south devonexp ore

South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Walks

Slapton

Start: | Middle Car Park, Slapton Sands

Distance: | 2.75 miles (+0.5 miles for alternative return route)

Difficulty: | EasytoModerate.4flightsofsteps.Thereisaviewpointwithdisabledaccessandadjacentparking,bySlaptonBridge,gridref.SX828443.Thewalkroute,however,isnotsuitableforwheelchairsorpushchairs.

Terrain: | FootpathbySlaptonLey,occasionallyuneven,withwetsectionsalongshoreafterheavyrain;boardwalk;greenlane,muddyandsoggyinwetweather;surfaced road.

Parking: | Middle Car Park, Slapton Sands. Pay and display.

OS map: | Explorer0L20

Grid Ref: | SX828442

Public transport: | Seewww.travelinesw.com

Refreshments: | In Slapton or Torcross

Toilets: | PublictoiletsatTorcrossCarPark.

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Start/Finish

PDFonline walk

downloadable route map onto your device

downloadable PDF

South West Coast Path walking app – enhanced content with photos, audio and film.

This walk is available in the following formats from www.southdevonaonb.org.uk/walk

© Crown Copyright and database right 2019. Ordnance Survey

Main routeAlternative return route

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Directions

Note: Slapton Ley National Nature Reserve request that dogs be kept on leads through the Reserve to avoid disturbance of wildlife.

1 Fromcarpark,turnrightalongroad.Turnfirstleftsigned‘Slapton½m’.

2 After150mturnleftontopublicfootpath.Followpathalongshore.

3 Pathcurvesawayfromleyshore.Atfingerpostturnleftalongboardwalksigned‘publicfootpath’.

4 Atendofboardwalkbearleftalongfootpathsigned‘DeerBridge¼m’.

5 Attheroadturnrightuphill.

6 GostraightoveratTownsendCross.Bearright,andfollowlanedownandaroundtotheleft.AtjunctionatBrookStCrossturnright.

7 AfterpassingQueen’sArms,followroadaroundto left.

8 Fromedgeofvillage,followpathalongsideofroadbackdowntoSlaptonSands.Alternatively,justpastFieldStudiesCentreturnrightdownfarmtracksigned‘publicfootpath’.

9 After250m,bysignreading‘FarmOnly’,bearrightthroughgatetocontinuealongfootpath.

10 Pathleadsyoubacktoretraceyourstepsaroundshoreofleytotheroad.Turnright.

11 Crosstorightatjunctiontoreturntocarpark.

Further Interest

Heritage

DuringtheSecondWorldWar,thewholeareaaroundSlaptonwasusedbyAmericanforcestopreparefortheinvasionofEurope.3000peoplefromsevenparisheshadtoleave,takingwiththemeverythingtheyowned,andfindsomewhereelsetoliveforalmost a year.

Thememorialbythebeachrecognisesthesacrificeofthoselocalresidentswhohadtowrenchthemselvesawayfromtheirhomesforthewareffort.

OnecasualtyofthewarwastheRoyalSandsHotel,agrandandwellknownoldedificewhichoncestoodwherethemiddlecarparkisnow.Thedamagebeganwithastraysheepdogwhichsetoffminesclosetothehotel.Intensiveliveartilleryexercisesonthebeachtherefinisheditoff.

ThevillageofSlaptonhasbeenaroundformillennia.ThereweresettlementshereintheBronzeAge,followedbyafortduringtheIronAge.UntilrecentlySlapton–whosenamemeans‘slipperyplace’–couldonlybereachedalongnarrowlanesfrominland.That,alongwiththefactthatitisinvisiblefromthesea,meansthatthevillagehashadafairlypeacefulaswellaslongexistence.

TheatmospherictoweryoucanseeloomingoverSlaptonVillageisnowmainlyahomeforrooksandbats.Centuriesago,though,itwaspartofacollegechantryforpriests.SirGuydeBrian,thelocallordofthemanor,builtthechantryin1373,onconditionthatamassbesungforhissouleachyear.

Landscape

TheshingleridgeofSlaptonSandsismainlymadeupofflints,washedupfromtheseabedtwentyfivemilesoffshore.Mixedinwiththemaretracesofgranitewasheddownfromthemoor,andflakesandchipsoflocalrocks,schistandslate.

SlaptonLeyisthelargestnaturalexpanseoffreshwaterinSouthWestEngland.WhentheshingleridgeofSlaptonSandswaspushedupbyrisingseasafterthelasticeage,thelagoonformedbehindit,fedbystreamsandtheriverGara.

