Dawlish Warren NNR includes the full range of coastal habitats, from mudflats to sand dunes. The reserve provides shelter and food for up to 12,000 wading birds and also helps to protect the Exe Estuary from wave action, which is particularly important during storm events.
Main habitats: coastal
Management: Dawlish Warren is jointly owned and managed by Teignbridge District Council and the Devon Wildlife Trust.
- Hits: 861
The Bovey Basin is a relatively small area, characterised by predominantly flat, broad alluvial floodplain enclosed by encircling hills and, importantly, by the influence of ball clay extraction activities. The quarrying activity has resulted in large areas of despoiled land including open cast quarries, spoil heaps (creating regular-shaped hills), settling lakes, and large modern industrial buildings. These features, along with road infrastructure and development, have altered the river basin character, giving rise to a fragmented and disturbed ambience in places. Nevertheless, there are remnant areas of irregular, mainly pastoral fields with hedgerows, woodlands and some important areas of acid heath, e.g. Bovey Heath and Chudleigh Knighton Heath, reflecting the presence of underlying sand and gravel. The tree-lined Rivers Bovey and Teign also provide a more naturalistic character amongst an otherwise complex, settled landscape; and the designed parkland of Stover Estate lends a sense of continuity within an area which has undergone considerable change. This is generally an inward-looking landscape due to the basin landform and the presence of notable areas of mixed and coniferous woodland, which provide a sense of enclosure.
This area comprises a river basin containing the lower reaches of the River Bovey and middle reaches of the Teign. It extends from Bovey Tracey in the north-west to Newton Abbot in the south-east and is surrounded by rising land in adjacent areas. To the west the land rises noticeably to form the East Dartmoor Moorland Fringes and to the east the area is defined by spurs of higher land extending from the Haldon Ridge. To the north there is a more gradual transition to the Teign Valley and Slopes; while to the south there is a ridge of higher land which separates the basin from the Lemon valley within the Denbury and Kerswell Farmlands area.
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/teignbridge-and-east-devon-area/bovey-basin
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas
- Hits: 654
The Teign Estuary includes the broad tidal river channel, intertidal areas and adjacent lower slopes. The estuary is defined by steeply rising high rounded hills with distinctive folds to the north and south. The river channel and the intertidal mudflats with their dynamic pattern of winding creeks dominate the landscape, and along with the enclosing hills and expansive cross-estuary views, provide a very strong sense of place. At high tide the estuary becomes a large expanse of water and the changing tides and presence of seabirds and waders add diversity and movement. To the south, there is a succession of sheltered inlets with shingle beaches at the mouths of combes; and intervening sandstone cliffs; while to the north gently rising slopes with an undulating shoreline give way to steeper hills around Bishopsteignton and Teignmouth. On these valley sides land use is predominantly pastoral with strong hedgerow patterns. This is often a busy landscape with movement along transport corridors and recreational activity on the estuary although greater tranquillity can be found within secluded combes and along parts of the estuary shore. This landscape has notable views to adjacent landscapes and other landscapes further afield, including Dartmoor; while at the mouth of the estuary Shaldon and Teignmouth frame views out to sea.
This character area has an east-west alignment comprising the tidal section of the River Teign and adjacent farmland between Newton Abbot in the west and Teignmouth in the east. It is flanked to the north by the rising land which forms the lower slopes of the Haldon Ridge, and to the south by the Breccia Hills and Coast.
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/teignbridge-and-east-devon-area/teign-estuary
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas
- Hits: 579
This landscape encompasses an undulating elevated area with notable hills which are prominent in views and distinctive in their form and in their patterns of woodland cover. These hills reflect the underling limestone geology which is also expressed in local vernacular buildings and in the woodland and semi-natural grassland flora, and visible in the form of quarries and rock outcrops. Coupled with more distant views to Dartmoor that provide the area with a strong sense of place. Between the hills there are small streams and springs; and to the north and east the River Lemon and Aller Brook create more substantial valleys. This is predominantly a historic rural landscape, both in terms of medieval field patterns, remnant commons, a dense network of winding lanes and nucleated settlements. However it also contains more modern elements which cut across the historic grain including railway lines, pylons, quarrying and landfill activity and housing development on the edge of settlements.
This area comprises elevated farmland with distinctive hills to the west and south of Newton Abbot and includes the river valleys of the Lemon River and Aller Brook to the north and east respectively. To the south the landscape is bounded by a gradual transition into the Dart Valley and to the west by the rising land of the East Dartmoor Moorland Fringes. East of Aller Brook the land rises sharply to form the Breccia Hills and Coast.
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/teignbridge-and-east-devon-area/denbury-and-kerswell-farmlands
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas
- Hits: 546
The Breccia Hills and Coast is a strongly undulating and highly dissected landscape of deep winding valleys with intervening high rounded ridges, and coastal slopes and combes, with steep red sandstone cliffs along the coast itself. Coastal influence is felt throughout much of the area, with extensive estuary and sea views from the high ridges and coast and estuary slopes providing a strong sense of place. Dense hedgerows and narrow, winding lanes are characteristic, along with small blocks of mixed and broadleaved woodland, occasional old orchards and small parks and tree-lined streams. This landscape has a deeply rural character with scattered farmsteads and small villages within the narrow valleys. Overall, sense of tranquillity is strong, even close to the nearby large settlements of Shaldon, Torbay, Kingskerswell and Newton Abbot, by virtue of the separating steep ridges.
