3,500 acres of woodland just 15 minutes from Exeter
Whether you want a quiet gentle stroll or an exhilarating mountain biking experience, there’s something for you at Haldon Forest Park.
With a range of walking and cycling trails to suit all abilities, as well as a pump loop, cycle skills area, orienteering courses and so much more just waiting to be discovered.
https://www.forestryengland.uk/haldon-forest-park
Haldon Forest Park Bullers Hill, Kennford EX6 7XR
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/haldonforestpark (21k)
- Hits: 636
Discover the great historic importance of Eggesford Forest today
Eggesford Forest is home to the very first trees planted by the newly created Forestry Commission in 1919 within Flashdown Wood.
Since then, the forest has continued to gather mementos of the past with several commemorative tree avenues, and a granite stone unveiled by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1956 to mark the millionth acre of Forestry Commission planting.
https://www.forestryengland.uk/eggesford-forest
Eggesford Forest Eggesford EX18 7LD
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forestry.england.uk/ (129k)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eggesford%20Forest/2003186323043888/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ForestryEngland (40k)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forestryengland/ (54k)
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCspfY4rpODprWA_9zeZ_9EQ (2.1k)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/forestry-england/ (13k)
- Hits: 1057
Flashdown Plantation is home to the very first trees planted by the Forestry Commission. In 1919, Charles Trefusis, the 21st Baron Clinton was appointed one of the founding members of the Forestry Commission, formed as part of the Forestry Act to replant Britain’s woodlands which had been depleted during the First World War.
Immediately after the first meeting in London, Lord Clinton and fellow member Lord Lovat from Scotland challenged one another to a race home to plant the Commission’s first trees. Records show that Lord Clinton had assembled a small team of foresters, ready to plant trees as soon as he disembarked his train at Eggesford Station. Meanwhile as Lord Lovat arrived at Elgin Station he was handed a telegram from Lord Clinton announcing that the first trees had already been planted in Flashdown Wood in Devon. Today, some of the same Douglas firs, larch and beech trees stand at around 40 meters tall.
Source: Crediton Courier
Directions
By train from Exeter (Tarka Line) stop at Eggesford Station. From the platform exit, turn right and cross Eggesford Bridge then turn right at Cott Cross.
By bus (5C Exeter - Chulmleigh) or train from Barnstaple (Tarka Line) stop at Eggesford Station. From Eggesford Station cross the level crossing from the A377 to Wembworthy/Winkleigh then turn right at Cott Cross.
Follow the road up the hill and take the unmarked left turn into Flashdown Plantation (1/3 mile, 1/2 km from Cotts Cross).
- Hits: 1027
I cycled past this wood on a e-Bike ride from Chulmleigh to Great Torrington. A great place to visit if you are going to eat at New Inn in Roborough.
This wood spans a small meandering river and is very popular with local people. It is just across the road from the larger Combe Wood that also has public footpaths running through it. There is a circular walk within the wood and the paths are generally in good condition although crossing the river can be tricky when there has been a lot of rain.
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/owlacombe-wood/
https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=16/50.9322/-4.0368
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thewoodlandtrust (460k)
Twitter: https://twitter.com/woodlandtrust (232k)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/woodlandtrust/ (260k)
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/woodlandtrust (10.9k)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-woodland-trust/
- Hits: 409
The estuary is right at the core of the North Devon Biosphere reserve. It is tidal well above both Barnstaple and Bideford, the tides often concentrate birds on shoreline mudbanks as the tide comes in and then again on sandbanks which are exposed as the tide drops. The estuary covers a a very large area (approx 100 square kilometres) and has many different areas of interest.
Birding the Taw and Torridge estuary in January provides a great opportunity to kick-start your New Year list with good numbers and variety of Wildfowl, Waders and Gulls. It’s also guaranteed for Spoonbill and Little Egret. Peregrines regularly hunt along the estuary.
https://www.devonbirds.org/places-to-go/taw-torridge-estuary/
Devon Birds sightings
https://www.devonbirds.org/?s=taw+estuary&id=4361&post_type=birdsighting
- Hits: 859
A few miles north of Exeter on the level land between the rivers Exe and Clyst, Poltimore House stands.
The POLTIMORE HOUSE TRUST was established in 2000 to preserve this historic building and its estate.
It is registered with the Charity Commission (Charity Commission no 1079947 and a company limited by guarantee (Companies House no 03914029). It is VAT registered (VAT 100937837) and registered with HMRC for collection of Gift Aid.
It is a Building Preservation Trust and member of the Association of Preservation Trusts.
The Trust is governed by a Board of Trustees who also act as Directors of the company.
Social Media:
Facebook: https://facebook.com/poltimore (2.2k)
Twitter: https://twitter.com/poltimorehouse (1.2k)
Instagram: https://instagram.com/poltimore_house (665)
- Hits: 943
The North Devon Biosphere is a place where people and nature come together in our world-class environment of dunes, grassland and moors, towns and villages, and coast and sea. We are proud to be a UNESCO World Biosphere and our mission is to connect people and nature to inspire a positive future today.
https://www.northdevonbiosphere.org.uk/
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NorthDevonBiosphere/ (2.9k)
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ndevonbiosphere (1.2k)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northdevonbiosphere/ (1.4k)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/north-devon-biosphere/ (89)
Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/north-devon-biosphere-34783873553
- Hits: 1620
Explore the sights and sounds of Abbeyford Woods, near Okehampton. These beautiful woods with stunning walks have paths for all. You can walk the Tarka Trail and follow the River Okement, or just wind your way through the woodland. Abbeyford is also a great place to discover the changing colours of the seasons. On a walk through this beautiful wood you will see majestic Douglas fir trees, and pass through areas of autumnal gold beech trees alongside the banks of the Okement River. With its varied tree species structure and crystal clear river, it is no wonder that wildlife also flourishes in these woods.
https://www.forestryengland.uk/abbeyford-woods
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forestry.england.uk/ (129k)
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ForestryEngland (40k)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forestryengland/ (54k)
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCspfY4rpODprWA_9zeZ_9EQ (2.1k)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/forestry-england/ (13k)
- Hits: 575
Berrydown is a single block of woodland of 55 hectares, approximately 3 miles north-east of Okehampton and is accessed from the Sampford Courtney to Okehampton road. The majority of the woodland is commercial conifer managed on a rotational basis, it is interspersed with areas of broadleaves. The woodland lies in a shallow valley and contains a watercourse flowing south to north, which is a headwater to the river Okement, which itself feeds the river Torridge. Large areas of the woodland are mid-rotation Sitka spruce on wet, acidic, gleyed soils with a significant amount of oak and hazel dominated broadleaf intrusion. Much of this is of a similar age and therefore uniform in structure and lacking diversity. The main objective within the woodland will be of productive conifer forestry, utilising continuous cover forestry principles where possible to diversify the structure, sympathetic to the ecological and cultural assets of the woodland and surrounding landscape.
https://www.forestryengland.uk/forest-planning/abbeyford-forest-plan
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forestry.england.uk/ (129k)
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ForestryEngland (40k)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forestryengland/ (54k)
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCspfY4rpODprWA_9zeZ_9EQ (2.1k)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/forestry-england/ (13k)
- Hits: 440
A Devon Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve
A top wildlife spot, with exceptional walks through woodland and alongside a classic Devon river. Feeling lucky? Otters are often seen at Halsdon!
https://www.devonwildlifetrust.org/nature-reserves/halsdon
- Hits: 630
