This is a fantastic site to take a look around for anyone who doesn’t mind the risk of getting wet!
The sound mirrors were set up as an early warning system for incoming enemy aircraft. Operators would use microphones in the focal point of the parabolic reflectors to listen for the sound of engines. However with the development of faster aircraft they were rendered unreliable and replaced by radar. There are 3 dishes on this site, a 20ft dish, 30ft dish and a long reflector wall which is about 200ft long!
Some other dishes are dotted around the coast in surrounding areas.
The site and surround areas of Dungeness are used in The Prodigy's "Invaders Must Die" music video:
youtube.com/watch?v=r3EIogaEwxY
Guided walks are organised once in a blue moon by Romney Marsh Countryside Project.
There is a "swing bridge" that is unlocked for tourists to gain access to the site across the 10ft of water on the guided tours.
We practiced our rope climbing technique and had some fun with DIY zip lines the day before:
On our arrival we found the bridge locked shut as expected, not ones to get wet we struggled across (after several failed rope-throwing attempts)!
30ft mirror:
Inside the 30ft mirror:
Looking out of the 30ft mirror
Rear of 30ft mirror:
15ft mirror:
Size of 200ft mirror compared to person, with observation window:
Along the 200ft mirror, you can see the Dungeness nuclear power station on the horizon just to the left (more on that later):
Rear of the 200ft mirror
All 3 mirrors:
3 mirrors from back on the land (with bridge)
Silly photo:
Sign with some more info on the mirrors:
Sign and mirrors:
On the bridge:
On the way back to base we stopped off at Dungeness to take a look at the lighthouse, PowerStation and narrow gauge railway:
The old lighthouse:
From the top of the old lighthouse, looking out to the new lighthouse.
We then jumped onto the railway and headed out towards Hythe
On the way I spotted another sound mirror on a hill in the distance! (Sorry about the blurry awfulness)
I fired up maps on my phone and took down the GPS coords in case of a future visit: 51.069714, 1.047756
We hired a rowing boat and attempted to make our way back up there but it was a good 4 miles from Hythe
Overall we had an interesting trip. The mirrors are located right behind a static caravan site. A family of walkers came up to the bridge just as we were crossing and were very interested in what we were up to
Video of the trip:
[video=youtube;9I6R7VROPbQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I6R7VROPbQ[/video]
The sound mirrors were set up as an early warning system for incoming enemy aircraft. Operators would use microphones in the focal point of the parabolic reflectors to listen for the sound of engines. However with the development of faster aircraft they were rendered unreliable and replaced by radar. There are 3 dishes on this site, a 20ft dish, 30ft dish and a long reflector wall which is about 200ft long!
Some other dishes are dotted around the coast in surrounding areas.
The site and surround areas of Dungeness are used in The Prodigy's "Invaders Must Die" music video:
youtube.com/watch?v=r3EIogaEwxY
Guided walks are organised once in a blue moon by Romney Marsh Countryside Project.
There is a "swing bridge" that is unlocked for tourists to gain access to the site across the 10ft of water on the guided tours.
We practiced our rope climbing technique and had some fun with DIY zip lines the day before:
On our arrival we found the bridge locked shut as expected, not ones to get wet we struggled across (after several failed rope-throwing attempts)!
30ft mirror:
Inside the 30ft mirror:
Looking out of the 30ft mirror
Rear of 30ft mirror:
15ft mirror:
Size of 200ft mirror compared to person, with observation window:
Along the 200ft mirror, you can see the Dungeness nuclear power station on the horizon just to the left (more on that later):
Rear of the 200ft mirror
All 3 mirrors:
3 mirrors from back on the land (with bridge)
Silly photo:
Sign with some more info on the mirrors:
Sign and mirrors:
On the bridge:
On the way back to base we stopped off at Dungeness to take a look at the lighthouse, PowerStation and narrow gauge railway:
The old lighthouse:
From the top of the old lighthouse, looking out to the new lighthouse.
We then jumped onto the railway and headed out towards Hythe
On the way I spotted another sound mirror on a hill in the distance! (Sorry about the blurry awfulness)
I fired up maps on my phone and took down the GPS coords in case of a future visit: 51.069714, 1.047756
We hired a rowing boat and attempted to make our way back up there but it was a good 4 miles from Hythe
Overall we had an interesting trip. The mirrors are located right behind a static caravan site. A family of walkers came up to the bridge just as we were crossing and were very interested in what we were up to
Video of the trip:
[video=youtube;9I6R7VROPbQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I6R7VROPbQ[/video]
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