England's largest festival of history and culture returns on Friday with 10 days of free events.

The first one in Dover district for the Heritage Open Days runs every day until the end of the festival, Sunday September 19.

This is the Dover Heritage Bluebird trail and people can go on it any time.

It is a self-guided walking trail exploring the history of the town and port of Dover.

Bronze pavement markers guide you around the route along with a guidebook or free phone app and the Heritage Open Days website to explain the sites as you pass them.

The Dover Bluebird Heritage Trail is about two miles long and takes in the towns historic buildings, sites and monuments including the Maison Dieu and Lord Warden House.

The trail starts next to Dover War Memorial in Biggin Street and ends near the Prince of Wales Pier. There is an additional, optional, section, which ends on Admiralty Pier.

You can visit the Sandwich Medieval Centre at The Quay and see re-enactors demonstrating a range of medieval crafts and trades.

The times are 10am to 4pm this Friday to Sunday, September 12, and Thursday, September 16, to Sinday, September 19. No booking is required.

Other places to visit include St John the Evangelist RC Church, at St Richard's Road, Deal. This is on Saturday from 10am to 4pm with no booking required. The church was built in 1934 for the Betteshanger mining community in Mill Hill.

There are self-guided heritage cycle rides from Deal Visitor Information Centre, in the Town Hall in the High Street. These are from 10am to 4pm and no bookingis required.

This is to tour places such as historic churches in Deal and Walmer.

This festival is organised by the National Trust and there are several other local events.

Full details are on the website heritageopendays.org.uk

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