Given that disruption around channel ports looks set to be a new national sport for our continental cousins, using Dover as a gateway to other places is, in my view, risky. A better idea is simply to enjoy a day out at Dover as a place in its own right.

The ferries are far more fun if you sit on the hills and watch them sailing out - much more restful than being on one. The cliffs are staggering, and you can very quickly walk out of the town and be up them in no time, with wonderful views of the sea, the cliffs and of France just over the way.

The castle is a real boys-own affair, largely because it was built with genuine foreign invasion in mind and will amuse anyone who likes history big and OTT. It's easily interesting enough for an afternoon.

The beach we saw was, well, not for paddling, but wascovered in beautiful pebbles, and I remember sitting on it and deciding to catch the very last train back to London just to enjoy the sunlight and watch the waves. Londoners should certainly have a day out here, and tourists staying for a while in the capital should definitely give the town a look as well as more obvious destinations like Canterbury and Windsor.