such close quarters!

We met with our group and Irene, who was our guide for the CTM tour. The tour focuses on the exterior locations of the series, specifically the streets and buildings that make up the tenements of Poplar. Some locations were instantly recognizable, while others required photos to show how they were transformed for the scenes. Irene was extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic, referencing specific episodes that were filmed in those exact places and providing insights from the production process.

The tour concluded with a secret location, accessible only to tour participants. We entered through a locked door, behind which was an exclusive exhibition featuring many original artifacts and props from the show.

We finished off the day with a quick swing by Rochester, because who doesn’t love a whip round Cathedral and a Castle, especially when they’re both free (Cathedral to everyone.. Castle to EH members) After that, we headed back to Whitstable for another sunset and an absolutely delicious Thai meal. 

Kent Day 3

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We decided this morning to spend a bit more time exploring Whitstable, and hunting down the street art by ‘Catman’, whose work can be found dotted around on buildings all around the town. When you think of Whitstable, you think of a working harbour and oysters. There is absolutely no way you would ever get me eating an oyster.. So we decided to check out the fishermens boats. It was still low tide however so incredibly minimal boating activity, but Santa did get an idea for another trip to Whitstable – join a boat tour to the Maunsell Forts. These can be seen on a clear day, along with all the wind turbines! 

For the rest of the day, we decided to explore the Thanet district, starting in Margate, then heading to Broadstairs, and finishing in Ramsgate. Naturally, it rained for most of the day. 

Margate is the largest of the three towns and has undergone significant regeneration, featuring independent and vintage shops, coffee shops, and artistic hubs. However, there is still noticeable neglect in some areas. We went for some shelter in The Old Kent Market, the site of the old Parade Cinema. It houses a range of stalls selling food and crafts, but unfortunately, most of the businesses were closed. We also mooched around the old town, which is where you will find a lot of the independent shops and cafes. 

I don’t think the weather helped, as the place felt almost deserted, with only a few people loitering in the streets with their tinnies. I imagine that during dry summer days and weekends, the town is vibrant and lively, but unfortunately, it just didn’t do it for us today. Despite the weather, we still appreciated its general seaside charm, the people in the shops were super friendly, and I bet that Dreamland would be a joy to visit in better weather!

For the drive to Broadstairs, Santa requested Chas and Dave – Down to Margate. Turns out Mum thought they were singing Downham Market 👍 Once we arrived, the rain gave us a brief reprieve, and we made our way to the sandy Viking Bay. It was completely deserted, a stark contrast to how it would have looked a few weeks ago during the school holidays. Nevertheless, we truly believe Broadstairs is the jewel in Thanet’s crown.

After enjoying a lunch at the Charles Dickens pub, we strolled along the promenade to our next destination, Stone Bay. The wind picked up, allowing Mum to take plenty of photos of the crashing waves! Stone Bay is a stunning and tranquil spot, surrounded by chalk cliffs and colorful beach huts. We spent a lot of time here, simply taking in the calmness and beauty of this blue flag beach.

 Before heading off to Ramsgate, I made sure we had a quick sesh in the arcade, and Santa made sure he had a drink in The Royston – East Kent Pub of the Year 2024.

By the time we arrived in Ramsgate, it was pouring rain, so we took shelter in the UK’s largest Wetherspoons, which can accommodate up to 1,500 customers! We were eager to explore, so while the rain lightened up, we stepped out for a walk along the UK’s only royal harbor and admired the boats bobbing around in the water.

Another interesting fact about Ramsgate is that it has its own Meridian Line and “mean time,” which is 5 minutes and 41 seconds ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. Unfortunately, the clock tower is currently undergoing renovation, and it’s unclear when it will reopen. There’s so much to see and do in Ramsgate that, in hindsight, we wish we had visited here first and saved Margate for later.

Since we still had a bit of daylight and we love cramming everything in, we decided to take a walk to Kingsgate Bay and Botany Bay. These locations feature stunning sections of the coastline, known for their chalk cliffs, chalk stacks, and several caves. Given the time of day and the weather, we practically had the beach to ourselves, except for a photoshoot that was taking place. Once again, we found ourselves wishing we had more time to fully explore the caves and rock pools.

