Post by Dave on Mar 26, 2019 17:52:09 GMT
Watcombe Beach 25th March 2019
On Monday 25th March 2019 after doing a photo shoot and walk from the Valley Of The Rocks to Madencombe, I finished off the afternoon taking a look at Watcombe Beach.
In my report about the Valley Of The Rocks I talked about how important that site was back in Victorian times. A favourite picnic spot and I am sure many after enjoying their picnic would have gone to the beach for a dip.
When did it all stop and when was it left for nature to take over? These are questions I do not have the answer too and I am not sure anyone living today has the answer either.
I fail to understand why I am now living in a time were so many things are left to rot and fall apart, why things that were once important no longer are. How did the councils of old do so well to look after Torbay and keep it looking at its very best?
It breaks so many locals’ hearts to see the state Oldway has been allowed to get in and even the Pavilion Building and it is only the residents of Torbay who really care enough.
If Torbay Council had its way we would not see the slipway on Paignton seafront being repaired and I do not think we will ever see the slipway on Meadfoot Beach repaired.
That would never have been the case in the past and so why should it be now? Well we are told the same old story there is no money for repairs. When something becomes lost it ends up being lost forever and becomes only memories for those still living.
In Torbay we have a good number of beaches and coves and many of them have never been touched by man. They look today much the same as they always have except being weathered by the sea etc.
Watcombe Beach would have been popular with smugglers due to its location, but when was the current concrete and stone structure built there? Was it the Victorians? or later?
Times have changed and we no longer see thousands of bucket and spade holiday makers and even locals no longer uses the beaches as they once did. Watcombe Beach and many others have had their hay days and they will never return.
I found it rather sad walking down to Watcombe Beach on Monday, even the road down to the beach from the car park has an air of abandonment as I cast my eyes on the old toilet block that closed years ago.
The beach café now all boarded up told its own story about this once popular beach along with the damaged sea wall and walkway. But put your back to all that and you soon see the real beauty before your eyes that not even man can destroy.
What makes me mad is that man decides to build something and then when it is no longer really needed or to expensive to maintain, just abandons it. We should not be leaving such ugly scares in our natural locations such as this beach and also Redgate Beach.
Both should be cleared of the concrete that was put there and let nature fully take them back. Watcombe Beach reminds me a lot of Churston Cove near Brixham, but that cove is natural an untouched.
Over time Watcombe beach will become an even bigger eyesore if it is left in the state it is in now, we have a duty to stop that happening.
A small Video from my visit yesterday