Monday, March 15, 2010

Fullabrook Down Wind Power Station



















This photo was taken on Saturday from Burland Lane on the Fullabrook Down hills. You can see that some work on the wind farm has started, and the lines of raised earth and posts mark a turbine position. Dartmoor was visible in the distance (unfortunately not as visible in the photograph which was taken facing into the sun).
It was a most beautiful day, and - with the contractors gone for the moment - the hills were peaceful and silent, save for the sound of birdsong, and the bleating of lambs and ewes in the distance. I took a bus out to Milltown and then walked for several hours along the small roads that link hamlets such as Patsford and Whitehall. There was so little traffic that until I came back to the outskirts of Barnstaple I was passed by no more than two cars. This is indeed one of the quietest areas of North Devon, and its rare tranquility should have been treasured, not marked down for destruction.

You can see photographs from more walks around the area here.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The first two wind turines are up. I used to think that I lived in the most beautiful place on earth, and now, as i see these ugly monsters glaring in the sun as an ugly protrusion from the hilltop I know that I am slowly watching its ruin. As many things about this country change for the worse, I always thought I would find comfort in this one unspoilt corner of England that I can fortunately call my own. But not for much longer it seems. And for what benefit? I'll bet these turbines prove to be as useless as the people that made the decision to put them there, and certainly any environmental benefit they might bring (haha) will never outweigh the environmental damage their erection has and will continue to cause.