As it was super late when we arrived back to Whitstable, there was only one thing left to do – small plates at Spoons! Set in an old cinema, it’s also full of film memorabilia, and obviously perfect for people watching. 

Kent Day 2 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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The day began at the strange yet fascinating Dungeness – a uniquely desolate shingle headland often referred to as the UK’s only desert, even though it isn’t technically one. It is an important conservation area because of the plant and wildlife that reside there. It is a National Nature Reserve, a Special Protection Area, a Special Area of Conservation and is considered to be a site of special scientific interest.

The area has an apocalyptic and eerie feel to it, reminiscent of some of the odd American towns we have visited—places with tiny populations where people rarely leave. The shingle beach is strewn with abandoned old boats and remnants of a narrow-gauge railway line that was once used by fishermen to transport their catch from the sea to the shore for distribution.

There are two lighthouses located in Dungeness: the old lighthouse and the new one. Over the years, there have actually been five lighthouses in total. The current Old Dungeness Lighthouse, which is the fourth to be built, opened in 1904 but was retired in 1961 when the newest lighthouse was constructed. Visitors can climb to the top of the old lighthouse; however, it was closed when we visited 🤣

It’s the end of the line of The Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch railway. It runs for 13.5 miles (27.1km) across Romney Marsh to Dungeness. Opened in 1927, it is billed as the world’s smallest public railway. More importantly, the cafe and toilets are located here!

It’s also home to Prospect Cottage – the former home and sanctuary of artist, filmmaker, gay rights activist, and gardener Derek Jarman. After a successful campaign to preserve the cottage, visitors can now explore the home and workspace of one of Britain’s most iconic creative figures.

Finally, the main event, the two massive nuclear power stations creatively named A and B, dominate the landscape and skyline. The current owner, EDF Energy, is in the process of dismantling them due to significant technical challenges discovered during the maintenance shutdown in 2018. 

Dungeness offers a wealth of photographic opportunities, not only because of the power stations and boats but also due to its unique buildings and converted railway carriages. The place can be described with many words—eerie, bleak, wild, and stark—but it is definitely a spot you should add to your list of places to visit. I dread to think how many photos Mum has taken!

We then headed to Folkestone, and I was excited to check out all the independent shops along the creative quarter. Unfortunately, the majority of them are closed on a Tuesday.. But I was still able to buy the obligatory postcard.. The weather continued to be on our side as we strolled around the harbour, which has undergone significant renovation, making it a vibrant seaside town. 

If you are an art lover, then the Folkestone Triennial is the perfect event for you. This open-air exhibition runs for three months, from July to October, and features a free art
trail showcasing contemporary works from 18 artists representing 15 countries. Each artist has created new commissions that are displayed along the waterfront and throughout the town.

One of the highlights of the exhibition (although from 2017) is Anthony Gormley’s ‘Another Time,’ which is designed to “bear witness to what it is like to be alive and alone in space and time.” Another notable piece this year is Dorothy Cross’s ‘Red Erratic.’ This giant red stone is positioned quietly between land and sea, with feet carved into its surface. It serves as a striking reminder that nothing remains static—not people, landscapes, or history.

As previously mentioned, with it being a Tuesday, most of the food and drink establishments along the Harbour Arm were closed. This was probably a good thing for my bank account, as I would have been tempted to buy all the street food! Fortunately for Santa, Brewing Brothers was open, so we sat outside enjoying the sun while he savoured a beer.

The final stop for today was the White Cliffs of Dover, and as it was getting late, this meant a max time of hour and half to explore before the car park gates closed. The towering chalk cliffs rise 50 feet high and stretch 16 miles in length, approximately 8 miles on either side of the town of Dover. As it was a clear day, we were able to see France across the Channel, and even managed to watch an Irish Ferry pretty much make its entire journey over there. Unfortunately, you do get a Welcome to France message, and that meant for me, I was charged £2.59 roaming.. It also meant I had a slight twitchy arse moment when I thought we were late for the car park, only to realise my phone time had skipped an hour ahead. You definitely need a lot longer to explore here, especially if you want to get over to South Foreland Lighthouse, or down onto Langdon Bay – the white cliffs beach by ladder.

We finished the day with a delicious Fish and Chips, and Santa enjoyed his 12% can I brought him back from Poland.