Travelling in the South East questions.

[Gathursty]

1) Is it worth the £10 fee to visit the Battle (of Hastings) National Trust site?
2) Best place to park to experience Beachy Head at it's best?
3) White Cliffs of Dover - Would you go to Samphire Hoe or the other side of Dover?
4) Day trip to Calais: I've seen the ferry prices start off at about £36 return for foot passengers with a 90 minute journey time. Is it safe to visit at the moment? Is it easy to get around Calais from the ferry terminal? Is Calais town worth visiting? Is the Calais station where the Eurostar emerges a good place to visit?
5) I'm trying to avoid the coastal hotel prices and would like to stay somewhere more 'dull' so long as the bed and breakfast is decent. So far I have thought of Clacket Lane Days Inn, Tonbridge, Sevenoaks or somewhere in Maidstone: Where do you recommend that is cheap and cheerful in that area?

Lots of random questions. Thanks for any answers

 

[Cletus]

3) For the Dover question. Samphire Hoe is the best place to be at the bottom of the cliffs looking up. You can also walk alongside the rail line there.

The area above the Eastern Docks would the best for being at the top looking down.

The cliffs around Dover aren't the white-est due to large areas being away from the sea.

Google streetview cameras have been to Samphire Hoe and Langdon Cliffs, so you could get an idea from them.

 

[30907]

4) Calais isn't my favourite French port, as it was so badly damaged in WW2, Boulogne is nicer IMO.
Can't speak about safety but I wouldn't have expected problems.
The ferry terminal is a bus-ride from the port, or a good walk - Google maps is your Friend!
Calais-Frethun, if that's where you mean, is well out of town, and looks pretty boring from the traon, but I've no idea whether it's worth visiting.

5) The only hotel I can comment on is the Bromley Travelodge, which is fine but probably too far into London.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Maidstone Travelodge was fine when I stayed there recently, rather cheap and only a few minutes' walk from the town centre and the three stations.

Speaking of Dover, I did find all the old WW2 relics on the cliffs between there and Folkestone fascinating.

 

[IanD]

1) Is it worth the £10 fee to visit the Battle (of Hastings) National Trust site?

It's English Heritage. I thought it was worth a visit but then it was free for me as a member (once I'd paid my membership fee of course).

2) Best place to park to experience Beachy Head at it's best?

Depends if you want to see it from the top (there's a car park and pub near the top), from the bottom (then probably Birling gap or Eastbourne with a beach walk, tides permitting) or from a distance (then a boat in the channel would be your best bet.