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Exe Estuary views from Topsham. Topsham is great for specialist shopping!
Exe Estuary life from the past mural at Topsham
Exe Estuary views from La Ronde house, near Exmouth
Shipwrek figurehead at the superb Topsham Museum on the Exe EstuaryDevon Estuaries Dartmoor Exmoor Devon Nature Reserves Devon UK
Devon is quite simply a haven for wildlife, and bird watching holidays in Devon are certainly on the menu. Devon has two glorious moorland National Parks, Dartmoor and a small section of Exmoor is also in Devon. Devon estuaries can be found both north, and south with the Exe Estuary and Salcombe Estuary.
The great natural outdoors of Devon is just waiting to be discovered at several Nature and Conservation Parks. Check out Dawlish Warren spit, take a trip over to magical Lundy Island just off the North Coast from Ilfracombe or view the many birds from a boat trip around the Exe Estuary.
The Exe Estuary
The Exe Estuary is an area of supreme natural beauty, inhabited by an array of wildlife including migrating birds. Why is the Exe estuary such a haven and habitat for birds. Well, the Exe has extensive salt marshes, reedbeds and enormous mudflats and sandbanks which provide an essential feeding ground and habitat for both birds and plant life. The mudflats are crammed with tasty microscopic worms and marine worms, lots of lovely food to over 20,000 birds. Estuaries are also essential protection against floods and serve as buffers. The Exe is also an important source for mussels, oysters and rich in fish such as bass.
At the mouth of the Exe Estuary is the Dawlish Warren Sand spit, very popular particularly during the summer months with holiday makers to Devon. There's a scattering of Devon holiday entertainment in this area, including holiday parks, go-karts, arcades and shops. In winter, many migratory birds stop here, on route from the Arctic and Northern Europe. The Topsham Circular Walk is well worth doing (only 2 miles, 3kms, taking about 1 hour). This walk takes you through various little villages, one of which is beautiful Starcross on the Western side of the estuary. Charming narrow village streets and quaint cottages greet you here, and you can catch a ferry to Exmouth across the Exe Estuary if you've had enough of the walking. Check out the Brunel Tower in Starcross, an old pumphouse still standing which once served this section of the Great Western Railway designed by none other than Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
Salcombe & Salcombe Estuary
Salcombe, sitting as it does on the glorious South Hams Coast west of Start point, and encased at the mouth of the Kingsbridge and Salcombe estuary, has become rather popular. Once a quiet fishing village and a centre for ship builders, today Salcombe is the home of a massive tourist industry, some renowned Yacht Clubs and popular Regattas. It's an area of outstanding natural beauty indeed.
Salcombe Estuary is actually a flooded valley reaching all the way to the sea, and a popular haunt for seals, dophins and porpoises, as well as some rare birds. Salcombe Estuary is a haven for bird watchers! The town of Salcombe has some very narrow streeets, so is best explored on foot. Marvel at the pastel coloured buildings, you'll see why this attractive town is so popular. There's a good choice of arts and crafts outlets and galleries, such as Cove's Quay Gallery (check their website link to the right).
Dawlish Warren National Nature Reserve
Stunning Dawlish Warren National Nature Reserve is actually situated on the Dawlish Spit, just at the mouth of the River Exe. This sand spit is an area of outstanding natural beauty and geomophologic interest, and home to many species of wildlife. There are a variety of habitats at the Warren, including dunes, grassland, ponds, salt marsh and mudflats. For nature lovers and birdwatchers it's also conveniently close to the Exe Estuary, also home to a variety of wildfowl and wading birds.
This Devon Nature Reserve is also superb for flowering plants, with almost 600 different types of flowering plants such as Warren Crocus, found only here at Dawlish, and there's an interesting collection of orchids as well. Check out the Dawlish Nature Reserve's own website to the right for more details. Marram grass can be found aplenty on the spit and spot the Ragwort Plant, essential food for catepillars which turn into the Cinnabar Moth. Birdwatchers flock to this nature reserve to see the enormous variety of migratory birds which include Avocats, Brent Geese and winter visitors Terns and Oystercatchers.
Dawlish Warren National Nature Reserve, Dawlish. Tel: 01626 863980. The Nature Reserve is closed from Mon-Fri in winter).
