Astonishing natural landscape with white cliffs made of hard chalk, surprisingly rising over the sea, drawing a huge white wall that reaches 110metres high.
Wide view of the sea over the English channel in its nearest possible position to Europe and France, footpaths that lead you to places for the best visual experience, lighthouse, museum and secret tunnels -happy cameras-. Plenty of history and Shakespeare‘s poetry for this remarkable place. It wouldn’t be missing, a small cafe to have your hot (or cold) drink by yourself, with your partner or your family (or a friend it’s fine), to take a snack break & waste a bit of money for your memorandum souvenir.
Cool stuff.
What more than that could there be hiding behind the rich experience that Dover offers to the visitors? What is there behind the scenes that would make this place a huge encyclopedia of knowledge and mystery??? What makes this place a unique story and triggers the curiosity up to the limits?
The answer is…
The place itself..!
..and it starts revealing itself after we start exploring this natural phenomenon with tiny little questions at a time after we overcome the typical vacation situation scenes.
No matter how large the number may sound, these cliffs were formed and have been gradually taking their place on earth there for more than 80 million years. That’s 80.000.000 years!!! The most ancient human fossil ever found, is timed for a few or for many thousands of years. These cliffs are 80 Million years old!
Happy birthday, Cliffs.
Now we start talking, right?
Bright!
This iconic landscape has been a point of interest for many scientists with its Geological manifest, researches that can reveal mysteries about earth formations and element compositions. A long journey back to almost 100 millions of years that makes Geologists’ minds explode in excitement! Numerous fossils have been found by scientists and even by common visitors.
The story.
During my visit there, I was looking forward, after enjoying the view from the top of the cliffs, to get down on the sea level. I was sure that most of the mystery was hiding there and not in the obvious. All the fossils, ancient creatures and petrified humans, tools and divine weapons, trolls and the Lord of the Rings, the Ring itself and many more products of my imagination…
Using a map provided by a mysterious person that was disguised as a doorkeeper of this National Trust landscape, in the visitors’ entrance on the cliffs, (£4 to enter by car and use the car park) I could see the footpaths but I could only see one path leading down to the beach. I made my way quickly… (avoiding the dragons)
A muddy and slippery wet path over the cliffs, a piece of cake for my expertise in hiking.
I had to find the ‘Langdon’ path, a zigzag pathway that makes it down to ‘Langdon stairs’ that was proven to be the only way to the sea level.
I was running down this path excitedly to get to the final stairs, could balance very well and my legs were strong to absorb the vibration of the heavy and devious steps over the footpath. I was getting there.. taking a look down to the sea, I could see a shipwreck… the excitement was getting stronger! A feeling of completion and mystery was all around me as I was taking the last turn that would lead to the final staircase whispering inside my head.. ‘that’s a piece of cake, I’m almost there in just 5 minutes..let’s discover the ancient world.. the mystery starts now!!’.
Final 20 metres!
The footpath stops. A sign warns the visitors that due to a cliff fall, the footpath is closed. The bridge-like now footpath is basically cut, empty. 6 meters of nothing.Gap. Space. Not a thingy. And after the gap, the footpath continues to the staircase, I can see it! 6 meters away from the footpath. 10 meters above sea level! My entrance to the mysterious beach doesn’t exist!
I was confused! I double and triple checked the map, there is no other footpath. From the Westside, I have to cross English and French borders through the port of Dover, gain access to a 2-3 industry looking alike buildings and then reach the beach, chances of less than 1%. From the East side, (if there is a way by the coastline) it would be more than 10 miles(16km) way to walk!
I tried to see if there is the possibility to jump. No way!
No way to jump 6 meters long without the ability to accelerate at all. No way to jump down roughly 10 meters hight cause I would still be there drawing SOS symbols using ancient fossiled rocks mixed up with some ancient bones and some of mine. Sounds cool… I tried to use climbing techniques! I am not skilled on this, I could reach half the way to the other side but no chance for the last part halfway that is a gap! I could see the shipwreck in front of me under my feet and take a good picture. The story ended there for that day.
I had to go back, the sun was getting down and the mystery remained inside me. I knew it wasn’t the end, I had to find a way down to that beach, it is a purpose, an unexplored mystery waiting for the courageous and strong enough! I will get there!
A plan is on, climbing courses and then make it to the other side of the footpath and down to the beach!
The second part of this adventure will be written after it happens firstly.
Stay curious!
The Purpose 
love it ♥
LikeLike