When we were out last Sunday 10 Tors training we drove (several times!) down the long narrow road to Holming Beam near Princetown. It reminded me of January / February 2014 when four large storms hit the southwest – they were named Hercules, Take 2, Bridget and Strike 4.
Here are the wave maps for Hercules and Take 2
One of these storms, either Bridget or Strike 4 caused the destruction of the thin conifer plantation running beside the road to Holming Beam.
If I had videoed the scene from the minibus window as we drove down the road it would have lasted over 30 seconds.
What is most interesting is that the woodland that was flattened was a conifer plantation – further down the road the woodland becomes deciduous and even though that woodland is more exposed that woodland lost far fewer trees.