Slapton Ley Nature Reserve, South Hams
Slapton Ley Nature Reserve is home to the largest freshwater lake in the South West. If you like fishing, head for here as Slapton Ley lake holds a host of fish including pike, perch, roach and Rudd. Bank fishing is not allowed, you have to hire a boat and it's recommended to book in advance as fishing is pretty popular here! Normal office hours are 8.30 - 5.00 but can vary through the year. Tel: (01548) 580685
Slapton Ley National Nature Reserve, Slapton, Kingsbridge, Devon. TQ7 2QP. (01548) 580685. Check the informative Slapton Ley Nature Reserve website to the right for more details on what to do and see there. It's the Lower Ley freshwater lake that is of particular interest, along with the narrow strip which separates it from the sea. There's a host of wild flowers on the strip in summer, and sublime surrounding marshland and woodland. It is indeed a unique wetland, visited by a host of birds. In the Higher Ley there are some fascinating 'floating islands' as well. Nature lovers and keen bird watchers head for Slapton Ley National Nature Reserve!
Dartmoor & Exmoor National Parks
Dartmoor National Park is possibly one of the most popular national parks in the UK, stretching across 368 square miles (954 sq km). For walkers, cyclists, nature lovers and birdwatchers and castle and industrial mining history enthusiasts Dartmoor is a firm favourite. Archeological remains and ancient prehistoric circles abound on this mostly rugged moorland landscape, with still some wooded valleys and a host of charming Devon Villages dotted about, particularly in the outskirts of the National Park.
Dartmoor's choice of marked walkways are perfect for walkers, and cyclists are well served too. Dartmoor is best explored on foot, and there is a choice of marked parths including the Two Moors Way, the circular Dartmoor Way and for cyclists there's the Devon Coast to Coast Cycle route which minds mostly through the east of this national park
Visitors to Dartmoor should note that there is a 40 mile an hour (64 kilometre) spead limit throughout the park. Visitors to any part of Dartmoor need to sensitive to rapid changes in weather, and generally take care whilst walking on Moorland.
Two thirds of Exmoor National Park is in Somerset, but one third is in Devon and Combe Martin sits on the western tip of Exmoor. What you've got in Combe Martin then is a spectacular cliff coastline, backed on by beautiful moorland and valleys or combes (hence Combe Martin's name!). Superb walking on the menu here, with access to the spectacular North Devon Coast and South West Path Way, and bonus, the Tarka Trail passes through Combe Martin.
Braunton Burrows Sand Dunes
Braunton Burrows are so called because you'll notice when you visit the large numbers of rabbit burrows in the area. Rabbit grazing in this area keeps the turf short and cropped. This area is celebrated for it's diverse plant life, and over 400 recorded species of vascular plants have been found here. Braunton Burrows area of sand dunes extends nearly 4 miles along the coast to Saunton. In between the sand dunes are valleys known as slacks and these are marshy in wintertime, and home to many marsh herbs and creeping shrubs. The area designated a UNESCO site has been expanded to include the Northam Burrows, the Taw-Torridge estuary and Braunton Marshes.
Braunton is not only a great base for exploring this beautiful natural sand dune area, it's superb for walking or as a walking stopover. The 180 mile long Tarka Trail, which link the North Devon Coast with Dartmoor actually passes through Braunton village.
Braunton Tourist Information Centre, The Bakehouse Centre, Caen Street, Braunton, Devon. EX33 1AA. Tel: (+44) 01271 816400.
Lundy Island, North Devon
The island of Lundy is beautifully unspoilt. It's not that big at only three miles long, half a mile wide and it sits just 10 miles off the North Devon Coast just where the vast Atlantic Ocean meets the Bristol Channel. Lundy Island is a beautiful granite outcrop island just waiting to be discovered, and offering a host of activities to suit many tastes. Like fishing, love Lundy Island, want to spot some seals off shore? Head to Lundy. Lund-ey is the Norse word for Puffin, and not surprisingly this island is rather popular as a base with puffins, as well as numerous wild birds. There are many buildings to see, some of them ancient, on Lundy including a striking medieval castle. There's self-catering accommodation adjacent to the castle if you fancy staying over to really take time to explore!
