Post by Dave on Jul 16, 2019 12:48:36 GMT
Hollicombe & Preston Beach 16th July 2019
After having the whole week off work last week I went in yesterday and found out I was given today as my day off this week. While I would have much preferred maybe Thursday off (Friday and Saturdays never happen) with the weather still very grand, I just knew I would have to go out and do a photo shoot.
I had a place in mind to fly the drone and it turned out the perfect spot and as I had taken my camera with me as well, I decided to do a walk around afterwards. No problems with any seagulls today, but some small birds up very high strangely took an interest in the drone.
I have lived in Torbay most of my life, but I was born in Newton Abbot and grew up there, my family have lived in Newton for many generations and I once traced them back to the late 1600’s . As a child growing up in Newton coming to the Bay was always a real treat and one that mostly happened on Bank Holidays.
Back then the gas works at Hollicombe were fully working and you always had to remember to wind the car windows up as the stink was horrendous. I often wondered what holiday makers must have felt after driving along Torquay seafront on their way to Paignton and coming across the gas works.
The site was closed in the mid 1970's and eventually became gardens with circular ponds which are now empty and have been filled in taking the place of the two gas holders. The last gas holder on the other side of the main road and the largest one was demolished in 2003. Was Hollicombe Beach open to the public when the gas works were there? I would love to find out the answer.
Recently large rocks were placed around Hollicombe Beach to help protect the cliffs, at one end part of the cliff has had netting put on it to help to stabilize it. It is still a very attractive location and the old gas works site is now a lovely grassed open space and smell free. It was a shame to ponds ended up getting filled in, I remember them well, but I think they kept leaking.
I am also sure there was once a play park on the site, what happened to that I wonder? But it was nice to see the whole area has been well kept and the grass cut and some nice trees and plants around the site.
After getting the shots I wanted I wondered back along Preston Beach as the car was parked on the main road. I took a number of shots along the way as I can never get tired of taking photos in and around Torbay.
