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Category Archives: Environment
The greening of Bideford.
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North Devon coast monographs.
Posted in Books, Environment
Tagged geology, geomorphology, North Devon coast, thematic trails
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Recently seen at Westward Ho!
Ctenophores, known commonly as sea gooseberries or comb jellies. They are carnivorous predators in the Plankton. They eat zooplankton, fish eggs and fish larvae. They catch their prey with their sticky tentacles which they can retract when not feeding. Their … Continue reading
Walking the Coast Path; Mouthmill.
This is a beach of contrasts. A stream idly trickles through football-sized boulders down to the sea, while soothing sweeps of light-brown sand provide a backdrop to jutting rock formations that point arrow-like towards the Atlantic. It’s a place for … Continue reading
Beavering away for Bideford flood protection.
There are proposals under consideration for raising the level of the Kenwith Reservoir dam to give the necessary added protection from fluvial flooding resulting from anticipated climate change and the amount of new housing development in the catchment area. In … Continue reading
Posted in Animals, Environment
Tagged beavers, Devon Wildlife Trust, flood protection, Kenwith valley
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Floods – policy versus practicality.
With flooding very much in the news last month this may be a good time to review the policy of the authorities on flood protection and the effect it is having on the vulnerable Northam Burrows. There are two major … Continue reading
Posted in Environment
Tagged Atlantic storms, coastal erosion, extreme events, flood defences, flooding, Northam burrows, tidal surge, tides, Westward Ho!
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Crossing the Torridge – 11 bridges between Bideford & Torrington !
It’s surprising how they add up once you set out to count the bridges.! The oldest of course were the pack-horse bridges dating from around the 12th century of which there were three, Bideford, Rothern and Taddiport. All these show … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, History
Tagged bideford, railway, river Torridge, Rolle Canal, Tarka Trail, Torridge bridges, Torrington
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Street art.
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Posted in Environment, News, Photography
Tagged bideford, bideford buzz, development, MacDonalds bideford, Premier Inns bideford, street art, woodland
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Floods and salt marshes.
All sorts of habitats have been affected by the floods this winter, and in many places it’s the human habitation in low lying areas that has been the most spectacularly damaged. Then, when you see the thick red-brown colouration of … Continue reading
Rubber duck.
In January 1992 the Chinese container ship ‘Ever Laurel’ was carrying 1,810 containers from Hong Kong to Tacoma in America’s Washington State. All was well until the tenth of the month when, during a great storm, twelve of the 40-foot … Continue reading
Posted in Environment
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Waxcaps.
These mushrooms are considered by many as the orchids of the fungi world. They come in a variety of bright cheerful colours and often have shiny caps. They belong to the genus Hygrocybe. As with most fungi, autumn is when … Continue reading
Wonky Conker.
The “Helping Hand”, which holds up the “Wonky Conker tree”, near Kingsley Statue on Bideford Quay, very nearly didn’t happen at all. Some years before its construction, it was decided to chop down the mature trees on the riverbank in … Continue reading
Fly the Tarka Trail.
Fly the Tarka Trail on Google Street Map The 33 mile section, between Braunton and Meeth, of the 163 mile Tarka Trail regional route has gone live on Google Street View. This means that anyone with access to the internet … Continue reading
When the tide comes in
I’m not talking about sandy beaches or rock pools, but the saltmarshes above the Iron Bridge and beside the river Yeo. Here, an hour or so after the tide approaches the top of Westward Ho! beach, salt water is sweeping … Continue reading