A peaceful retreat set within the beautiful Devon countryside
There's something for everyone at Parke, found on the outskirts of the small market town of Bovey Tracey, gateway to mystical Dartmoor. You can walk from the town (about one mile) or stop off as you drive to the open moor, where the next stop is the rugged crag of Haytor.
This compact estate was once the home of a wealthy local family and probably enabled them to be self-sufficient for all their day-to-day needs with
- a vegetable garden, fruit garden and orchard
- cold house, fish pond, grazing meadows for livestock and beehives for honey
- and gardens to wander in for spiritual refreshment.
So, take a short stroll around the garden, or a longer more strenuous walk through the woodlands and along the river to the medieval weir. Along the way, keep your eyes peeled for a myriad of wildlife and a host of wild flowers.
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/parke
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Stover Country Park contains over 114 acres of woodland, heathland, grassland, lake and marsh and a substantial variety of wildlife. It is a site of special scientific interest meaning it is protected by law to conserve its wildlife and geology.
The Park features a Nature Interpretation Centre which is situated near the entrance of the park and consists of a visitor centre, classroom, rangers’ office and public toilets.
Additional recreation resources include interpretation boards, aerial walkway, a bird hide, a car park and picnic areas. There is also a wealth of historical interest.
https://www.devon.gov.uk/stovercountrypark/
Stover Country Park Newton Abbot TQ12 6QG
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stovercountryparkdevon (4.5k)
Twitter: https://twitter.com/StoverPark (account does not exist)
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A Devon Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve
A wonderful heathland haven with some very special wildlife.
About the reserve
Chudleigh Knighton Heath is a heathland mosaic of gorse, heather and grassland. This was once the landscape which stretched for miles across what is known locally as the Bovey Basin. Today, the nature reserve is a reminder of what has been lost and also acts as a vital heathland home to some special wildlife.
https://www.devonwildlifetrust.org/nature-reserves/chudleigh-knighton-heath
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A Devon Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve
A fascinating 'new' landscape created from the diggings of nearby clay quarries. Birds, butterflies and wildflowers jostle for room amongst its meadowland and steep-sided slopes.
https://www.devonwildlifetrust.org/nature-reserves/teigngrace-meadow
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A Devon Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve
This nature reserve is one of Devon's top places for dragonfly and damselfly watching. Bring binoculars for an up close view of these wonderful insects.
https://www.devonwildlifetrust.org/nature-reserves/little-bradley-ponds
- Hits: 720
Bridford Wood is a National Trust woodland in the Teign Valley. Although it is located within the parish of Bridford, it is nearer to Dunsford. The 359 Bus service from Exeter to Moretonhampstead stops at Steps Bridge.
Size: 101.66 ha (251.21 acres) Grid reference: SX806882
- Hits: 786
Just a short time ago Rowdon Valley Wood was a two acre piece of overgrown woodland on the edge of Bridford village and hardly anyone knew of its existence.
Today it provides a magical circular walk through the wet woodland alive with birds and featuring boardwalks and bridges, ponds and a small waterfall, boggy areas full of interesting plants and a viewing platform which is accessible by wheelchair
http://www.bridfordtrust.co.uk/rowdon-valley-wood/
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Part of the Teign Valley Ancient Woodland complex this is a popular wood among local people. It rises quite steeply up from the road so you will need to be quite fit to explore it.
Size: 5.72 ha (14.13 acres) Grid reference: SX785871
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/woods/4027
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Fingle Woods lies along 10km (6.2 miles) of Dartmoor’s craggy Teign Valley, tucked into the northern fringes of Dartmoor.
Wander through 45km (28 miles) of new trails, take in spectacular views and discover its history. Explore the sun-dappled glades, spot wildlife and uncover intricate woodland archaeology. See if you can spot the iridescent blue of the kingfisher as it darts along the bank of the river Fingle, which gurgles and sparkles on its route through the woods. Listen for the rap of a woodpecker and the splash of an otter. Look for the ever-changing wildflowers, from carpets of ramsons and wood anemone to wild daffodils and bluebells, and discover the magic found here at Fingle.
The site is made up of eight different woods, which we jointly own and manage with the National Trust in the first venture of its kind between us. In one of our largest woodland restoration projects ever, we are nursing it back to health and reclaiming it for nature and people.
Size: 265.24 ha (655.42 acres) Grid reference: SX762895
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/woods/5663
- Hits: 698
Size: 7.97 ha (19.69 acres) Grid reference: SX 781 897
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/woods/5808
- Hits: 660
