# Berry Head



## sg1psychopath (Jul 17, 2007)

Hi everyone, haven't posted much, but took a trip to Berry Head in Brixham, Devon over the weekend. Once I've got them sorted I wondered if anyone wanted to see pictures of the two derelict forts and the ROC post that's up there?

Thought I'd ask before I went to the trouble of explaining the history of the site and putting the photos up here. Just in case people had already done it and I couldn't see it on the forum, or it isn't the sort of thing to post here...

Bekki


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## krela (Jul 17, 2007)

Sounds great, post it up


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## Foxylady (Jul 17, 2007)

sg1psychopath said:


> I wondered if anyone wanted to see pictures of the two derelict forts and the ROC post that's up there?



Hi Bekki
Yes please! Just googled Berry Head and the forts sound really interesting (lovely place, too). Look forward to your pics and report. 

Cheers
Foxy


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## King Al (Jul 18, 2007)

Again YES


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## sg1psychopath (Jul 18, 2007)

Thank you all for your positive replies! As well as Berry Head I went to the Battery Grounds which are also in Brixham, but haven't included them here because I only took 2 pictures (yes, I'm silly). Sorry this is going to be a very long post! Also sorry about picture quality, I'm not exactly a photographer! I didn't get as many pictures as I want unfortunately, so it's a good excuse to go back there yet again.

The history of Berry Head is quite extensive, so if you want to know more, try http://www.torbytes.co.uk/op/tm7/lv2/item1400.htm although this is by no means the only thing out there. I'm hoping to create a section of my own website about Berry Head as I find it all very interesting, and have visited Brixham all my life. I'll keep you up to date if I ever get this done! Also, sorry there aren't any pictures of the forts overall, or the entrances. I was being a bit silly when I was taking the photos. I'll see if I can find any old pictures I took when I used to go there but I'm not promising. If not I'm afraid it'll have to wait till I go back again.

I'll start in the South Fort. Unfortunately the sign posts saying what each of these buildings are weren't there, so I'll put what I was told when I was a child. This may be wrong though, so sorry about that.

This is (I think) the ammo store.






And this is a building in front of it, and I'm not sure what it is. Not much left of it either!





The ammo store with the fort wall behind it.





The two surviving end walls of the kitchen, with the fort wall behind and a lookout post to the left.





The two kitchen walls a bit closer.





A fireplace in the kitchen wall.





The main fort wall and view looking back towards St Mary's Bay.





Finally, more of the view, the outer wall, and one of the walls of the kitchen.





Now we're moving on to the North Fort.

First, the outside of the ROC post with the coastguard station in the background.





The aircraft lookout. No door in this one, and it looked like it had been reinforced as it was falling down.





An old building, not sure what it was.





A lookout, some view, and the edge of what is now the costguard station.





The edge of another wall that I don't know what it belonged to.





The coastguard station, lookout, a bit of the lighthouse, and a bit of a building that's been renovated to be used for information (unfortunately closed).





The coastguard station.





The lighthouse.





A view of the North Fort from the exit of the South Fort.





A lookout down in the quarry.





A view of the North Fort from the quarry. (Can't get inside the main part of the quarry though). Notice how close the edge of the fort is to the quarry.





A view of the North Fort and the quarry.





More of the North Fort and the quarry.





Derelict buildings too dangerously close to the edge to reach.





I hope this was ok, and wasn't too long. Never posted a report before! I'll let everyone know if/when I get the Berry Head section of my site up and running.

Thanks, Bekki


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## sg1psychopath (Jul 18, 2007)

Oops I forgot to mention, there's a couple of cannons up there too, in the North Fort but didn't get pictures of them, sorry about that. Think I've got one of me sat on one when I was a kid, but don't know where it is, and don't really want to post that!

Bekki


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## Foxylady (Jul 18, 2007)

That was great, Bekki, thanks for that.
That place looks superb; loads to see, even a quarry!  I was reading that on Berry Head there are 8 different kinds of wild orchid. 
Is it reachable by foot from Brixham, do you know? Torbay's not too difficult for me to get to by bus and I'd rather like to visit. 
Look forward to seeing your website very much.

Cheers
Foxy


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## sg1psychopath (Jul 18, 2007)

Thanks I'm glad you like!

Yep you can get there on foot pretty easily as long as you don't mind cars. (I don't have a car, so...). There's a couple of ways, but I personally prefer the scenic route. If you want exact routes, email me or pm me or something as I'd be happy to help. I know my way round pretty well as I used to visit a lot. If you want a bit of peace up there I suggest you go when the weather's not perfect as the tourists love the place. Hardly anyone there when we went and it was misty rain, and a bit of wind.

I've seen some of the wild orchids (my mum loves flowers) and they are really amazing. The flowers are over now unfortunately. The quarry is also home to rare bats and common ones, and if you get up the top of the quarry at dusk (bring a torch, there aren't any lights!!!!) they fly right over you, quite an amazing experience.

Berry Head (and Brixham) is an amazing place and I really wish I lived nearer. I hadn't been for around 5 years and going again made me fall in love with it all over again.


