Salcombe in December - NOT amateur radio

As a child I grew up in Salcombe in Devon. The photo shows the town in winter.  Most visitors have gone.

Devon view - NOT amateur radio

 The photo shows the coastal view near Hope Cove in Devon looking towards Dodman Point in Cornwall. The Lizard may be visible in exceptional optical conditions. I have never seen it.

Home - NOT amateur radio

Even though I have lived away from the area for far longer than I lived there, I still think of the South Hams in Devon as "home".  I am sure lots will have changed. This photo shows people enjoying the sea near Salcombe, Devon, UK. 

Batson - NOT amateur radio

Batson is a village near Salcombe in Devon where I come from. As you can see there are lots of thatched cottages. At one time these were hovels, but I expect many are now second homes and very expensive! 

Malborough, Devon, UK 1927 - NOT amateur radio

This is a photo of where my parents lived in the late 20th century. The photo was taken in 1927.

Several ancestors (going back centuries) are buried in the churchyard.

Devon 1942 - NOT amateur radio

This photo shows a farm in Devon in 1942. This was in the days of the land army when many women were asked to work on farms so farm workers could become soldiers.

Salcombe 116 years ago! - NOT amateur radio

This photo shows Salcombe where I was a child. It was taken 116 years ago. There were fewer trees and houses. 

This was way before even my dad was born! 

Where I come from - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows where I come from in South Devon. We had some land hereabouts in 1427!! 

Devon rain - NOT amateur radio

When I was growing up I lived in Devon. We had a saying, "come to sunny Devon where it rains 6 days out of 7".  This photo was 4 years ago .... in the rain! 

More of where I come from in South Devon - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows where I come from in South Devon. 

My brother plays golf nearby. 

The South West Coastal Path runs through here.

Devon - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows another view of where I come from in South Devon. For those that know it, Bowcombe Creek, near Kingsbridge.

This spot is good for birds. 

The South Hams - NOT amateur radio

As a child I grew up in a most beautiful area of England. This aerial view shows Slapton Ley.  

These sands were used as practice areas for the D-day landings in WW2. It was where the tragic disaster known as "Operation Tiger" took place. Hundreds of American servicemen were killed. For a long time this was hushed up.

Several times in recent storms the road on Slapton Line has been damaged. Eventually the sea will break through and the road will have to be on the other side of the Ley.  All my life the A379 road has run along the sands. What is my lifetime? Just a blink in history.

Kingsbridge Estuary in Devon - NOT amateur radio

These photos were taken earlier by my brother.  Normally I go back to where I was brought up every year. This year I have to rely on photos. Maybe in 2021?

Slapton Line - NOT amateur radio

This is a photo of Slapton Line in Devon. During WW2 it was used by the Americans in "Operation Tiger", which was a rehearsal for D-day in Normandy.  In the far distance is Start Point with its lighthouse. There is no sand, just pebbles.

This is where I come from in South Devon.  In recent years the main road across "the Line" has been washed away twice during storms.  On both occasions the road was rebuilt.

In the next 100 years I think this will be replaced by a road on the other side of the Ley (freshwater lake).  It has been there all of my lifetime, but I cannot see it surviving more bad storms. Building a new road will be expensive. We tend to think of things as permanent, whereas we only see things for a generation. From a repair viewpoint, there comes a point when rebuilding the road along "the Line" is simply no longer viable. It would be better to bite the bullet and replace this important road with a new one that will last for hundreds of years.

If the sandbank is broken, it will change the Ley from freshwater to saltwater, totally changing the ecosystem.

South Devon - NOT amateur radio

As a child until university days, I lived in South Devon in an area called "The South Hams".  Arguably this is one of the best parts of England.  Even now, I still feel drawn. The photo shows Soar Mill Cove, which is a few miles from where I lived.

South Devon - NOT amateur radio

 

When I was young I lived in South Devon. The photo shows where I lived. We owned some land near here in 1427! Many of my ancestors lived at Hope Cove and we have a direct line back to William of  Hope in the mid 1500s.

Where I come from - NOT amateur radio

The photo shows where I come from in South Devon. It is a very beautiful and unspoilt part of the UK.

Where I come from - NOT amateur radio

As a youngster, I was brought up in South Devon, UK. I moved away for work. Even now, I go back several times most years. My brother still lives there.

My ancestors - NOT amateur radio

Many times on this blog I have mentioned that I come from the South Hams in Devon. Today on Facebook it mentioned that ancient trees, not seen since the last Ice Age had been exposed at Hallsands. There were a few photos of these. The last Ice Age was about 10000 years ago.

What amazes me is that probably some of my distant ancestors hunted in these very trees thousands of years ago when this was still woodland and before the seas rose. Humbling.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_age

Where I lived long ago (but not this long ago!) - NOT amateur radio

Between 1959 and 1967, I lived in Kingsbridge, Devon. This very old, hand-tinted, postcard surfaced yesterday. I guess it dates from the late 1800s? It is before Fore Street, the main road, was tarmacked - a different age.