Fort Amherst

You know you’ve done a good job on your fort when it’s never fired a shot in anger. That’s just what Fort Amherst was, and is to this day.

This Napoleonic fortress is situated at the midpoint between Chatham and Gillingham, near the shores of the river Medway. It has an easy and imposing view of the surrounding hills. It was built to protect the Chatham Dockyard, and standing at the top, it’s easy to see why anyone who even thought about attacking would have been branded a lunatic. Nearby locations with any sort of strategic value are within easy reach of Amherst’s cannons, and that was back in 1803! The British Army still uses parts of the fort today, so you can imagine what modern artillery could accomplish.

Tours of Amherst’s tunnels are available in the warmer seasons, and are well worth the six some quid you’ll spend. Deep within you’ll find evidence of early man digging his way through the limestone with antlers, remnants of Roman ruins, of course the Napoleonic fortifications, and the more modern use as a base of emergency operations during the second world war. If you’re planning a visit for October you might be lucky enough to book one of their famous Ghost Tours. Book early, they fill up quickly! If you aren’t able, or you’re not visiting in October, try to book in the middle of the week, and at a time when the kids are in school. The tours will be less busy, and you might be able to get hints of the ghost tours with your regular one, if you ask nicely!

The tours are provided by volunteers, so you can rest assured that they are very passionate about the fort and it’s history. They can be quite the characters too! I once had one of them try to convince me that my ancestral countrymen had taken my country from the British by force. It took me a hot minute to realise that he thought I was American! We had a good laugh about it while we waited for the other tourists to join us at the designated meeting place.

The tour lasts just under an hour, does involve a bit of climbing, and probably isn’t the best for those of us who are extremely claustrophobic. The tunnels are wide, but you definitely know you’re underground!

Keep an eye out for the graffiti, the ghosts, the guide, and you’ll be good to go!

Are there any super neat haunted tunnels you know of? Let me know in the comments!