Two years ago I wrote on this
subject and expressed my disappointment that, when staying in
Hythe in Kent, I had made a visit to Folkestone to ride on their
remaining cliff railway to find that it was operational at that
time of year on Sundays only
This year I again visited Hmade a special effort
to go to Folkestone on a Sunday. There was no doubt this time!
I found quite a queue waiting at the lift and I was able to make
a return trip. It is the only water-balanced lift left in this
country. It seemed to require quite a lot of handling, because
a pump is used to bring back the water to the top container so
that the passenger compartment can be raised again.
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My hotel in Hythe
was on the seafront with extensive views of the coast and is close
to the terminal station of the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway
so, of course, I had to visit the railway. On the way there I
passed the Royal Military Canal – this was built for defensive
purposes when there was a threat of invasion by Napoleon. I was
surprised to find a group of photographers waiting there. They
pointed out an Osprey, a huge bird, sitting at the top of a tree
and explained that they were waiting for it to make a dive into
the water to take a fish. Some showed me their pictures and later
I saw a short account of this unusual event in ‘The Times’.
No doubt local anglers were relieved when it decided to leave
for the Southern Hemisphere! |
