Landscape Character Types

View north-east from Welcombe Mouth Bay.

Summary description

This Landscape Character Type (LCT) comprises the sparsely settled combes carving through the North Devon Coast Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in Torridge District. It is also part of the Hartland Heritage Coast.

Link to Devon Character Areas

DCA 3: Bideford Bay Coast

DCA 31: Hartland Peninsula

Key characteristics

• Narrow, steep-sided valley landforms stretching inland from the coast, lined by fast-flowing streams.
• Sandstone bedrock geology of the Crackington (and Bude) formations.
• Varying field patterns - elongated medieval or post-medieval field patterns characterising the wider valley bottoms, often enclosed by post-and-wire fencing and surrounding woodland, whilst the edges of modern or medieval fields on upper slopes are often bound by thick Devon hedges.
• Rough pasture predominates along the valley bottoms, with rough grazing land on the valley sides in between woodland. Both pasture and arable fields occasionally overlap onto the upper slopes.
• Rich variety of semi-natural habitats, including ancient oak-dominated woodland, wet woodland, unimproved grassland (including Culm grasslands), and areas of maritime scrub, grassland and heath towards the coast.
• Coastal Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Special Areas of Conservation extend into the combes. A number of County Wildlife Sites also reflect the presence of valued habitats.
• Historic features such as stone-built mills, lime kilns and quays reflect the area's industrial past. Many are listed buildings.
• Sparsely settled, with small groups of dwellings and historic hamlets (including a Conservation Area) of local stone and whitewash with slate and sometimes thatched roofs, often sited at stream crossing points.
• Limited access, with minor roads generally crossing valleys and only occasionally along them, whilst footpaths and bridleways snake alongside streams. The South West Coast Path follows the coastal edges of the combes.
• Spectacular views to the sea and dramatic coastal cliffs afforded through gaps in tree cover, and where the combes open out towards the coast.
• High levels of tranquillity - often the only sounds being birdsong, the fast-flowing combe streams, and the distant roar of the sea.

View north-west from Stoke village across wooded coastal combe to farms on the opposite ridgeline (within LCT 1B).

Valued landscape attributes

• Secluded, intimate and small-scale landscapes.
• Contrast between sheltered woodlands and open vistas framed by the sea.
• Ancient woodland and rich biodiversity shaped by salt-laden winds.
• 'Olde worlde' village charm and a strong historic sense of place.

View west towards sea at Speke's Mill Mouth from The South West Coast Path.

Management guidelines

Protect

Protect sites designated for their biodiversity value, particularly the relatively rare coastal habitats and sites.

Manage

Manage and enhance the combes' ancient oak woodlands through traditional techniques such as coppicing and a programme of invasive species removal.

Control access by livestock, promoting natural regeneration to enhance longevity whilst using extensive grazing to promote the species diversity of woodland ground flora.

Manage nationally important coastal habitats, including coastal heath and maritime grasslands, through supporting a continuation of extensive grazing at appropriate levels.

Manage and extend areas of wet woodland and wet meadows through appropriate grazing and traditional land management regimes - both to enhance their wildlife value and functions in water regulation.

Plan

Plan for the future of ancient/broadleaved woodlands (managing them to incorporate climate-hardy species) and other semi-natural habitats such as Culm grasslands and maritime heath, particularly to account for habitat / species migration due to future climate change.

Take a landscape-led response to the UK-wide policy drive for increased tree and woodland planting, implementing the Devon Local Nature Partnership's 'Right Place, Right Tree' principles to create a balance of climate-resilient native species appropriate to the local landscape.

Restore and develop interconnected nature recovery networks of coastal habitats and the woodlands and grasslands which extend inland.

LCT 4D Coastal Slopes & Combes (PDF, 1 MB)