South Hams Society
For more information on any of the events below please contact Vivien Napper, 01548 842405, e-mail viv@rathlyn.eclipse.co.uk or Flo Stathers, 01548-857567, e-mail flostathers@hotmail.co.uk
Saturday 10th March - Beach Clean - West Charleton. Meet in Marsh Lane which leads to West Charleton Marsh at 11 am. LW is 13.22 which should allow us time to go round Wareham Point. Bring a picnic, but if the weather is very poor we could go to the Ashburton Arms. It's still a good time to see the winter migrants and Gordon Waterhouse is hoping to join us.
Saturday 21st April - Beach Clean - Soar Mill Cove. Meet at Soar Mill Hotel Car Park (behind the Hotel) at 11 a.m. Walk down to the beach where Vanessa of Soar Mill Seeds will join us to look at birds and other things of interest in this beautiful valley. The hotel very generously give volunteers refreshment which usually includes a superb cream tea! -even at lunchtime. LW is 13 01.
Saturday 5th May - Beach Clean - Gara Beach. Meet at the car park near Gara Hotel at 10 a.m. The cafe should be open by then, or bring a picnic. Mick Loates who is extremely knowledgeable on natural history, as you will know from his Nature Diaries in the Gazette, will lead us through some of the treasures to be found on the sea shore and surrounding area. LW is 12.11
Thursday 17th May - 10am - Visit to Langage Anaerobic Digestion Plant. A one-hour guided walk round this very modern plant, looking at the machinery and the operations involved and giving thought to whether more use could be made of AD in the South Hams. The process has a strong and distinctive but not unbearable smell, and you should wear old clothes. Numbers are strictly limited, so if you want to come please book a place with John Graham at churchhouse@gmail.com (If/when the event is fully booked this notice will be amended to say so.)
Saturday 21st July - Beach Clean - West Charleton. Meet in Marsh Lane near West Charleton Marsh at 2 p.m, or if you want to picnic beforehand meet up on the beach. It will be obvious where the group is. Gordon Waterhouse will lead a beach clean and bird watch, and the tide should be ideal. LW 14.18
Saturday 4th August - Beach Clean - Soar Mill Cove. Meet in the Soar Mill Hotel car park at 2 p.m. and walk down to the beach. Leave rubbish at the head of the beach and the National Trust will collect it. The hotel again offers a superb tea for volunteers and Vanessa or Colin from East Soar Seeds will join us. LW 14.22
Saturday 15th September - Beach Clean - Batson. Meet at Batson Green at 11 a.m. and clear the rubbish in the reeds. Leave tied up by the rubbish bin, than walk along the lane to Snapes Manor beach and along the foreshore and back. The beach below the house is a lovely hot spot for a picnic or Salcombe Coffee Shop offer free beverage to volunteers (but you do have to walk into Salcombe). Leave rubbish at the top of the beach for collection. LW 12.16
Saturday 13th October - Beach Clean - Gara Beach. Meet at the Car park near Gara Rock Hotel at 10 a.m. and walk down to the beach. The Cafe should still be open. It is still BST, so low water is 11 a.m.
Saturday 3rd November - Beach Clean - South Milton. Meet near the South Milton Beach Cafe at 2 p.m. and as before spread out along the beaches towards Thurlestone, bringing bags back to the rubbish bins by the beach cafe before enjoying a complementary beverage. LW 14.09
Saturday 1st December - Beach Clean - West Charleton. Meet in Marsh Lane at 2 p. m. and walk to West Charleton Marsh. This is a good time of year to see wading birds, but the tide may be too far out for really good sightings. LW is 13.20 so we will need to start the clean from the furthest point and work back towards the hide.
Suggestions for visits would be very welcome