The imposing gothic towers of Canterbury Cathedral rise above the lovely town
Stunning stained glass windows
Somewhat more contemporary windows
Our first stop outside the capital was a two-night stay in Canterbury, an easy one-hour train ride from London’s St. Pancras station. This ambitious stay also included a day trip to Dover to hike along its famous White Cliffs.
Canterbury is a lovely town that is packed with English history. Its soaring cathedral is the spiritual center of the Anglican Church. Its walls have witnessed 1,400 years of tumult, including the infamous murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170. Becket’s grave then drew centuries of pilgrims until Henry VIII’s war on Catholicism led to its destruction.
This is also the setting for Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, perhaps the first masterpiece of modern English literature. Characters and themes from these stories appear in shop and restaurant names everywhere in this picturesque town.
As the most popular tourist spot in Southeastern England, Canterbury is bustling with energy, yet you are always just steps from calming riverside parks. The Great Stour is a river that breaks into a couple little branches in town on its way to the North Sea. They feel more like creeks, lined with pretty parks and colorful gardens.
The glorious nave of today’s cathedral hails from the 14th century
Jim tours the choir
Henry IV is the only monarch buried in Canterbury Cathedral, along with Queen Joan. He tried hard to associate himself with the holiness of Thomas Becket to legitimize himself after usurping the throne from Richard II.
Also resting here is Edward the Black Prince. A model of chivalry, he was supposed to succeed his father Edward III, but his untimely death left the throne instead to his unworthy and tyrannical 10-year old son Richard II.
The River Stour just below the medieval gateway to the city
Exploring the beautiful riverside parks
A heavenly dinner at a tapas place
Another quick hop on the train took us 30 minutes to Dover, the gateway to the European mainland, just 20 miles across the English Channel from Calais, France. As such, the place is loaded up with fortifications, going back to Roman times. Towering over the town and the huge port is the massive medieval Dover Castle, considered by some to be England’s largest castle.
After spending part of the morning touring the castle we grabbed a quick lunch and set off to explore the White Cliffs that stretch for miles from the bustling harbor. The weather bounced around from warm and lovely to cold and rainy, adding its own drama to the singular beauty of the place.
We packed an awful lot into this two-night stop. From here we’ll head pretty much straight north through Eastern England, making stops in Cambridge, Lincoln, and York, before heading into Scotland. Let’s hope our stay in Cambridge is a tad more relaxing than this one!
Exploring Dover Castle, high above the town
Looking out from the castle, across the English Channel to France
No matter how gloomy the weather would get, you could always spot Jim pretty easily
The Anglo-Saxon church of St. Mary in Castro built around 1000 AD. To its right is a Roman lighthouse, dating to 130 AD, considered the oldest standing building in England. At some point it was converted into a bell tower for the church.
An elaborate old lock on the church door
Hiking from the harbor onto the White Cliffs
Views of the gorgeous cliffs
The spectacular landscape
The landscape atop the cliffs
Me taking a break atop the cliffs
The weather didn’t always entirely cooperate
Exhausted from a long day of travel, touring, and hiking, we had 45 minutes to kill before our train back to Canterbury. We were looking for a place to get some water, but then spied this table at a wine bar just as the sun was coming back out. So we sat down for our water — and a nice refreshing rosé.
Back in Canterbury, a fun (if misleading) sign