Slapton Sands & Cream Tea (Tour C)
Excursions
- 35 - 45
- 3.5 hours
- Limited capacity
- Easy
Leaving Dartmouth our coach will take us first along the coastal road where the twisting route passes through small villages and communities, overlooking sweeping vistas down to the beaches below. This is an area of great poignancy - Slapton Sands was chosen to conduct exercises in preparation for the Normandy landings. Slapton Sands was an unspoiled beach of coarse gravel, fronting a shallow lagoon that was backed by bluffs that resembled Omaha Beach. Early on April 28th 1945 a US convoy was attacked by nine German E-boats during an exercise. More than 700 American servicemen died. The controversy following this full-scale rehearsal and the large loss of life remains a contentious issue to this day. It is one of the great tragedies of World War II. It was also one of the military’s best kept secrets until it was revealed to the world almost 40 years later. Descending to the coast and the broad sweep of Slapton Sands, the poignant memories are recalled. We stop first at the obelisk style war memorial and then continue the short distance to Torcross; a storm battered yet pretty fishing village. Here stands a silent sentinel, a Sherman tank raised from the seabed in 1984 as a memorial to the D-Day Normandy Landings. We shall stop for photographs and a quiet reflection before continuing inland towards the market town of Kingsbridge and across the green and rural Devon countryside. Stopping a few miles from Dartmouth, we shall have time for a cream tea in relaxed surroundings. Complete with traditional clotted cream produced in the West Country this is truly a treat before we return to our awaiting ship. TOUR NOTES: There is a limited amount of walking on this tour – there are two photo stops during which passengers may remain on the coach if they prefer. The refreshment stop will include a short walk and a flight of stairs. There is a lift which is able to take a limited amount of passengers who can not manage the stairs. Please note that the total time spent on the coach will be approximately two hours. DESCRIPTION CORRECT FOR 2010 SCANDINAVIA & BALTIC SEASON
Snack or meal provided
Refreshments available
Free time
Shopping opportunity
Wheelchair access
Swimming opportunity
All prices are based on operating costs, tariffs and rates of exchange and are subject to change without notice.
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