Ralphs Surf Shop

05/07/2025

The Thatch Barn is having a roof revamp . Amazing watching the skill of the North Devon based Toby Rose thatchers. Here they are keeping the sun off with their Rip Curl sun hats from Ralph’s Surf Shop.

19/06/2025

This is Oscar, also back for his second summer. He prefers cake.

19/06/2025

This is Bill the blackbird back for his second summer, he likes insect pellets for his chicks.

14/05/2025

14/05/2025

We are enjoying the sun here at Ralph’s

23/02/2024

It is nearly spring so time for us to look for new employees to join the team for the season. We are looking for full time and part time colleagues. If you are interested send a message or pop into the shop or email us at [email protected]

05/04/2023

05/04/2023

This eggcase comes from the Blonde Ray/Skate (Raja brachyura) and is one of the larger eggcases more likely to be found around the British Isles. Present in the NE Atlantic from Norway to Morocco and the Mediterranean Sea. In the British Isles, the eggcases are more common on the southern and western coasts of the UK. It's conservation status is Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. This species is usually found in sandy areas.

The Blonde Ray/Skate eggcase has long upper horns, lateral keels running along the edges, and often has a distinctive pinch at the base of the upper horns. This eggcase can look similar to that of the Thornback Ray/Skate, but it tends to be larger (10-12 cm rather than 6-7 cm) and has longer upper horns.

📸 Bethan Cline

05/04/2023

The largest catshark eggcase found in British waters, this eggcase comes from a Nursehound (Scyliorhinus stellaris, also known as the Bull Huss or the Greater Spotted Dogfish).

This species is found in the Northeast Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea and is Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Nursehounds typically live in rocky areas and will swim around seaweed, sea fans etc. as eggcases are being laid, so the tendrils secure the capsule and stop it from floating away.

When soaked this eggcase measures between 8-10 cm, with thick, curly tendrils that extend from each corner and thick marginal walls. Nursehound eggcases might be confused with Smallspotted Catshark eggcases, but they are larger and much more robust!

📸Stefano Mariani

05/04/2023

Day one of 30 Days of Eggcases features one of the more common eggcases found here in the UK, this is the eggcase of a Spotted Ray/Skate (Raja montagui). This species is found along Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts and has an IUCN conservation status of Least Concern. This species is usually found in sandy areas and each female lays between 60-70 eggs!

The eggcase of the Spotted Ray/Skate is typically 5-6cm (excluding horns) when soaked, has medium-short thick horns at the top and bottom of the eggcase and no keels along the edges. These eggcases can be easily confused with those of the Undulate Ray/Skate due to being a similar size/shape and having an overlapping range.

📸 Hazel Watson

05/04/2023