Slapton Ley National Nature Reserve covers 180 hectares. It is a conservation area of the highest grade, and important for its many habitats, which include the shingle ridge, open water, reed beds, marsh and woodland. The reserve is also the home of several rare species of plants and animals. Some, such as a bird called Cetti’s warbler and a plant called strapwort, are found almost nowhere else in Britain. Slapton Ley itself is the largest freshwater lake in south-west England. It is a habitat for many waterfowl. The lake contains many species of fish, including roach, rudd, perch, pike and eels.

Before the shingle ridge was formed, the landward side of the lake would have been the original coastline.

On the shingle ridge, the height of the plants and the diversity of species increases as you go from the shingle to the road, and this process continues on the far side of the road from the sea. On the bare shingle conditions are very harsh for plant growth, and species living there have to be specially adapted. They include plants like the yellow-horned poppy, sea spurge and sand couch grass. These are called ‘pioneers’. They have extensive roots, fleshy leaves to store water, and other adaptations. They help to stabilise the shingle, so that other species can grow.

On the top of the ridge before you get to the road there are many more species that can live on the thin soil, such as sea pinks, clover and rest harrow. On the other side of the road conditions are much better, with a deeper soil and some protection against wind and salt spray. Here more familiar plants grow, such as dandelions, knapweed, stinging nettles and herb Robert, and even some shrubs like gorse. Biologists call this gradual change in the plant communities a ‘succession’.