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View Full Version : Archived: Rock Walk/Royal Terrace Gardens | Torquay, Devon | 07/09/10



TQexplorer
08-09-2010, 12:59 AM
Royal Terrace Gardens or Rock Walk as it's known locally, is the series of paths zig-zagging their way up the cliff face overlooking Torquay's main beach. Opened in the late 1800's, it was closed in early 2008 due to instability issues with the cliff face. The road below was made single lane to minimise danger, and over £3 million has been spent making it safe and installing new paths.
Due to open in July this year, it's a bit behind schedule now, so I had a little mooch around to check the progress ...and used the excuse to try out the functions of my new camera in low light - not as good as I'd hoped, but worth sharing for anyone interested.

ThisIsSouthDevon.co.uk (http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/news/ROCK-WALK-DELAYS/article-2578798-detail/article.html)

BAD weather has again delayed the opening of Torquay's flagship Rock Walk makeover.
The finishing touches to the ambitious £3million scheme have also proved more complicated and time-consuming than expected, so the gardens will not now reopen fully until October.
Originally they had been scheduled to open at the end of July.
Then ground investigations found that more piling was needed because of unexpected hollows in the rock face to enable the purpose-built concrete staircase up the cliff to be constructed.

Top path...
http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af312/TQexplorer/rock%20walk/barrow.jpg

New Pillars, just waiting for the Mayor, his scissors and red ribbon...
http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af312/TQexplorer/rock%20walk/pillars.jpg

New steps overlooking the marina...
http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af312/TQexplorer/rock%20walk/steps_scaff.jpg

Not quite past the scaff-plank stage here yet...
http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af312/TQexplorer/rock%20walk/planks.jpg

Paignton across the bay with Torquay Pier on left...
http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af312/TQexplorer/rock%20walk/scaff_pier.jpg

Hi Flyer Balloon ride in center, Torquay's 2nd moon...
http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af312/TQexplorer/rock%20walk/gen_balloon.jpg

Sleepy extendable hire crane waiting for a busy day tomorrow...
http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af312/TQexplorer/rock%20walk/crane.jpg

...it's not gonna be like the old Rock Walk, it'll be completely different, but the paths do follow pretty much the same direction as the old ones. It's almost sad in a way though because I kind'v liked the oddball types you could meet on an evening here, with the shady parts, growling drunks and the dangerous wooden bridge etc.

This really will be a tourist beacon path with LED lighting on the steps and everything else thats provided for the happy holidaymakers...wonder when the date is set for the council CCTV cam's to be fitted :lol:

Cheers for looking this far!

TQexplorer
16-09-2010, 10:09 PM
Red ribbon? Pink more like!! :gay

Rock Walk is where I got jumped by a pleb that couldn't handle his beer! Went up into Rock Walk to go for a piss, jumped back down & there was this wannabe wideboy with his mates who thought it fun to punch me in the face in a totally unprovoked attacked chipping my front tooth!!
After that I got pissed off with going out around Torquay so stopped going out on the piss!

Gutted for ya fella, probably one of the many lovely holiday groups on a stag weekend, pissed off coz they didn't get a shag, but hey, its Torbados and I still love living here, warts n all...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mawObchMnCE

...for the benefit of anyone out of the area, the elected mayor here only got in with the gay vote, hence pink ribbon not red :lol: