Why I love: Battle stations

Peter Snow, TV/radio presenter

I haven't seen a castle as formidable as Dover Castle anywhere else in Britain. Any student of our defiant military history would do well to explore it. It's Britain's first line of defence against invasion from Europe.

Nearly 800 years ago the French had a go at storming it, but never made it as far as the keep, which has a wall thicker than a London bus. Two hundred years ago, its garrison could clearly see Napoleon's camp fires on the French beaches 21 miles across the Strait. And in 1940, the castle was transformed into a fortress, and an operation was conducted from the maze of tunnels in the cliffs south of the castle to rescue Britain's army at Dunkirk and prepare for a Nazi invasion. For these reasons, Dover Castle provides the most compelling history lesson in Britain.

Peter Snow is presenting an episode of My Favourite Place on The History Channel on 29 May at 8pm. The series starts on 8 May.