Dover Castle

[R & R Carroll]

With only two hours to tour Dover Castle what would you concentrate on? The Secret Wartime Tunnels are a must and that will take approximately an hour. On the day we will be visiting there is a Costumed Character Day-Law & Punishment program in the Great Tower. Has anyone attended one of the programs in the Great Tower, and if so, do you know how often they run and the length? I was unable find specific information on the site's website and have sent an inquiry to English Heritage. My initial thought is that our second hour may be better spent touring the exterior of the castle and the grounds? Any thoughts or suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I realize that two hours is an insufficient amount of time to properly see the site, but it is all the time we have.

 

Roseann

[LHT28]

Roseann

I would sign up as soon as you arrive for the Tunnerl experience they are timed controled I think they run only a few in the day

 

Then pick the displays that interest you the most ...it is a very large place

We were there from 10am to 3pm & just gave up as we were worn out ;)

 

Look for the little train that takes you between some of the sites if you are in a time crunch

We asked at the entry gate for them to call a taxi for us back to the ship so factor that wait into your time unless you have a pre arranged pick up

 

You could see if the bus is running it is an inexpensive option back to the port

http://www.opentopbus.co.uk/shuttle.htm

Enjoy

 

Lyn

Edited March 16, 2014 by LHT28

[nybumpkin]

We did the tunnel tour last year. It was the highlight for our sons who are WWII buffs. We were fortunate enough to arrive just as a tour was starting and could join. It's very well done and I agree, it's a "must-do." Afterward, we walked over to the castle and toured the interior. If you are limited in time you can walk through fairly quickly, but it is worth taking the time to see some of the exhibits if you can. Also worth visiting is the Saxon church and the Roman lighthouse. At the very least, you can walk around the grounds. There are some very nice views.:cool:

 

We did everything on foot, from the waterfront where we had lunch up to the castle and then back to our B&B. I figure everything we did took about 3 hours.

[Dietemann]

The Tunnel tour is great! Keep in mind you are moved along as a group and there is no possibility for a bathroom break during the tour, so go before. Facilities are available after the tour.

[R & R Carroll]

Thank you all for your helpful information and tips!

 

Roseann

[R & R Carroll]

I made inquiries to the English Heritage which operates the Dover Castle and they were very helpful and emailed me brochures which answered many of my questions. The material outlines suggested itineraries geared toward the amount of time you have to spend, and the amount of time to allow for each of the castle attractions and tours (not including queuing time). It also included a sample itinerary for the Great Tower Programme for the month we are there and a map of the property. I would highly recommend contacting them with any questions you may have.

[as19111]

When we were there, I don't remember holding a timed entry ticket. I do remember getting in the que and waiting. So, depending on the number of people there that day, you may spend much of the second hour in line. Check that out before you go.

 

We really enjoyed the time we spent wandering the castle. We also asked the taxi driver who took us to the castle to meet us at a specific time later in the day. He was able to come all the way up to the top near the tunnel entrance, which was very good for us.