The White Cliffs of Dover

The White Cliffs are best experienced by walking. Begin by choosing your route at the Visitor Information Centre. You’ll have to walk uphill but take heart, it isn’t very steep. On the contrary, there are some inspiring sights in store — the stark white of the chalk cliffs covered with green grass and tiny white wildflowers in contrast with the blue waters of the English Channel down below.

The White Cliffs are a natural wonder, mainly because of the ‘white’ — which happens to be chalk; similar to the one used on chalkboard. This is a pure form of limestone. Around 70 million years ago, this part was submerged under water, where the white chalk formation took place with years of algae skeletons being deposited at the rate of a mere one millimetre per year. It is amazing to note that at some places the cliffs are around 300 feet high, towering over the sea and a testament to natural history. The sheer drop down to the water is spectacular but also scary.
The White Cliffs are seen as a symbol of the greatness of England and used to be the first and last sight for travellers and invaders alike, in the pre-air travel era, that is. They were a source of both awe and fear. One can spend some time walking along the cliffs but be careful as some unstable sections have collapsed into the sea.