Slapton Ley

A view across Slapton Ley from Stokenham, near Torcross

Slapton Ley is a lake on the south coast of Devon, England, separated from Start Bay by a shingle beach, known as Slapton Sands.

Slapton Ley is the largest natural freshwater lake in south-west England being 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long and has two sections; the Lower Ley and the Higher Ley.[1][2] The ley is fed by streams and a small river, The Gara, that flows into the Higher Ley. The site is a National Nature Reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Geological Conservation Review site.[3] The nature reserve covers over 200 hectares (490 acres).[4][2]

The A379 between the Ley and the sea runs along the shingle ridge and was rebuilt after damage by coastal erosion in the early 2000s.[4]

  1. ^ "Slapton Ley". Field Studies Council. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Slapton Ley". Devon Birds. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  3. ^ May, V J; Hansom, J D (2003). Coastal Geomorphology of Great Britain - Slapton Sands. Peterborough: JNCC. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Slapton Ley - a wildlife wonder". BBC. Retrieved 14 August 2016.