| A379 at Slapton Posted by Mark A at 16:32, 3rd February 2026 |     |
The road at Slapton is on a shingle beach backed by a freshwater lake. Or rather, that's what it *was* on, the sea has removed a substantial length of the road. The A379 carries the bus route from Dartmouth to Kingsbridge.
Mark
https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2026-02-03/its-like-a-bombs-gone-off-shock-as-part-of-a-coast-road-is-washed-away
| Re: A379 at Slapton Posted by Bob_Blakey at 09:27, 4th February 2026 | |
The presence of (severely deformed) sheet piling indicates that this is almost certainly the same A379 section that was destroyed by Storm Emma in 2018.
In which case Devon County Council and/or National Highways should probably be looking for a much more robust solution this time.
| Re: A379 at Slapton Posted by Marlburian at 12:06, 4th February 2026 | |
I took part a couple of times in a cycle race that started and finished in Totnes and went along the road. I also did some recreational cycling in the very hilly lanes (on one occasion a brake cable had snapped, which made descending a bit dodgy).
On the news last night there was a reference to the tank park where, presumably, Ken Small's tank is still parked.
I still have a large sea shell from the beach.
| Re: A379 at Slapton Posted by Mark A at 13:23, 4th February 2026 | |
I read that as "I still have a large shell from the beach", and went pale.
Mark
| Re: A379 at Slapton Posted by grahame at 14:49, 4th February 2026 | |
The presence of (severely deformed) sheet piling indicates that this is almost certainly the same A379 section that was destroyed by Storm Emma in 2018.
In which case Devon County Council and/or National Highways should probably be looking for a much more robust solution this time.
In which case Devon County Council and/or National Highways should probably be looking for a much more robust solution this time.
Perhaps they should look for a northern route going the other side of Dartmoor .... oh ... wait ....
| Re: A379 at Slapton Posted by bradshaw at 17:41, 4th February 2026 | |
When I first visited the beach in the 1960s it still had the notices warning of unexploded ordnance.
| Re: A379 at Slapton Posted by johnneyw at 18:42, 4th February 2026 | |
When I first visited the beach in the 1960s it still had the notices warning of unexploded ordnance.
Back in October 1977 I spent a few days at the Slapton Field Studies Center as part of my A Level Geography course. The whole group were walking back along the coast path from Start Point but myself and a few others were among the stragglers. The ones ahead of us actually saw (and heard) a wartime mine, discoverd that day on Slapton Sands, being detonated by the bomb disposal chaps.
We didn't see or hear a thing, which rather puts a perspective on my definition of "stragglers".
| Re: A379 at Slapton Posted by TonyK at 22:15, 5th February 2026 | |
I have very fond memories of times around there when my kids (now in their 40s) were little, including walking up to the foot of Start Point lighthouse at the very moment the foghorn was tested, and dinner at the pub. It is going to cost a lot more to fix than the local council has. As yet, no word on how it will be achieved, but Slapton Ley ticks every conservation box there is. If that is breached, then - well, I don't know what will happen for sure, but it would be extremely sad.
