Berry Head
Encyclopedia
Berry Head is a coastal headland at the southern end of Torbay
, to the southeast of Brixham
, Devon
, England
.
is a haven for several nationally rare and threatened species which are dependent upon the thin limestone soils, mild climate and exposed conditions of the headland.
The coastal cliffs here are home to a seabird colony, including Guillemot
s, Razorbill
s and Black-legged Kittiwake
s. Several rare vagrant birds have occurred here, including a long-staying Gyrfalcon
in 1986.
The guillemot colony on the cliffs below the Southern Fort is one of the largest on England's south coast and can be closely watched live on CCTV in the Visitor Centre. Berry Head also acts as an important staging post for migrant birds; and is home to a significant number of Cirl Bunting
s.
The site is one of only two locations in Great Britain
at which the white rock-rose
, small hare’s ear and small restharrow occurs. Spring gentian
, honewort
, and goldilocks aster are also dependent upon the thin soils, mild climate and exposed conditions of the headland.
Caves at Berry Head are home to the endangered Greater Horseshoe Bat
. A small herd of North Devon cattle
has been introduced to the headland to produce the cow pats that attract dung beetles on which young bats are particularly dependent for food.
hill fort
which was mostly destroyed by the construction between 1794 and 1804 of extensive fortifications to protect the Torbay naval anchorage against threatened invasion by French armies
.
The former artillery
house now houses a public display, featuring details about the history of the area, its wildlife and how it became an important strategic point.
in 1921, and was modernised in 1994 since when it has run on mains electricity. The light has a range of 14 nautical miles (25.9 km), giving a double white flash every 15 seconds.
Berry Head is reputedly the shortest lighthouse in Great Britain, but also one of the highest, being only five metres tall, but 58 metres above mean sea level. It was also said to be the deepest because the optic was originally turned by a weight falling down a 45 metre deep shaft, though an electric motor is now used.
Semaphore signalling apparatus was on Berry Head before 1875 and acted as the Lloyds' Signal Station for Torbay.
/DME
Beacon used for air traffic control
.
Torbay
Torbay is an east-facing bay and natural harbour, at the western most end of Lyme Bay in the south-west of England, situated roughly midway between the cities of Exeter and Plymouth. Part of the ceremonial county of Devon, Torbay was made a unitary authority on 1 April 1998...
, to the southeast of Brixham
Brixham
Brixham is a small fishing town and civil parish in the county of Devon, in the south-west of England. Brixham is at the southern end of Torbay, across the bay from Torquay, and is a fishing port. Fishing and tourism are its major industries. At the time of the 2001 census it had a population of...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
National Nature Reserve
Berry Head to Sharkham PointSharkham Point
thumb|Sharkham Point.Sharkham Point is a headland located close to the Devon fishing town of Brixham. It overlooks St. Mary's Bay and is a short walk away from Berry Head Country Park. This stretch was originally the Coastguard Walk along which the coastguards regularly patrolled. At St...
is a haven for several nationally rare and threatened species which are dependent upon the thin limestone soils, mild climate and exposed conditions of the headland.
The coastal cliffs here are home to a seabird colony, including Guillemot
Guillemot
Guillemots is the common name for several species of seabird in the auk family . In British use, the term comprises two genera: Uria and Cepphus. In North America the Uria species are called "murres" and only the Cepphus species are called "guillemots"...
s, Razorbill
Razorbill
The Razorbill is colonial seabird that will only come to land in order to breed. It is the largest living member of the Auk family. This agile bird will choose only one partner for life and females will lay one egg per year. Razorbills will nest along coastal cliffs in enclosed or slightly exposed...
s and Black-legged Kittiwake
Black-legged Kittiwake
The Black-legged Kittiwake is a seabird species in the gull family Laridae.This species was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema naturae in 1758 as Larus tridactylus....
s. Several rare vagrant birds have occurred here, including a long-staying Gyrfalcon
Gyrfalcon
The Gyrfalcon — Falco rusticolus — is the largest of the falcon species. The Gyrfalcon breeds on Arctic coasts and the islands of North America, Europe, and Asia. It is mainly resident there also, but some Gyrfalcons disperse more widely after the breeding season, or in winter.Individual vagrancy...
in 1986.
