Slapton Sands, Hanging On by a Thread.🌊
For decades, the A379 "Slapton Line" has been a fragile bridge between the sea and the Ley. This week, after a relentless battering from the Atlantic during Storms Ingrid and Chandra, that bridge finally broke.
Through the lens of digital creator Kevin Hare, we’ve watched the heartbreaking transition from a storm warning to a total loss. Here is the story of the collapse.
23 January: "Hanging On by a Thread"
The warning signs arrived early. Kevin captured the first signs of real trouble with footage of a "storm brewing" even at low water.
“Slapton Hanging On by a Thread #stormIngrid #StormChandra. Wind warnings have now been issued. Some more footage of the storm brewing...” 📹 Video: Watch here
As the waves surged against the shingle bank, the vulnerability of the road became clear. Local residents commented on the "rough" conditions, noting that even the seals were staying away from the beach.
29 January: Secrets Unearthed
By the end of the month, the erosion was so severe that the beach began revealing its hidden history. While the finds were a "silent witness" to the area's WWII past, they were also a grim indicator that the natural "buffer" of shingle protecting the A379 was being stripped away at an alarming rate.
“Slapton Sands Secrets Unearthed. I was exploring #SlaptonSands today and my finds tell an incredible, secret WWII story. Every piece is a silent witness...”
4 February: "End of the Line"
The tipping point occurred overnight on Monday, 2 February. A combination of high tides and storm surges scoured away the land beneath the tarmac. A 200-metre section of the highway and the Torcross "Tank" car park collapsed into the sea. Kevin returned to deliver the definitive verdict for the community.
“It's gone, end of the line...” 📍 Location: Dartmouth/Torcross
5 February: The Aftermath
This morning, the reality of the permanent landscape change set in. What was once a vital coastal link now ends in a jagged, 15-foot vertical drop where the highway once stood.
“Walked #Slapton Sands this morning and the devastation is hard to process...”
