April 2025. Chatham Docks.
My father-in-law wanted to go to Chatham Dockyard, and if you make it to 87 I reckon you should get what you want, within reason.
I booked a couple of rooms at the adjacent Travelodge for £27.99 on Easter Monday, which is a bargain, even if you are staying a mile from Gillingham.
On a typically bitter Medway day in 2016 we’d had a sneak peek of the docks for free during University Open Day; now you’ll pay £20 odd. But, and I’ve no interest in boats and guns and old rope, this really is a classy UK tourist attraction.
Visit the Grade I BIG store, admire models of the Victory,
bang your head on the roof of submarines,
and walk the entire 1/4 mile of the ropery,
and play “Hook the Duck” with semaphore flags.
Written like that, it sounds a bit dry (dock), but it isn’t, and if bored you can admire the sheer scale of it all, build Lego boats and eat ice cream.
On a hot day Michael ate a LOT of ice-cream, good for him. Chatham had the best value food I’ve seen in years, only the beer range (Spitfire lager) letting the side down.
Our octogenarians checked-in for a snooze at 3. I hit the pubs.
retiredmartin 
Did you do the Nags head and 12 Degrees in the not posh bit of Rochester High St that melds into Chatham? Both favourites of mine and maybe a return visit to the Man of Kent with the opinion dividing landlady who i have always found very pleasant in her no nonsense way
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I have visited those two, Alan. That’s a great stretch between Chatham and Rochester. Something made me want to revisit Gillingham.
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My Favourite thing in Gillingham are the murals in the Will Adams
Somehow they convey the excitement of Europe discovering other cultures in the age of exploration.
This is also something I felt looking at the Blue tiles in Museums in Lisbon last week depicting Africa India and China.
I confess I am the person responsible for boost in your views from Portugal last week using your posts to supplement my Rough Guide,
Without your posts we would not have gone to Rua De Benformosa for curry just what we needed after a days culture.
We flew back a few hours before the blackout
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Thank you for the Portuguese views, Alan. Can you visit Antarctica next.
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Great place. It would take three days to see it all. The maritime museums are really done well.
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Didn’t know you been but of course, Rochester and Faversham on the way. Any Gillingham highlights :-0
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I really want to visit the one in Hartlepool. Have you been?
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Sort of, Dave. I didn’t do the boats last time but did the museum. You can combine Hartlepool with the Sun in Stockton.
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Just say “use the search button, moron.” LOL. It’s all here!
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Probably a bit harsh on readers though; I don’t always add complete tags, or put place names in blog titles, so it can take a while to find relevant posts on blogs, as I find searching on BRAPA !
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