The White Cliffs of Dover

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Magnificent coastal site overlooking the English Channel

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The White Cliffs of Dover

Things to see and do

A view of the cliffs looking towards the Port of Dover

Walking on The White Cliffs of Dover 

The White Cliffs of Dover are perhaps most famous as an iconic landmark, the white chalk face a symbol of home and war time defense, but they have so much more to offer; stunning views, a serene walk and a wealth of wildlife.

The Officer’s quarters in Fan Bay Deep Shelter

Visiting Fan Bay Deep Shelter 

Fan Bay Deep Shelter is a unique adventure into the White Cliffs of Dover. Experience a hard hat and head torch lit tour of the underground Deep Shelter as you step into a time capsule from the Second World War.

A tour guide and visitors on the lighthouse balcony

Visiting the lighthouse 

So much more than a just great view, the lighthouse is the scene for early scientific inventions and groundbreaking experiments as well as a home of five generations of the same lighthouse keeping family. When you visit, bear in mind that's there's no parking at the lighthouse - we suggest you park at our White Cliffs of Dover Visitor Centre, and enjoy the coastal path walk to the lighthouse.

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The White Cliffs of Dover

What's on

Upcoming events

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White Cliffs guided walk

Sat 29 Oct 2016
11:00-13:00
Join our knowledgeable guide on a gentle walk to South Foreland Lighthouse. Enjoy the fantastic views across the channel whilst learning about the varied history of this beautiful place.

New Year's Day Walk 2017

Sun 01 Jan 2017
11:00-13:00
Join us for a celebration of the New Year with a wonderful walk across the White Cliffs of Dover to South Foreland Lighthouse. Your guides will give you some interesting stories on history, nature and our conservation work.
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The White Cliffs of Dover

Eating and shopping

A close view of a cream tea

Tasty treats at the White Cliffs of Dover 

Visit our coffee shop for lovely home baked treats, warming soups and fresh coffee, all with panoramic views of the English Channel.

A row of white mugs with a chicken and a heart on them

Gifts galore at the White Cliffs of Dover 

Great gifts and so much more, take away a treasured item from the cliffs to commemorate your visit with a special something from our shop.

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The White Cliffs of Dover

Our work

A photograph of the cliffs from teh tramway

Conserving The White Cliffs of Dover for the future 

Protecting the chalk grassland is a delicate job, using traditional methods such as grazing ponies and with lots of help from our volunteers we are care for this rare environment, protecting it for years to come.

Exmoor Ponies Grazing

Carrying on the grazing tradition 

Here at the White Cliffs of Dover we use the age-old method of grazing in order to ensure that the rare chalk grassland does not become over grown and out of control. The grazers most popular with our visitors has to be the Exmoor Ponies.

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The White Cliffs of Dover

Wildlife

A butterfly on a purple flower

Cliff top wildlife  

The rare chalk grassland habitat creates an abundance of wildlife from birds to butterflies and wild flowers, all thriving on the tough conditions their cliff-top home provides.

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The White Cliffs of Dover

Get involved

A volunteer cleaning the optic at South Foreland Lighthouse

Volunteering with us 

Volunteering with us can be a really rewarding experience and great way to improve your skills and meet new people. We've got lots of different things that you can get involved in.

Visitors at Scotney Castle, Kent

East Kent Association 

The East Kent Association supports the work of the National Trust through an extensive programme of talks and lectures as well as trips to places of interest throughout the south east.

Up on the Downs Landscape Partnership scheme

The Up on the Downs Landscape Partnership Scheme 

We're working with the Up on the Downs Landscape Partnership Scheme to with local communities to conserve and celebrate the landscape and heritage of the Dover and Folkestone area.

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The White Cliffs of Dover

History

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  • Chalk cliff and the sea

    What is chalk? 

    The geology of the cliffs is a surprising story that unfolds over millions of years. From the smallest of creatures to the drama of cliff falls, see how time has shaped the landscape.

  • Men walking towards Langdon Prison

    Langdon Convict Prison 

    Langdon Convict Prison has left almost no traces, but in its heyday in the late 19th century it housed 102 prisoners on 20 acres of Dover’s cliffs. It was open only for 12 years, until 1896, although the work cost nearly £6 million in today’s money.

  • Men lined up at a prison

    The White Cliffs of Dover at War 

    The cliffs were on the frontline in both world wars and, with France just 21 miles away, the White Cliffs of Dover became a crucial part of the British defences.

  • A historic photograpgh of the cliffs railway

    The Tramway  

    The tramway cut was built in 1912 to connect the Dover tram system to the neighbouring village of St Margaret's. However, once the work was complete, the system was never built and thus the cut remains unused to this day.

  • A photograph of an aerial ropeway

    The aerial ropeway 

    The ropeway was designed to deliver coal to the port for export. Railway transport was expensive, so the aerial ropeway was built to take coal to Dover Harbour, an innovative solution to a logistical problem.

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The White Cliffs of Dover

Venue hire

A cloudy sunrise over the port of Dover

Filming at the White Cliffs of Dover 

The White Cliffs are a great place for film makers, we have a range of great locations from classic cliff shots to forgotten underground tunnels.

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