Great Escapes: A Day in Dungeness

I have been to Dungeness twice, once in the height of summer 2 years ago, the other and more recently on a blowy, October Day.  One each occasion I have been baffled and thrilled in equal measure by this strange, other worldly land. that makes up this part of the Kent coast.

If you don’t know Dungeness, you may also not know it is the UK’s only desert.  This sounds crazy, that is until you approach it.  Of course the nuclear power station which forms its backdrop may not seem especially desert like, but the flat stretch of rocky shingle ground with plucky succulents and sea kale fighting their way to the surface certainly does.  In the summer it is hot with no place to hide, in the colder months, the inhospitable wind whips off the sea and onto the land

Photography

A few weeks ago with the fear of an impending second lockdown looming, we were drawn to Dungeness for its wild beauty, to walk and to take photographs.  Many come to see the famed garden of prospect cottage, formerly owned by the film director Derek Jarman.  This is of course a stopping point but it is certainly not the only reason to visit.  For me it is the seemingly abandoned boats with their peeling paint and associated flotsam and jetsam which are the real interest.  Stopping to photograph bits of decaying vessels whose seaworthy days are a mere blink in the passages of time, passes the time beautifully.  Fully functioning fishing boats sit along side these old workhorses a seeming reminder of the potential misery unless these shiny new boats continue to pull their weight on the seas.

The long road to the carpark is lined by one story quirky buildings against a landscape which in part resembles the moon and in part a film set.  The houses are often aritist’s studios adorned with quirky ornament and extended from the side and the back.  There is no obvious demarkation in the outdoor space to delineate one from the other, and I find myself intrigued by who choses to live here.

Beachcombing 

As we wandered along the beach stooping to pick up shells, our heads were turned by the solo fisherman dressed against the weather in a startlingly bright red anorak and waterproof trousers, sheltering beside a vast verdant green umbrella.  An unusual pop of colour against the grey sea and pale watery sky.

The beach is made up of pebbles churned smooth by the constant turning of the waves.  Remnants of spiny homes which once housed crabs and perfectly formed scallop shells line the shore.  I can never resist gathering as I walk along the beach and months later will often reach into the depths of a pocket to be surprised by the smooth casing of a  long forgotten shell. Mercifully, plastic and litter on this beach minimal.

Lunch

One of the draws to Dungeness is not just the landscape but the truly delicious crab and lobster dishes served up at The Dungeness Fish Hut.  In the summer we sat in the blazing sunshine slurping cold drinks and feasting on lobster.  On this occasion we took our lobster wraps back to  enjoy in our camper van where we could shelter from the swirling winds and drink hot tea to arm out hands.

From our part of London (west) Dungeness is about two hours to drive.  Quite a journey for a day trip and of course any travel is not advisable yet.  But when restrictions are less, it is worth the journey if only to try and grasp some understanding of the UK’s only desert.