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Category Archives: Environment
Rangers need volunteers to help plant community woodland.
Torridge District Council has teamed up with Devon County Council and Parklife South West CIC to create a new Community Woodland at Gatefield amenity grassland on Londonderry Estate in Bideford. As part of this exciting project the ranger team at … Continue reading
British Naturalists’ Association – local events, 2025.
Celebrating Nature and the countryside. The British Naturalists’ Association is a Registered Charity 296551 Please see below our events for 2025. Tuesday, February 11th. An indoor meeting at The Castle Centre, Barnstaple at 7.30pm. An illustrated talk by Robert Irving … Continue reading
Winter volunteering on Northam Burrows.
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The winners of TDC’s refuse vehicle naming competition.
Earlier this year Torridge District Council launched a competition to name two brand new street cleansing vehicles that have recently joined the Council fleet. Over one hundred entries were received with many unique and comic name suggestions. The winning names … Continue reading
Posted in Environment
Tagged TDC, Torridge District Council, vehicle naming competition
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Winter birds at Northam Burrows need your protection.
The Rangers at Northam Burrows are advising visitors and residents to be extra vigilant at this time of year, as the area welcomes an influx of winter birds. As some UK birds such as swallows and house martins head off … Continue reading
“Bideford Legends” – 3.
The Hamlyn property. A fine listed building once the property of the Hamlyn family, who were noted decorators of the time. (Interior photos courtesy of Rightmove). * * * * * * The railway shed in Kingsley Road. Another … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, History
Tagged Bideford, Bideford and Westward Ho! railway, Bideford Legends
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“Bideford Legends” – 2.
The Strand Cinema. The Strand Cinema was opened by Maurice Prince, Jewish entrepreneur, in 1938. During the war Maurice was a civil defence warden and he also helped Jewish refugees who were escaping from Nazi persecution by sheltering them in … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, History, Local People
Tagged Bideford Legends, Grenville Nursing Home, Strand Cinema Bideford
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“Bideford Legends” – 1.
Introducing “Bideford Legends”. My name is Tanya Harrison, I was born abroad and came to live in Bideford in 2017. By profession I am a Teacher of English to foreign students, not a photographer, not a writer, not an expert … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, History, Local People
Tagged Bideford Hospital, Bideford Legends, Bideford Library, Torridge Hospital
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‘Upstream Thinking’ project has many benefits.
More than 40,000 native trees are being planted for farms and landowners to help reduce land run-off and improve natural water quality as part of South West Water’s catchment management programme, Upstream Thinking. The trees, which were provided by the … Continue reading
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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