84 By the Dart • A Walk in South Devon
Trust manages this rare and important habitat with its tenant famers.
Wildlife Along the sides of the lane up to Overbecks grows winter heliotrope, a plant originally introduced to Britain as a garden plant from Africa, and which has spread into the wild. It has broad heart-shaped leaves and in winter throws up chunky spikes of lilac flow- ers with a delicate marzipan aroma. The clifftop path between Overbecks and Sharp Tor is lined with dense blackthorn scrub in places. Blackthorn’s snowy flurry of white blossom appears before the small oval leaves emerge, in early spring. Thickets like those here provide tremendous cover for small birds and mammals. Lichen festoons the Blackthorn and many of the rocks along the walk. Lichen is actually a combination of two kinds of organism: a fungus and an algae. Some form a thin crust on rock, others tiny fairy cups on stalks and yet others hang like strange pale bluish-green plants from the trees. The presence of plenty of lichen is a sign of good clean air. The birdlife is rich here. Ravens, Peregrine Falcons and Kestrels ride the wind along the cliffs, and Gulls and Shags perch on the rocks down by the water. The dense forests of coastal scrub provide nesting sites for the brightly yellow-headed Yellow- hammer and the black- headed Stonechat, which has a reddish breast and a call that sounds like two stones being tapped together. Linnets also like it here – look
out for a pinkish patch on the forehead and breast of a small bird with dark wings and an orangey-brown back. Flowers to look out for on the coastal grassland include the short succulent Stonecrop, with pinkish- white stars of flowers and sea campion, which has small pointed oval leaves and a ‘bladder’ at the base of the white flowers. Birdsfoot Trefoil grows low to the ground with yellow and red lipped flowers, while the flower- heads of Sheepsbit Scabious are beautiful and delicate bluish- violet masses. The star butterfly attraction on this walk is the small Silverstudded Blue, with deep blue, white- fringed wings. You may also see the slightly lighter-shaded Common Blue, or a Grayling, which has rich brown wings with fawn patches and black wing ‘eyes’.
• Domiciliary Care • Disability Care • Respite Care • Personal Care
We provide homecare services in Dartmouth and surrounding villages. We tailor packages of care to meet your needs and provide a helping hand to maintain your independence at home.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN CARING
If you would like a career in caring, we offer support and ongoing training. Flexible working hours. Excellent rates of pay including mileage allowance. Enhanced evening and weekend rates.
www.carequestsouthwest.co.uk
5 The Palladium, Duke Street, Dartmouth, TQ6 9PY
01803 833288
New books for adults and children from our community co-operative
Open all year but times vary seasonally 12 Higher Street (opposite The Cherub Inn)
info@dartmouthcommunitybookshop.co.uk www.dartmouthcommunitybookshop.co.uk
01803 839571
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148