Slapton Sands

This remarkable three-mile stretch of shingle beach backed by the unique Slapton Ley, England's largest natural freshwater lake, creates a fascinating dual landscape where marine and freshwater environments exist side by side, separated only by a narrow ridge of storm-deposited pebbles that has formed over thousands of years. Rich in World War II history as the location of Exercise Tiger, the tragic D-Day rehearsal that cost hundreds of American lives in 1944, the beach features a moving Sherman tank memorial and information boards that commemorate this largely forgotten chapter of wartime history. The freshwater lake behind the beach serves as a National Nature Reserve renowned for excellent birdwatching, where visitors can spot kingfishers, great crested grebes, water rails, and numerous migrant species, while the diverse aquatic plant life supports populations of otters, grass snakes, and rare invertebrates. The beach itself offers excellent sea fishing for bass, mackerel, and flatfish, while the shingle composition makes it less suitable for traditional beach activities but perfect for fossil hunting, beachcombing, and contemplating the complex interplay between human history and natural forces, with the nearby Field Study Centre providing educational programs that explore both the area's ecological significance and its poignant wartime legacy.