Kaiserslautern American
Page 12
January 19, 2024
The GREATest BRITAIN road trip, Part 1: Bruges, Dover, Stonehenge
Dover Castle, Photo by Pandora Pictures/Shutterstock.com
Story and photos by Leonie Milde contributing writer for MilitaryInGermany.com
whole months, each destination can be explored separately in a week or less.)
In the Summer of 2018, I felt I had seen and written enough (for now) about Germany and the United States and decided it was time for something new. So I packed up a little Mini Countryman and embarked on what I would call the GREATest BRITAIN road trip. A terrible pun for a life-changing experience. Over the course of 3 months and almost 11,000 kilometres, I ate way more beans on toast than any nutritionist would advise you to, climbed way less mountains than I had anticipated, understood way less than someone fluent in English would expect from an English-speaking nation and fell umbrella over rain boots in love with the people, the culture and, most importantly, the landscape of this magnificent island(s).
PART 1: Bruges, Dover, Stonehenge. Thanks to my love, Ryanair, I have been to the UK about 30 times in the last four years with no intention of stopping anytime soon. There’s just something about the charming stone cottages, dreamy meadows, blissful flock of sheep and that accent that excite me every time I come back.I didn’t realize the UK had such a bad reputation until I began telling people about my plans and faced responses such as ‘but it’s cold and grey’, ‘but what is there to see’, ‘all they eat is Fish and Chips’ and ‘why England?’. Oddly enough, these comments did the opposite of discouraging me and I was even more determined to prove people wrong. And oh my did I prove them wrong. People were also shocked when I told them I would be driving up there in my own car, which had me worrying whether I was making a mistake, too, but it turned out to be quite reassuring to at least be sitting on the familiar side of the car even if it meant inventing some new gymnastics tricks to get into parking garages, not even attempting going through drive throughs and having to be extra careful
But isn’t the UK just loud pubs, rain, and vinegary food? Nope! In 7 parts, I will recap my adventure and introduce you to destinations that might not have been on your radar yet but absolutely should be. (The following travel tips do not require dropping everything for 3
when it came to changing lanes on the highway. Sorry, motorway. Driving on the left turned out to be doable as well given that the streets are designed to accommodate left-handed traffic only and chances are there will be other cars leading the way. The ferry port in Calais is merely 5.5 hours from the KMC and Wiesbaden and 7 hours from Stuttgart. Bruges My first stop was Bruges, Belgium. I like chocolate, beer and pretty houses so this was a perfect first stop. Bonus: it’s only an hour from the ferry terminal in Calais and almost no detour at all so it was ideal for a scenic layover and made sure I wasn’t already tired getting on the ferry since I was plenty nervous about driving on the other side of the road. Bruges is well known for its beautiful architecture, beer and overall romantic and calm atmosphere. It had been on my bucket list for years and I’m happy to say that it did not disappoint. I walked along the canals, went into one Chocolaterie after the other and admired the colorful architecture while stuffing my face with fries, frites, and waffles, gauffres. It also happened to be the day of the world cup finale, which meant the streets were quite empty as everyone was packed into sports bars
and cafés to watch the game. The cobble stoned alleys and smooth water along with the sound of horseshoes and carriages made me forget all about the anxieties of the months of preparation and sent me on that ferry perfectly calm and at peace with the knowledge that it would be a while until I got back to my old, familiar routine back home. Getting there: Bruges is a circa 4-hour drive from Wiesbaden and the KMC and 5.5 hours from Stuttgart. Dover Seeing Dover is pretty much inevitable as the majestical cliffs greet every visitor arriving via ferry and it is simply impossible to resists seeing them up close. There is a parking lot next to the visitor center, which is an excellent place to eat and perhaps grab your first souvenir. The walk along the cliffs appears to be endless and since I’ve never followed it all the way, I can’t say for a fact that it isn’t. About an hour in, you will get to the famous lighthouse, which is open for visitors, but even if you only have half an hour to spare, it’s worth going up there and looking out over the ocean. Legend has it that on a clear day, you can look all the way to France but it is England after all, so maybe don’t hold your breath for that one. Either way,
the view is magnificent and I can’t think of a more stunning natural wonder to be welcomed by. Dover Castle Dover Castle was the first of many, many castles I would visit on the trip and set the bar pretty high for those to follow. It is incredibly well-kept and an absolute attraction for visitors of all ages. The inner tower, a medieval palace, consists of furnished rooms, real fires and costumized guards to tell you more about the history and life on the estate. The outer wall, which became an official military headquarter in WWII, offers fantastic views over the ocean, the city and fields as well as a gripping history. You will also find the oldest surviving lighthouse of the country, one of the oldest in the world, and many medieval tunnels on the site. There is also a multi-media exhibition, an underground military hospital and much more so one can easily spend half a day or more exploring the whole site. Opening hours: Before April 1, the castle is only open on Saturdays and Sundays, after that it is open every day. Admission costs: £20 per adult unless you look like a 15-year-old, which I do, apparently, in which case it’s only £12.
Bruges Market Square, Photo by Sergii Figurnyi/Shutterstock.com
