h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So we've come to the 30th and the end, which for me means D for the Dieppe- Newhaven ferry.

On our trips to France, we often come back through Dieppe and catch the ferry to Newhaven. We usually have time to spare as we approach Dieppe, so we stop at one of a number of places. There is Longueville-sur-Scie, where there is a ruined castle, dating back to William the Conqueror's time.Sometimes we stop in Braquemont, just to the east of Dieppe and walk along a path on the cliffs, and other times, we go to Varangeville, where we can walk along the beach, looking in rock pools. The cliffs here are mainly chalk, as on the other side of the Channel, though they are stained here and there with brown, which may be sandstone.

The Dieppe-Newhaven ferry is a bright yellow ship with black lettering, sitting in Dieppe harbour. It struggles to make money, because it's in competition with the Tunnel, and the ferries through Calais and Portsmouth. Maybe because of this, it looks suspiciously rusty in places. They load it with big lorries, caravans and campervans and ordinary cars.

We stand on the deck and watch as the harbour workers cast off and the ship moves out to sea. We can see the Dieppe seafront, with a pleasant beach and green lawns and we get a good view of the cliffs, stretching in both directions. We look out for gannets flying past, with their heavy bills and black tipped wings. Sometimes we see them dive, arrow-like into the water. There have been times when the sea has been so calm the ship leaves a wake that looks like lace on blue-grey silk. There have been other times when the wind has been so strong that, if we venture out on deck, we can hardly stand up, and the Captain decides that the passengers should stay indoors.

The ferry has a cafetiera and we usually wander along, once the ship is under way. We don't eat meat,so we regard the pans of congealing sausages with distate, and buy fish and chips. It tends to be greasy but fish and chips on the Dieppe-Newhaven ferry has become one of our traditions.

It's usually dark when we reach Newhaven, but we still venture out on deck, to make out the long, grey shape of the Severn Sisters. As the ship docks in Newhaven harbout, we pass a huge pile of rusty scrap metal on the quay, with a couple of cranes moving grabfuls around. It's hardly an advertisement for beautiful Sussex but we know, once we leave the ship we're nearly home.

That's beautifully descriptive, I could really imagine the voyage.

Deb

I've never really caught on to the charm of ruined castles. I always imagine what the plates in Johnson Brothers' pattern "Ruined British castles" would look like. When I'm not in a charitable mood, I don't imagine any difference with their "Old British Castles" series, which is a real one.

I'm not as familiar with the coast of France as I would like to be. I don't recognize *any* of the names you mention. I imagine the brown-stained chalk cliffs to be brown from bloodshed from the many invasions. France and England have rarely been especially friendly toward each other. Throw in Germany, and you have chaos .

The castle at Longueville doesn't amount to much, to be honest.
Yes, this stretch of sea has been much fought over. The Spaniards and the Dutch have got involved too, from time to time.

[Amy P]