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The Geography Department |
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Slapton Sands, Devon, Coastal Erosion Damage
February 2001 All photos courtesy of Nick Slinger
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The location of this photograph is at , as the road from Slapton village turns north-west along the coast. To the south is Slapton Ley, a renowned coastal lagoon, and beyond the small village/hamlet of Torcross. Winter storms have lowered the beach by several metres and the roadway, as well as the protective concrete blanket, have been exposed and eroded.
Slaptonbeach.jpg (40549 bytes) |
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The scale of the previous picture is evident here; the figure would indicate a vertical drop of over four metres on this slope. The nature of the defences, a concrete blanket linked by steel rods and backed by a membrane, is show up well.
The Slaptonlinks.jpg (90429 bytes) |
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From above the roadway is now the cliff-top. The defences have been temporarily restored by rip-rap boulders on the much-depleted beach.
Slaptonbeachroad.jpg (51952 bytes)
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A close-up reveals that the roadway was substantial, that it had cats-eyes running down the middle, and that the route is now impassable to motor traffic.
Slaptonbeachroadeye.jpg (66033 bytes)
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The cats-eye, rip-rap, beach and sea.
Slaptoneyedetail.jpg (110466 bytes)
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A monument, removed by the storms, is survived by only its plinth and the flag posts either side.
Slaptonbeachroadplinth.jpg (44037 bytes) |
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Further towards the north-west, at the edge of the car park, the sea has revealed the local geology, and appears to have taken a good deal more than the road!
Slapton car park.jpg (68886 bytes) |
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