This is a coastal landscape comprising an area of undulating high ridges dissected by deep narrow valleys and traversed by a maze of sinuous lanes and ancient greenways. These ridges are clearly defined on all sides and stand out as distinctive from the surrounding land – the northern edge of the area is marked by the Teign Estuary and the southern edge by the built development of Torquay and Torbay. To the east is the sea and to the west the settlements of Newton Abbot and Kingskerswell set on the valley sides of the Aller Brook. To the south, the area extends as a narrow finger of coastal open plateau between Torquay resort and the sea as far as Hope’s Nose.
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/teignbridge-and-east-devon-area/breccia-hills-and-coast
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas
- Hits: 553
This character area comprises the valley of the River Dart and tributaries, and surrounding rolling hills and slopes. The Dart flows through a winding, frequently wooded, narrow gorge for much of its course, widening to a flood plain and more expansive river with weirs and more gentle slopes, particularly to the north of the river. Its tributaries including the River Hems lie in narrow valleys, enclosed by rounded hills with limited tree cover; the landscape tends to broaden at confluences. Views are obtained across and along the valleys in places, to nearby hills and the rising mass of Dartmoor to the west. However many views are relatively short and contained, focusing on the rounded hills and rivers which give this area its sense of place. The area is strongly defined by the steep, winding, narrow wooded valley of the Dart and to a lesser extent by its tributaries and surrounding rolling hills. There is a strong sense of tranquillity within the rolling hills and valleys away from settlement and transport infrastructure.
This area comprises the River Dart and surrounding slopes and hills between the A38 and the foothills of Dartmoor in the west, and Totnes in the east. It is bounded to the south by a marked change to a distinctive landscape of interlocking rounded ridges and incised valleys and to the north by the elevated farmland of Denbury Down.
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/teignbridge-and-east-devon-area/mid-dart-valley-and-slopes
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas
- Hits: 607
This is a transitional landscape, linking the upland moor with the lowlands to the south, and forming the backdrop to many views of Dartmoor from the south. It is a landscape of changing colours and textures, with the golds, browns and purples of the moorland contrasting with the vivid greens of the pasture below. Fast-flowing streams rush down the hillsides in steep, narrow valleys which are often clothed in oak woodland. Farms and small villages nestle in valleys or in the folds of the hillsides, surrounded by ancient patterns of fields and linked by a network of twisting sunken lanes. On the moorland there is an extraordinary sense of time-depth, with many abandoned settlements from prehistoric and medieval periods reflecting the ebb and flow of people’s colonisation of the moor.
This area comprises the southern part of Dartmoor and encompasses upland moorland and the south-facing slopes and river valleys below it. The area itself forms a transition from upland to lowland, and its boundaries with surrounding character areas are gradual. It forms a ‘horseshoe’ shape around High Dartmoor South, with Central Dartmoor to the north. To the west is the River Tavy Middle Valley; to the south-west the Plymouth Northern Wooded Slopes; to the south the Plymouth and Modbury Farmland and the Mid Avon Valley and West Dart Valleys and Ridges; and to the east the East Dartmoor Moorland Fringes and the Mid Dart Valley and Slopes.
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas
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This landscape forms the eastern edge of Dartmoor National Park, and is characterised by a settled rural feel, hummocky topography and steep wooded valleys containing clean, fast-flowing streams. The largest of these contains the River Dart, which runs through a dramatic wooded gorge. The rolling hills and slopes of this area are defined by a strong mosaic of irregular and predominantly pastoral fields, semi-natural woodlands and hedgerow trees, which contribute to its well-wooded character. Patches of heath, bracken and rough grazing enhance its Dartmoor character, and together with the woodland provide constantly changing seasonal colours. The topography and aspect gives much of the area a strong sense of enclosure, with distinctive historic hamlets and farmsteads nestled into the landform.
This area is located at the eastern edge of Dartmoor and includes the town of Ashburton. To the west is an abrupt boundary with Central Dartmoor, defined on the ground by the change from enclosed fields to open moorland. The boundaries on the remaining sides are all much more gradual transitions into the many adjacent landscape character areas, including the Moretonhampstead Moorland Fringes to the north; the Teign Valley and Slopes to the north-east; the Bovey Basin and the Denbury and Kerswell Farmlands to the east; the Mid Dart Valleys and Slopes to the south-east and the Southern Dartmoor and Fringes to the south.
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas
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The Devon Redlands National Character Area (NCA) has a very strong, unified character. The underlying red sandstone and consequent red soil dominate the landscape through ploughed fields, cliffs and exposures, and are visually evident in the traditional stone and cob farmsteads, hamlets and villages that are scattered across the area. Not only does the soil visually characterise the area but its fertility also makes it the agricultural heart of Devon. Mixed agriculture has shaped this landscape since medieval times, an era that left a dense pattern of deep and narrow lanes imprinted in the landscape. The gently rolling hills that feature across the NCA support a network of hedgerows enclosing relatively small fields that are either grazed or under arable cultivation. Hedgerow trees and small copses often give a wooded appearance to the hills. The valleys in between are flat bottomed and open into extensive flood plains across the central part of the Redlands. Here, more ‘shrubby’ hedgerows or fences enclose larger arable or grazed fields.
http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/6150022?category=587130
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South Devon National Character Area (NCA) is predominantly a plateau, dissected by steep valleys and rivers, most rising on the adjoining Dartmoor NCA. Towards the coast the often wooded valleys and rias are remote and hard to access from the land. The majority of the area consists of mixed farming, with fields flanked by Devon hedgebanks and narrow winding lanes. The south of the area contains many internationally important coastal and estuarine habitats. These support populations of wintering waders and wildfowl, rare plant communities and also provide significant carbon storage. Much of the area is a popular visitor destination, with the South West Coast Path National Trail being a major asset. Historic market and coastal towns are strategically located across the area and the two major urban settlements are located at either end of the coastal stretch, Plymouth in the west and Torbay in the east.
http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/1911063?category=587130
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