"I told you it was going to be a Coastal walk Judy, so of course there will be some bits where you almost get wet."

"OK. Your boots will dry off. Now if you stand just there I can get a dramatic photo when the swell hits the sea wall."

Even more dramatic just afterwards!

"Bryan!", in a very stern voice, "This is how it should be.
Us walking up here. The sea down there. We stay dry that way."

"I know there is a track to the top of the Cliffs there Judy, but we are now past all the difficult and wet bits so we may as well continue along by the coastline. I did promise a coastal walk after all."

"OK. So those slippery and loose rocks are not a difficult bit Bryan?"

"There it is Judy, Samphire Hoe, our destination."

"But Bryan, where is the path?"

"Path? You want a path? Now you tell me.

I think it is through there somewhere."

Bryan! Your map reading skills are rubbish. This is NOT the exposed ridge section of the walk.

"Look Bryan. A shell floated into my WAIST HIGH pocket at the deepest bit!"

"Right Bryan. We are now on Samphire Hoe and rather damp! We'll have a cup of hot chocolate from the kiosk and then follow the road tunnel out, and walk back along the TOP of those Cliffs. A long way from any more water."

"Yes dear".

"No thanks Judy. Bit steep for me and my vertigo. I think it's a good idea to stay on top of the Cliffs for a while!"

Later, as the sun sank and the tide went out, we were both happy to descend a moderately steep path and end day one of our Kent Coastal weekend retracing our steps along the coastline, but by now some way from the water.

Sunday was an even better day as we parked on the front at Dover. "Plenty of water around to wade through" I joked as Judy lifted her rucksac.

"And plenty of steep climbs to the nicely dry top of the Cliffs Bryan", was her reply as I struggled up to the view overlooking Dover Harbour and Shakespeare Cliff.

"A truly beautiful Castle Judy", I said. "Yes", was the reply, "and you'll be visiting it's dungeons for a while if you make me wade though waist deep water again today".

The thought of the dungeons made me zoom back quickly from Dover Castle to take in the wider view of the Cliffs and part of the harbour.

But I couldn't resist turning more to the South to see the ships floating high in the harbour. Indicating the tide was still well in!

With Judy oblivious to my plans we headed East along the top of the Cliffs. Do I spy a narrow footpath heading down the cliff to that beach? Hmm...

"This looks a lovely path Judy. We can walk right down the face of the famous White Cliffs".

"It's the angle of the Cliffs that makes it look like it's still high tide, there will be plenty of dry beach down there."

"Keep coming down facing the rocks Judy, then take a dozen paces backwards. It's only golden sands, no water anywhere."

"Only joking. But there's plenty of beach between here and that massive chalk slide from a couple of winter ago."

Easy coming down Dover's very own "Via Ferrata". A bit harder going back up!

Oh well, on our way up and another chance of a decent wade in the sea lost!

It's just about here that the White Cliffs are getting ready to re-arrange themselves.

The section to right was looking very keen to break away and slip down to the water.

Not sure why the bush is growing into and not away from the prevailing wind!

Let's just head on down to the beach at St Margarets Bay.

The sea looked very inviting, but we decided to stay dry and sit on the promenade at St Margarets and eat lunch.

"I'll sit here and wait just in case you can't manage all your food".

With St Margarets and a still hungry Little Gull behind us, a climb back onto the top of the Cliffs and a wander past South Foreland Lighthouse.

Afternoon rush hour outside Dover Harbour.

A last wistful look at that inviting water below us, but Judy was admanant she was going to stay dry today. So a slow wander along the Cliff tops before heading down into Dover after our great "Walk and Wade" weekend!