The opposite to Thurso

I caught a high speed train to Folkestone from the ultra modern St Pancras station.  The journey took just 55 minutes.  Compared with Sutherland and Caithness, the view was fairly dull as there seem to be many tunnels and cuttings.

I cheated at Folkestone and caught a local bus part of the way to the nearby Marilyn, Cheriton Hill.  Beinn Dorain is also a Marilyn.  Beinn Dorain looks over the North Sea while Thurso looks north to Orkney.  Cheriton Hill looks out into the English Channel and the steep slopes overlook the vast Channel Tunnel terminal.  Even the trig point is overlooked by a hill top covered reservoir.

The walk along the edge of the Downs escarpment brought thoughts of Home Guard patrols in The Second World War especially with some well preserved pill boxes and a Battle of Britain exhibition nearby.  

Eventually I escaped the continual buzz and rumble of cross channel transport and crossed Swinge Hill.  A much better top.

 Finally a walk down to Folkestone harbour for a few minutes contemplation of contrasts with Thurso some 730 miles to the north.