observation station. observation RAF and arrow bombing Putsborough Database 2020 Database and Copyright Crown (c) data OS Contains landowners and do not trespass. not do and landowners Baggy Point Baggy path as shown on the map. Please respect neighbouring neighbouring respect Please map. the on shown as Upper path to to path Upper access Easier Footpath are requested to keep within the open access area, area, access open the within keep to requested are described in the leaflet are on private land. Walkers Walkers land. private on are leaflet the in described managed by the National Trust. Some of the features features the of Some Trust. National the by managed range Assault The walk follows a route on land owned and and owned land on route a follows walk The Bombing Amphibious splendid views of the coastline. the of views splendid along the length of the walk and these afford afford these and walk the of length the along A number of seating and rest points are provided provided are points rest and seating of number A training Pillbox assault Cliff Viewpoints Bay alternative route shown on the map. the on shown route alternative Baggy Point, but this can be avoided by following the the following by avoided be can this but Point, Baggy Croyde There is one exposed section of path near the end of of end the near path of section exposed one is There Croyde Toilets Parking after which the path begins to narrow and steepen. and narrow to begins path the which after After 600m there is a wheelchair accessible gate, gate, accessible wheelchair a is there 600m After LEGEND as far as Baggy Point, a distance of around a mile. mile. a around of distance a Point, Baggy as far as surfaced is path the direction, Sandleigh the From novice map reader will find route-finding easy. route-finding find will reader map novice Paths on Baggy Point are well-signed so even the the even so well-signed are Point Baggy on Paths ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION ACCESSIBILITY network of paths across the headland. the across paths of network Other route variations are possible as there are a a are there as possible are variations route Other ‘there and back’ walk will take around two hours. hours. two around take will walk back’ and ‘there two parking areas is approximately 3 miles, so a a so miles, 3 approximately is areas parking two South West Coast Path. The distance between the the between distance The Path. Coast West South the follows Point Baggy around path linear The Croydehoe Farm Croydehoe well-served with available parking, cafes and toilets. and cafes parking, available with well-served Baggy Point, and from Putsborough Sands. Both are are Both Sands. Putsborough from and Point, Baggy the walk - from the The National Trust car park at at park car Trust National The the from - walk the There are two possible start and finish points for for points finish and start possible two are There ROUTE DESCRIPTION ROUTE Putsborough Sands Putsborough THE FRIENDLY INVASION GETTING TO BAGGY POINT, CROYDE It’s hard to imagine this peaceful corner of Devon The nearest train station is Barnstaple. Once there Devon D-Day saw such explosive activity and so many secrets you can travel to Baggy Point by bus. Croyde, Ruda vital to the success of D-Day, 6th June 1944. Holiday Park, is the nearest stop via bus route 21A. Baggy Point The bus stop is about 5 minutes walk to Baggy It was arguably the American forces rather than Point car park. the British that have left their mark on this coastal landscape. 10,000 American soldiers were If travelling by car, follow A361 to Braunton, stationed along the coastline, from Westward Ho! take the Saunton Road B3231 to Croyde, then to Woolacombe. It was an area granted to them by follow brown signs to Baggy Point. Pay and display the British to establish the Assault Training Center. parking is available at the tea rooms and toilets (free to National Trust members). As World War II moved towards its final months, the soldiers trained on the beaches, estuaries For further information visit: and sand dunes. D-Day was to become the largest nationaltrust.org.uk/baggy-point amphibious invasion in military history. Baggy Point can also be accessed from Putsborough Soldiers stormed ashore at Woolacombe and Sands, where pay and display parking, cafe and Saunton with smoke, live explosives and ammunition toilets are available. recreating the confusion, sounds and smells of combat they would face on the beaches of For further information, see: Normandy. But today listen to the happy squeals of putsborough.com children splashing in the sea where once US army soldiers had pounded ashore to perfect their For a free download of the North Devon D-Day deadly art of war. Heritage Trail, visit: Although here for little more than a year, the northdevon-aonb.org.uk/coastalheritage/world-war- American presence changed this coastal landscape 2/d-day profoundly and had a big impact on those who lived in it. The legacy of their time here can be seen today among the scattered remains on this coastal walk, and from the splendid vantage point of Baggy. Richard Bass The Sign Maker Proof Courtesy of Mortehoe Museum (c) Historic England (c) ‘The Longest Day’ (1962) 20th Century Fox 115mm Plaque proof please tick where appropriate A. I have checked the detail of this proof and agree that you proceed ............. B. Having made alterations I require a further proof.............. C. Please alter where shown and proceed............. Signed. ............................................................................................... Date................................................ Comments .................................................................................................................... ..................................................................................................................... REMAINS VIEWS Image courtesy of Richard Bass CROYDE BAY BRAUNTON BURROWS The first landward view you will encounter if setting To the south of Croyde, views of the vast sand dune out from Sandleigh (or the last from Putsbrough system of Braunton Burrows opens up. During the Wellington bombers at RAF Chivenor practised bombing runs in Morte Bay. (c) IWM direction) is of Croyde Bay. war this whole area was made over for military training and was the epicentre of American activity. During World War II, Croyde was mainly used by AERIAL BOMBING RANGE the Americans to practise small beach landings. The southern end, nearest the estuary, was where troops and vehicles rehearsed launching from The small concrete building overlooking Look closely at the small cliff at the far end of ships and amphibious vessels. Other areas were Putsborough Sands is easy to spot and marks the beach and you may just about see a pillbox. designated for specialist training and for practising one of the two starting points for the walk. The Americans constructed a small number of and trialling weaponry. Much less obvious is another concrete structure, dummy pillboxes into the cliffs at Croyde, an arrow-shaped slab, laid in the ground nearby. but erosion of the soft cliffs has meant The remains of the replica concrete landing craft that only this one remains. that were used for military training can still be These are what remains of the Morte Bay Practice found among the dunes. Bombing Range, a facility that was used by the American personnel were stationed in Croyde Royal Air Force. at a large tented encampment. This was located in the land around the present day UNISON Bay The arrow was designed to be seen from the air Holiday Park, which can be seen in the distance MORTE BAY to help guide pilots towards a floating target out behind the dunes. On the northern side of Baggy Point are in the Bay. The concrete building next to it was an uninterrupted views across the bay to Morte Point. observation post. It was one of three located around Morte Bay from where the accuracy of the bombing Morte Point was used by the Americans for gunnery runs was recorded. practice. Ships cruising off Woolacombe Beach fired field guns at makeshift shoreline defences. During A variety of aircraft practised dive bombing the D-Day this provided additional firepower as troops targets, the most famous of which were the RAF stormed the Normandy beaches. Coastal Command, Vickers Wellington bombers. They were known to practise bombing using a Woolacombe, seen in the distance, became another special searchlight called a Leigh Light, which temporary American settlement with camps and was used to locate and attack surfaced German officers’ quarters. The Headquarters of the Assault submarines at night. Training Center was based here, located at the present day Woolacombe Bay Hotel. PRACTISE PILLBOXES POINTS OF INTEREST AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT Other remains of military activity on Baggy Point Putsborough and Woolacombe beaches were the are visible. Look closely and you’ll find a number of CLIFF ASSAULT TRAINING main areas where the Americans honed their skills isolated concrete structures. These are the remains Rock climbers can sometimes be seen at Baggy in seaborne invasion . Designated as the “Green” of practise fortifications that the Americans used Point and in preparation for D-Day, American and “Yellow” Beaches, all full-scale practise landing for D-Day training. soldiers scaled these cliffs too. operations took place here. In April 1944, the 29th Infantry Division “Rangers” moved from Bude in North Cornwall specifically for this purpose . Their training here was put into practice for a special mission; to capture the ‘Pointe du Hoc’ in Normandy. This was a fortified promontory cliff, the highest point between the Utah and Omaha invasion beaches in Normandy. Pointe du Hoc had in fact been bombed just before Photo of Landing craft accident at Woolacombe in which fourteen men lost the D-Day landing, after which the Germans removed their lives.