The Wild Side of the English Riviera

AppId is over the quota

Evidence of human activity in South Devon and in particular in the English Riviera resorts of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham is very obvious. What is less evident is how important this small area of Devon continues to be for wildlife.

An example of this is the Calcareous grasses which grow in several areas as a result of a Limestone outcrop in this particular part of Devon. Areas such as Walls Hill and Berry Head support rare species with glorious names such as White Rock Rose, Honewort and Small Hare's Ear. These particular plants are exceptional mainly because of their ability to grow with low levels of nutrients but even their greatest fans would concede that they may not be plants to set the pulse racing.

Given its very urban nature, it may be surprising but about 18% of the Torbay area is covered by woodland. The quality of it in terms of wildlife does vary considerably. 40 hectares out of 532 are classified as Ancient Woodland and so are the richest when it comes to bio diversity these ancient woods include Clennon Valley, Occombe Woods, Lupton Park and the Grove .

The Torbay area also supports some internationally important bird species. One particular success is the Cirl Bunting. Torbay alone now has 10-12% of the UK population of these little birds. By getting farmers to protect hedgerows and marginal land the population of Cirl Buntings has increased by 85% on farmed land. Torbay is a nationally important area for winter roosting bird species such as the Red-throated Diver, Black-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver, Great Crested Grebe, Red-necked Grebe, Slavonian Grebe, Black-necked Grebe and Common Scoter. It is also an important breeding site for the Common Guillemot colony at Berry Head (the largest such colony on the south coast) which requires minimal disturbance during the breeding season and is recognised through its designation as an Area of Special Protection. All of these species are listed under the UK Birds of Conservation Concern which means that they are species under threat at national or international levels.

Lovers of sea birds might be interested to know that the Living Coasts attraction has an extensive collection of sea birds in captivity giving visitors an opportunity to see some quite elusive birds at close quarters. However, a lot of visitors tend to focus on the penguins that do not naturally find their way to Torquay.

Torbay's coastline supports an incredible array of creatures including fish such as Cuckoo wrasse Pollack, bass, leopard-spotted goby, Devonshire cup coral, common lobsters and common spider crab. Sadly, many of these remain invisible to human eyes but visitors and residents can be lucky enough to see porpoises dolphins basking sharks and the occasional seal. This is especially the case in the summer months when boat operators run a full set of excursions enabling people to see the Bay at first hand.

Just as grass of national importance can be found on land, sea grasses of national importance can be found in the water These habitats develop in inter-tidal and shallow subtidal areas of sands and muds and are National and Regional Priority Habitats. In Torbay the most extensive areas are found at Torre Abbey Sands and Elberry Cove. They provide habitats for seahorses and breeding grounds for cuttlefish and other fish species as well as important feeding areas for wintering sea birds.

One further creature for whom the English Riviera is home is the Greater Horsehoe bat. A particularly important colony exists at Berry Head and work has been undertaken at this vitally important site to help it thrive. Simple measures such as allowing cattle and goats to graze do much to improve the habitat for these shy little creatures.

This natural and lesser known side to South Devon is easily accessed. Visitors can stay in one of the many excellent Guest Houses such as the Five Star Gold Award Somerville Hotel Torquay which was named South West Guest Accommodation of the Year for 2011.

The Somerville Hotel Torquay is ideally located in the very centre of Torquay and its car park means that guests can leave their vehicles behind and enjoy the natural wonders of the English Riviera on foot.

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