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## Foxylady (Jul 18, 2007)

I've definitely got to visit now. In fact I might even push the boat out and stay overnight so I can see the bats. I'll pm you for directions, etc, (soon as I'm ready to visit...and got some dosh! )

Thanks again.
Foxy


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## sg1psychopath (Jul 18, 2007)

I know a good place to stay too, and it isn't too expensive, but there's loads of places round there, I'm sure you can find one lol.

Well, if you are visiting because of what I said, I really hope you don't get there and get let down! Anyway, I'll await your pm!

Bekki


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## Foxylady (Jul 18, 2007)

sg1psychopath said:


> I know a good place to stay too, and it isn't too expensive, but there's loads of places round there, I'm sure you can find one lol.



Excellent! I'll give you a pm soon. Don't worry, I won't be let down, as from your pics and report there's loads there to interest me. I'm also fanatic about nature, so I'll be very happy just for that alone as well as all the other stuff.
If you'd like to see pics of another special place (imo  ), there's a report in the archived Offtopic Chat of Goat Island. Nothing urbex-wise (apart from a gardener's hut!  ), but gorgeous to visit.

Foxy


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## sg1psychopath (Jul 18, 2007)

Certainly no problem finding nature there. Badgers, foxes, bats, all sorts of plants, rare bird coloneys etc etc...

Cool I'll take a look thanks!

Bekki


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## King Al (Jul 19, 2007)

Cheers sg1psychopath, looks like a realy intresting place do you know if the ROC post is still accsesable


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## sg1psychopath (Jul 19, 2007)

The ROC post is all locked up but as far as I know it's all intact down there. If you contact the right people they might open it for you. It used to be fenced off but it isn't anymore, so you never know, they could be helpful! If they are can you let me know as I'd like to have a look down there too. I've only recently found out what it was, and it used to intrigue me every time I went there.

Bekki


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## jas (Jul 25, 2007)

Hi 
Cheers for showing the photos, nice one.
Just wondering if that was a ghost in the 7th picture, the one of the main fort wall looking towards st Marys bay? It looks like its doing a little dance.
JAS


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## sg1psychopath (Jul 25, 2007)

No not a ghost. Never seen any of them up there. It's my boyfriend, blanked out. I suppose it does look a bit like he's doing a dance!

Bekki


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## Foxylady (Jul 25, 2007)

sg1psychopath said:


> It's my boyfriend, blanked out. I suppose it does look a bit like he's doing a dance.



      

I thought it was a shrub or small tree!


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## Lightbuoy (Jul 25, 2007)

Thanks for these photos -a facinating collection of various buildings / structures. Must say though -that Lighthouse doesn't look very high? Is it high up on a cliff? Thanks again 

Lb


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## sg1psychopath (Jul 25, 2007)

Glad you like the pics 

That lighthouse is a bit special. It's said to be the smallest/shortest (it really is quite tiny) yet the highest (it's very high on the cliff) in Britain! Quite something really. If you look on the last but 2 pic, you can see the coastguard station on the cliff, and the lighthouse is just to the left of that, to give you some idea of the height. When you're down in the quarry looking up, or on the top looking down (be very careful if you try that, the edge isn't safe) you can appreciate just how high it is. If you want more info about height, size etc. Take a look at http://www.trinityhouse.co.uk/interactive/gallery/berry_head.html

Bekki


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## Lightbuoy (Jul 25, 2007)

Ahh, I can see that now. Thanks for the additional info 
You learn something new each day on this Forum!

Lb


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## jas (Jul 26, 2007)

sg1psychopath said:


> No not a ghost. Never seen any of them up there. It's my boyfriend, blanked out. I suppose it does look a bit like he's doing a dance!
> 
> Bekki



Sorry
Thanks again for the pics and the info
JAS


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## graybags (Jul 30, 2007)

One of the guns, Went today after visiting Berry Pomeroy Castle


Camera ran out of battery just as we got down to the Battery by the quarry

More pics later

G


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## graybags (Aug 5, 2007)

The impressive battery entrance at Harding's Point







G


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## Foxylady (Aug 5, 2007)

That's amazing, GB. Not your common or garden emplacement, methinks! 
Like the cannon pic, too.

Cheers
Foxy


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## Lightbuoy (Aug 8, 2007)

That looks interesting GB -thanks for posting these here 
There's a bit of irony that you run out of battery as you went into one!!
But seriously, that's soooooo annoying when the batts die on you unexpectedly!!!
Thanks again.

Lb


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## graybags (Aug 11, 2007)

Thanks for the comments guys

have a look at this which I knocked up earlier





G


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## Foxylady (Aug 11, 2007)

Ta for that Gb. 
I plan to get down there at some time in the future so that'll come in useful. It's interesting, too, to see where everything is in relation to one another.

Cheers
Foxy


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## Lightbuoy (Aug 13, 2007)

Cool overhead -ta GB 
Must made it a nice easy explore when lots of different sites are all in a fairly compact area.

Lb


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## King Al (Aug 13, 2007)

Great map graybags, now you just got to do the rest of the UK


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## graybags (Aug 14, 2007)

Thanks chaps

am working on specific sites as we speak

watch this space

G


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