Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Took this pic a short while ago this morning...very grey morning over the longer range, but the cliffs look different today. Note how ultra white one section is. Looks to me like there has been a hefty fall. Any ideas?
Certainly did not look like this yesterday as I noticed the cliffs particularly when coming in From Folkestone.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
looks a bit nasty, i seem to remember that there was a pretty nasty fall at st margaret's a few days ago.
Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
Hopefully no one was hurt.
It might just be the start of a paint up job, getting the cliffs whiter than white for the forthcoming Olympic Torch proceedings

Guest 697- Registered: 13 Apr 2010
- Posts: 622
I noticed this too this morning, Paul. Quite visible from the Hythe Bay restaurant where I was having a coffee. I guess the heavy rain over four days at the start of this week has made the cliff face pretty unstable. A warning to anyone walking on the cliffs, don't go near the edge!
Guest 717- Registered: 16 Jun 2011
- Posts: 468
Yes the cliff fell yesterday. Never seen one that big in the 5 years I've lived here. It's also very close to where the Lifeboat had a call out on Wednesday, thank goodness it happened at the time it did and no one was hurt

Keeps politics to myself
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Thanks guys as I wasnt really sure what I was seeing, yes quite a large fall Helen. Ive never seen one quite like it either. Must have made a thunderous roar as it came down.
Here is another picture of the scene taken in the last hour, have zoomed in closer. If you look closely you can see somebody standing right on the edge and not heeding Kevin's advice. Not wise.
Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
Thank goodness no one was hurt
That last photo there certainly shows the scale of the cliff fall. I can see that person standing so so close to the cliff edge, absolute madness to be that close

Guest 699- Registered: 3 Jun 2010
- Posts: 292
natures way of smart_ ening dover up for the olympics
if that fall had been this side more it would have fell into to the eastern docks , guess they have nothing below the cliffs ready for a sernario like that
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Seen another image of the fall and it is huge !!
It appears to be this area - Fan Bay to the right of it.
I am sure there have been some big cracks along the path for years so not surprised it has gone !!
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
It occurs mostly where the sea pounds the bottom and much less where it doesn't.
I remember reading years ago, in one of the local papers, that Richard Mahony (he of the White Cliffs Boat and Bus Tours and the Grand-Shaft painting fame) wanted to have the shrubs and other plants that are growing on the face of the cliffs taken off and the cliff-face scraped, to make the white cliffs, whiter. It would help with tourism too, he said as the "White Cliffs of Dover" would really look like white cliffs.
There was such an outcry, nothing happened.
The Seven Sisters in Sussex and Beach Head are much whiter than our white cliffs - because there's only sea at the bottom of them.
Roger
Guest 716- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 4,010
Something else coming down?............village gossip says Richbourgh Towers are coming dow at 9 am today????
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Have added a larger version of picture in No 7 now to the frontpage as the fall situation is now clearer than when I first looked through sleepy eyes on saturday morning early. You can see more clearly some of the fall and...the figure standing on the edge.
Yes I think I remember that debate Roger..the experts tell us as I understand it that the scrub helps secure the cliffs in place so that they dont fall that often. They can look very grey though at times..the Dover Town Council used the Seven Sisters on the frontpage of their website in order to flg up how attractive the famous white cliffs were...caused uproar as well..went national..but they certainly are whiter.
Yes Reg the famous towers are coming down today. I'm personally not sure of the time but...if anyone gets a picture..do the necessary and upload it here.

Guest 697- Registered: 13 Apr 2010
- Posts: 622
Heard what I am sure was the Richborough Towers finally coming down at 9am. A very loud rumble heard in Martin Mill! I suspect the still weather this morning helped carry the sound. Fingers crossed that those demolition experts will soon be on their way to Dover to do a similar job on Burlington House!
Guest 716- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 4,010
Yes confirm the same in Shepherdswell.....no photo`s yet......Village gossip spot on again...spot on 9 am.......we have
moles in our paddock but I think we also have a few two legged ones.......
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
the explosives people said that they expected it to take about 30 seconds.
Guest 644- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,214
Another angle from the Cruise Terminal this morning. That is a heck of a big pile of chalk.
Guest 644- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,214
Close up of the collapsed area.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
I have been hoping to see the rubble, thanks Phil. Very convenient stuff this chalk. It is already in shovel-sized chunks. Does this mean that a thin skin only has peeled off?
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 717- Registered: 16 Jun 2011
- Posts: 468
You get an idea of how big the area is in these pics. Also how close it is to the Bay we have all been to!
Keeps politics to myself