Thursday 27 June 2013

Lydford Gorge

Located on the western edge of Dartmoor, this is the deepest gorge in south-west England, and stretches a distance of about 2.5 km (1.5 miles) from the spectacular "Devil's Cauldron" whirlpool at the bridge end to the very fine 30-metres-tall "White Lady Waterfall" at the other end. 

During the 17th Century Lydford Gorge was infamous for being the hide-out of a large family of outlaws, the Gubbins, who terrorised the neighbourhood and stole sheep from the farms of Dartmoor.   In the years at the beginning of the 19th Century during the war against Napoleon of France, Lydford Gorge became, for many travellers, a replacement for the Grand Tour of Continental Europe, and was much appreciated and valued for its grandeur and beauty. 














Coast Walk - Noss Mayo to Mothercombe

A walk between two rivers - Yealm & Erme covering around 11 miles of coastline.
























Newton Ferrers & Noss Mayo

2 Devon villages on either side of a muddy creek off the river Yealm. At low tide you can easily cross between the two.








Burgh Island

Tuesday

Burgh Island is a small tidal island off the coast of South Devon in England near to the small seaside village of Bigbury-on-Sea. There are several buildings on the island, the largest being the Art Deco Burgh Island Hotel. The other buildings are three private houses, and a public house, the Pilchard Inn, run by the hotel.

Burgh Island is closely linked to Agatha Christie, as it served as the inspirational setting for both And Then There Were None as well as the Hercule Poirot mystery Evil Under the Sun.The hotel and its eloquent Art Deco styling was also a bolt hole in the 1930s for the likes of London's rich and famous, including Noël Coward.

The island is approximately 270 yards (250 m) from the mainland at Bigbury-on-Sea and is approachable on foot at low tide. At high tide, the sea tractor, which is operated by the hotel, transports passengers back and forth. The original vehicle was constructed in 1930; the current, third generation tractor dates from 1969.