Hartland Quay To Spekes Mill Sunset Devon
by Richard Brookes
Title
Hartland Quay To Spekes Mill Sunset Devon
Artist
Richard Brookes
Medium
Photograph
Description
Sunset approaches whilst heading south on the remote coastal path towards Speke's Mill Mouth from Hartland Quay. Sunlight reflects on the low tide which has revealed the incredible jagged fingers of rock and a wave cut platform. This is just part of some of the amazing geology found in this area near Hartland Quay, North Devon, SW England, UK.
Yellow gorse spring flowers carpet the massive sheer cliffs along this rugged and treacherous coast, notorious with shipping and famous for its history and tales of shipwrecks, smugglers and wreckers.
Nearby, St. Catherine's Tor resembles a small Half Dome of Yosemite in the US. The tor is in an area of world famous geology including massive folding and faulting and where the sea has eroded inland leaving hanging river valleys and waterfalls. The remnants of an old eroded river bed can be seen as the unusually flat grassy top to the rock promontory in the middle of this photo.
A medieval swannery, possibly linked with the monks at Hartland Abbey, was located inland at the base of the tor - the remains of a large dam can still be seen. Legend has it that St Catherine meditated for a while here and that a related chapel at the summit disappeared as the cliffs eroded. There are possible associations with St Nectan's hermitage and mention of remains of a Roman Villa nearby.
Uploaded
April 7th, 2023
Embed
Share