Part 1: The Smokey, North Centre Bastion, Western Heights, Dover UK

The first of three videos of the Detached Bastion/North Centre Bastion (aka, "The Smokey", "Dead Man's Island") which forms part of Dover's Napoleonic defenses embedded into the Western Heights.

Part 1:

External scenes of the Caponnier and north face of the Detached Bastion.

Internal scenes of: the Caponnier from both floors; the Magazine and how the ventilation system works; the 3-room upper gallery; northern end of the western gallery ('first tunnel') up to and including the first drawbridge.

Part 1 ends at the top of the steps leading onto the surface of the Detached Bastion (the 'island').

This is where the 'ghost/paranormal photos' were taken in 2007:
http://www.panoramio.com/user/250345/tags/Ghosts

Part 2 is at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oAKgAHiVd0

Part 3 is at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GOoPX9dzbw

Still photos of the North Centre Bastion can be seen at:

http://www.panoramio.com/user/250345/tags/North%20Center%20Bastion

Dover is in the county of Kent in England (UK).

My science research interests (evolution and psychology, esp. the archaeotrauma) are at:

http://www.evopsychology.com

My Facebook page is at:

http://www.facebook.com/john.latter

Dover Blog (Social Psychology):

http://dover.evopsychology.com/

Images of Dover:

http://www.panoramio.com/user/250345

John Latter / Jorolat

Category:

Travel & Events

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[stewpen1]

hi are you still in dover would like to meet you ples let me no thanks stew

[jorolat]

@stewpen1 Between 10 and 11 on most mornings I have a coffee in the C'est la Vie (next to the Prince Albert) and another one at lunchtime in the Park Inn - if you see me around then please stop for a chat!

[cisum2003]

Can you still visit these places i went on the english heritage website and they said some of the sites are off limits would love to visit this with my fiance

[jorolat]

@cisum2003 You can still walk around the bottom of the Drop Redoubt moats and along the top of the North Centre Bastion moats. Also, there's St Martin's Battery, the North Entrance, and other places you can get close to.

I would recommend getting a photocopy of the fortifications from an old map in Dover Library - or print one off from Google Earth.

[kalon1701]

Absolutely fantastic videos, bought back many happy memories of exploring the hieghts in my youth. It's sad to see how derelict these places have become, all due to the passage of time, neglect and vandalism. Sometime this year I will have to visit again before I get too old and frail.

Once again, superb vids, cant wait to see more.

[jorolat]

@kalon1701 I'm always pleased if someone likes the videos, kalon, and especially so when it brings back memories of a person's own experiences of exploring these locations.

For me, the magic has never dimmed, and as I made the videos last year when I was 58, I think you've a way to go before you get too "old and frail" :)

John

[bansisdead]

nice vid brings back some good childhood memories, tramps alley, the bird nest et cetera.

[jorolat]

Okey-doke - thanks!

John

[DayLight95]

@jorolat haha yeh i nearly tripped in one on the way down but i rememberd it was there and steped round it just in time lol. keep up the great work on the videos :D

[jorolat]

You're welcome, Matt - it's always a pleasure meeting someone who likes exploring these places :) (I was 3 when I was first taken up there and told, "Go play!")

As for the counterweight holes, they just seem to be a magnet for the unwary - last time I took a group up there (June, I think) a woman walked BACKWARDS into one of them!

For the benefit of others who might read this ('cos you already know now), the room "with all the holes" is a magazine.

John