The guillemot colony on the cliffs below the Southern Fort is one of the largest on England's south coast and can be closely watched live on CCTV in the Visitor Centre. Berry Head also acts as an important staging post for migrant birds; and is home to a significant number of Cirl Bunting
Cirl Bunting
The Cirl Bunting , Emberiza cirlus, is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae....
s.
The site is one of only two locations in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
at which the white rock-rose
Helianthemum apenninum
Helianthemum apenninum, the white rock-rose, is a white-flowering rock rose found in dry grassy and rocky places across large parts of Europe....
, small hare’s ear and small restharrow occurs. Spring gentian
Spring Gentian
The Spring Gentian is a species of the genus Gentiana and one of its smallest members, normally only growing to a height of a few centimetres.The short stem supports up to three opposing pairs of elliptical or lanceolate leaves...
, honewort
Wort plants
This is an alphabetical listing of wort plants, meaning plants that employ the syllable wort in their English-language common names.According to the Oxford English Dictionary's Ask Oxford site, "A word with the suffix -wort is often very old. The Old English word was wyrt, from German origins that...
, and goldilocks aster are also dependent upon the thin soils, mild climate and exposed conditions of the headland.
Caves at Berry Head are home to the endangered Greater Horseshoe Bat
Greater Horseshoe Bat
The Greater Horseshoe Bat is a European bat of the Rhinolophus genus. Its distribution covers Europe, Africa, South Asia and Australia. It is the largest of the European Horseshoe Bats and is thus easily distinguished from other species...
. A small herd of North Devon cattle
North Devon cattle
The Devon is a breed of cattle from the south west of England. It is a rich red colour, and this gives rise to the popular nicknames of Devon Ruby or Red Ruby...
has been introduced to the headland to produce the cow pats that attract dung beetles on which young bats are particularly dependent for food.
Fortifications
Berry Head is the site of an Iron AgeIron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
hill fort
Hill fort
A hill fort is a type of earthworks used as a fortified refuge or defended settlement, located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typically European and of the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some were used in the post-Roman period...
which was mostly destroyed by the construction between 1794 and 1804 of extensive fortifications to protect the Torbay naval anchorage against threatened invasion by French armies
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
.
The former artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
house now houses a public display, featuring details about the history of the area, its wildlife and how it became an important strategic point.
Outward Bound
During the late 1960s, the Outward Bound School at Ashburton used Berry Head for cliff rescue practice. A simulated casualty and rescuer would be lowered over the cliff in a wheeled stretcher on a thick rope held by other students. This was more a test of teamwork and confidence than a serious rescue technique. The students would have been between 15 and 18 years old.Lighthouse
The lighthouse at the end of the headland was built in 1906. It was automated and converted to run on acetyleneAcetylene
Acetylene is the chemical compound with the formula C2H2. It is a hydrocarbon and the simplest alkyne. This colorless gas is widely used as a fuel and a chemical building block. It is unstable in pure form and thus is usually handled as a solution.As an alkyne, acetylene is unsaturated because...
in 1921, and was modernised in 1994 since when it has run on mains electricity. The light has a range of 14 nautical miles (25.9 km), giving a double white flash every 15 seconds.
Berry Head is reputedly the shortest lighthouse in Great Britain, but also one of the highest, being only five metres tall, but 58 metres above mean sea level. It was also said to be the deepest because the optic was originally turned by a weight falling down a 45 metre deep shaft, though an electric motor is now used.
Semaphore signalling apparatus was on Berry Head before 1875 and acted as the Lloyds' Signal Station for Torbay.
Radio Navigation Beacon
Berry Head also has a VORVHF omnidirectional range
VOR, short for VHF omnidirectional radio range, is a type of radio navigation system for aircraft. A VOR ground station broadcasts a VHF radio composite signal including the station's identifier, voice , and navigation signal. The identifier is typically a two- or three-letter string in Morse code...
/DME
Distance Measuring Equipment
Distance measuring equipment is a transponder-based radio navigation technology that measures distance by timing the propagation delay of VHF or UHF radio signals....
Beacon used for air traffic control
Air traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
.