Unusualasalandform,andwithrareandimportanthabitats,theareaaroundSlaptonLeyisdesignatedasaSiteofSpecialScientificInterest(SSSI).ItisalsoaNationalNatureReserve.

AstherouteleavesSlaptonVillage,youwillpassSlaptonLeyFieldStudiesCentreontheleft.Thecentrehostsschool,universityandadultgroupsoncoursesrelatingtotheenvironmentandbiology.

ThereisavisitorcentrefortheReserveherewhichyouarewelcometovisit.FormoreinformationabouttheReserveandtheCentrevisitwww.slnnr.org.uk

South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Walks

www.southdevonaonb.org.uk

This walk along with many more can be downloaded from www.southdevonaonb.org.uk

South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Walks

Wildlife

AlongthetopoftheshingleridgeatSlaptonSandsgrowseveralrareplants,includingViper’sBugloss.Thisfabulouslynamedflowerthrowsupspikesofvividblueblooms.LookoutalsofortheYellowHornedPoppy.Thenamedescribesitwell,the‘horned’partreferringtoitslongcurvedseedpods.

Inspring,ifyoustandonthebridgejustoutsidethereserveentranceandlookdownyoumayseethestartlingsightofthousandsoffish.TheseRoach,RuddandPercharemassedheretospawn.

ThereareabewilderingvarietyofwildbirdsonthenaturereserveatSlaptonLey,cominginallkinds,shapesandsizes.Ideally,takealongapairofbinoculars,anidentificationbook,andabitofpatiencetomakethemostofwhat’sonoffer.Justafteryouenterthereservefromtheroad,ashelterontheleftcontainsablackboard.Thishasrecentsightingswrittenonwhichwillhelpgiveyouanideaofthebirdlifecurrentlyaround.

Autumnandspringbringmigratingbirdspausinghereastheypassthrough.Starlingsroostinhugenumbersinthereedbedsduringthewinter,andupto20,000SwallowsgatherhereintheAutumntoroost.WildfowlontheLeyincludePochard,Wigeon,Shoveler,Goldeneye,TuftedDuck,andGadwall.

TheGreatCrestedGrebeisaregal-lookingresidentoftheLey,withitslongneck,plumedhead,andchestnutruffframingawhiteface.‘Grebe-fur’-theskinandfeathersofthebird-onceformedaveryfashionablepartofthewardrobesofwealthywomen.Italmostbecameextinctasaresult.However,thegrebe’splightledtothecreationoftheRSPB(RoyalSocietyfortheProtectionofBirds),anditsnumbershavesincerecovered.

The‘boom’calloftheBitternisasoundrarelyheardinEnglandthesedays,butifyou’reluckyyoumighthearithere.Thisshy,sizeablebirdoverwintersonthereserve,skulkingaboutinthereedswhereithuntsforfish.

Thereisachanceyoumightseeanothernationalrarity,theMarshHarrier,glidingabovethereedbeds.Thislargebirdofpreyhaslongdarkwingsandtail.Ithuntsbirds,mammals,andfrogs.

Reedbedsareanuncommonandinvaluablehabitat.Reedbedsaretheirownworstenemiesinthattheytendnaturallytodryout–andsodieout–overtime.Thismakesmaintainingthemachallengingandsometimescostlyjob.Thereedsherewereoncewidelyharvestedforthatch,andareasarestillcuteachyear.

ThereedbedsarevisitedinthesummerbyReedWarblers.Thesesmall,brown,narrow-billedbirdsareabletoclingtotheverticalstemsofthereeds.Theybuildnestswovenaroundseveralreedstems.Rarerstill,Cetti’sWarblersareSlaptonresidents.Youmightheartheirsuddenloudpealsofsongfromamongstthereedsorscrub.

WildflowerstobefoundalongsidethepathbytheLeyincludePrimroses,Celandine,BluebellsandWildGarlic.ThespringandearlysummeralsobringoutspraysofwhiteStitchwort,andoftheblushingRedCampion.

InthewetareasaroundtheboardwalkgrowminiaturecarpetsofGoldenSaxifrage,aplantwithtinyyellow-greenflowersinthecentreofalittlenestofleaves.DwarfingthesearethestandsofHemlockWaterDropwort.Apoisonousplant,itproduceswhite‘umbrellas’offlowersontallstems,andhaslargeparsley-likeleaves.

Working in partnership

www.southdevonaonb.org.uk

This walk is available in the following formats from www.southdevonaonb.org.uk/walk

PDFonline walk

downloadable route map onto your device

downloadable PDF

South West Coast Path walking app – enhanced content with photos, audio and film.