Inside the creepy underground coastal tunnels that only open to the British public once a year
THERE'S an underground tunnel in the UK that only opens to the public once a year - and tourists who want to go will need to be in the know.
Set in the coastal town of Dover, Western Heights is one of the most impressive fortifications in the country.
Formed from a network of forts, ditches, and other defences, Western Heights was designed to protect Dover from a potential French invasion.
While the construction of the site began during the Napoleonic Wars (1799–1815), building work on the epic fortress wasn't complete until the 1860s.
In 1961, Western Heights was abandoned by the armed forces after it was gradually phased out of use.
The remains of Western Heights can still be seen by holidaymakers today.
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While places like the gun batteries, the barracks, and the grand shaft can't be viewed by the public, it is possible to glimpse the exterior of the Drop Redoubt and the surrounding ditches from nearby footpaths.
Even though most of Western Heights is closed to tourists, specific areas are open to the public throughout the year.
The site's North Entrance and Gun Rooms are two parts of Western Heights that are routinely opened to the public.
Western Height's North Entrance leads to an underground tunnel, which runs for around 50m before visitors reach an inner gate.
The underground tunnel is also home to three gunrooms and an artillery store.
Holidaymakers who visit the underground tunnels will need to wear appropriate footwear with a good grip because it can get quite slippery.
Western Heights is managed by the Western Heights Preservation Society, a volunteer organisation that runs events and tours at the site.
Earlier this year, Brits could visit the underground tunnels on September 16 and 17, 2023, as part of the Heritage Open Weekend.
When the society announced this year's dates, they said: "This is a 'once a year' opportunity to view inside a historic monument that has been sealed for around 50 years."
No dates have been announced for 2024, but the tunnels have been routinely opened once a year for the last few years.
Previous tours have run for 30 minutes, with groups kept to around 15 people.
These aren't the only underground tunnels that are open to the public either.
A few years ago the Postal Museum opened a secret underground "mail rail" train.
The Mail Rail is an underground train line, which was built 94 years ago to transport letters and parcels across London.
The line opened in 1927, and it became the first driverless electric railway in the world.
At peak times, the tiny trains would run every five minutes - ferrying up to 4 million parcels and letters across the English capital.
Despite closing 75 years after it first opened, the Mail Rail opened to the public in 2017, as part of the Postal Museum.
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