08/06/2025
Despite all the weather warnings for yesterday, we managed to dodge the rain 🌧️ and had an incredible day at Historic Dockyard Chatham⚓️.
We had a fantastic journey down to Kent and arrived dead on time for opening at 10am and didn’t leave until it closed at 17:00 and still I don’t think we managed it all but we gave it our best shot!
We had timed tours on Ocelot (submarine) - I think a lot of people had a good laugh 😆 watching each other swinging through the hatches.
Next stop, Call the Midwife location tour 🎬 - a real highlight for many and me. A midwife (not a real one) walked us round to the many filming spots and explained the scenes by showing us pictures of how it had been transformed. The tour ended with a look round an exhibition that had been purposely done by Neal Street Productions showcasing the sets of Violets Haberdashery, Fred’s Paper Shop, Dining Room of Nonnatus House and a few others.
We also went and sat on Trixies bench in the Commissioners garden 🌳
The last timed tour was of the Ropery, where we learnt and a few participated in making a 3 strand rope - all good fun.
We had a quick look round HMS Cavalier and Brickwrecks, a Lego exhibition featuring sunken ships made out of Lego bricks.
We also all enjoyed a very nice fish and chip lunch in the Mess Deck restaurant.
For those that live in Boxford, quite a few of us ended the day off with a a lovely meal (as usual) at The Fleece Hotel Boxford
Thank you to Elite Travel Ltd and Martin our driver for getting us there and back safely, and thank you to everyone who joined me, I hope you all enjoyed the trip.
