Day 35
Salcombe to Stoke Fleming 16 miles
Started another day with a quick ferry ride across a tidal harbor, but within minutes we were once again under our own steam. Today was a bit of a throwback to summer as the temperatures got high enough where we just had to stop and take a swim! Passed some ancient field systems used agriculturally for over 3,500 years, along with the ‘hollow ways’ (protected enclosed pathway) utilized for bringing sea kelp to them for fertilizer. A fair bit or road walking toward Slapton Sands but some heavy World War II connections to the area as it was fundamental in preparations for the Normandy invasion.
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s The Americans trained at Slapton at a heavy cost. On the training exercise Tiger more GI’s were killed than on Utah Beach on D-Day. Forty years ago, when I walked this area a lot I met a number of returning veterans who looked back at it all as a nightmare. Until recent years no one dared to use chain saws on the trees because of the amount of lead from live firing exercises. The people of the South Hams, prior to D-Day left their villages to enable the training. Hard to believe all this when you see that quiet landscape now.
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It was sobering to ponder the historical picture when walking through. But very peaceful today thank god!
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Nature has healed. I hope it stays that way.
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Sounds a lovely day, bet the sea was warmer than the River Tavy was when I swum there on 2 Sept!
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It was a refreshing dip for certain! And good to get walking again after. 🙂
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