The Maunsell Sea Forts

KarlH's picture

Location

Thames estuary 
United Kingdom
51° 27' 51.66" N, 0° 58' 16.7412" E
GB
General info: 

During the WWII, British army built small fortified towers along the Thames and Mersey estuaries in order to protect the United Kingdom from German invasion. These forts were the first line of defence, but after the war they stopped being important for the military. In the mid-fifties the British army decided that they no longer needed the forts and left them behind.

The winds and waves did nothing to the forts as they were built to endure much harder conditions. Today, these over 70-years- old structures are a symbol of defiance to invaders. Many famous artists get their inspiration from the Maunsell forts. For example, the band ‘Prodigy’ featured them in the video for their hit ‘Invadors Must Die’.

Getting there: 

The Maunsell Sea Fortrs are located in the estuaries of the rivers Thames and Mersey. There are companies organizing boat tours to see the fortrs, for example http://x-pilot.co.uk/services.htm.

On a clear day you can also see the forts from Shoeburyness East Beach.

Costs: 

Price info for the tours not available.

Interesting places nearby

Enjoy the unique atmosphere of Châtel, a traditional styled mountain village which, in winter, transforms into ski resort.

BASE: 3786ft
SUMMIT: 4921ft
VERTICAL DROP: 1312ft

NO. OF. LIFTS: 4
Gondolas: 0
Chairs: 1
Surface: 3

Situated at only 4 km from Megève and 30 km from Chamonix, Combloux resort is a charming village overlooking Mont Blanc which has a large ski area particularly well adapted to the needs of families.

Cordon is a typical village of moutain, near the Aravis moutain range and face to Mont-Blanc range. That is why Cordon is called private://Mont Blanc Balconyprivate://.

The ski area Rauris is located in the heart of the Hohe Tauern National Park. The very appealing location of the ski area amidst the stunning landscape of the Raurisertal makes for interesting activities also away from the slopes.

The ski area Braunlage – Wurmberg is suitable for beginners and intermediate skiers. The Mount Wurmberg possesses Northern Germany’s latest skyride. There are numerous slopes suitable for all levels of difficulty.