Wild Devon

Typical Itinerary

1. Day 1: Meet in East Devon & beaver watching

   We meet at either Exeter train station or our hotel in the early afternoon. Our tour starts with a gentle walk around a nearby wetland along the Exe Estuary where a range of passage waders, terns, wildfowl and warblers may be seen.

   Later we set off for our first evening of beaver watching along the nearby River Otter. We walk along some beautiful stretches of this tranquil river as we look for beavers emerging from their lodges before dusk. 

   Accommodation: Woodbury Park Hotel, 4-nights

2. Day 2: Dartmoor National Park & Coombeshead Reserve

   We devote today to exploring the rugged landscapes of Dartmoor. We begin exploring an upland oak woodland, where amongst the moss-clad trees we look for flycatchers, redstart, lesser redpoll and possibly goshawk as well as impressive wood ant colonies. Amongst the distinctive granite tors and Bronze Age settlements of the high moorland we look for cuckoo, whinchat and wheatear. While at a wildlife friendly hill farm, the wet and species rich grasslands may reveal delightful orchids, oil beetles and damselflies.

   Later we visit the Coombeshead Reserve in the west of Devon, where nature is being allowed to take its own course with assistance from keystone species. During our walk through the reserve, we can admire some of the fascinating habitats that are being created with the presence of Exmoor ponies, water buffalo, Iron Age pigs and beavers. We may find a myriad of insect and plant life around the beaver ponds where small red damselflies, willow tits and marsh frogs now occur. In the scrub, recently reintroduced turtle doves may be seen alongside birds of prey hunting over the open areas. 

   We can also see and learn about species such as wildcat, white stork and water vole that are being bred for reintroduction projects across South-west England. We conclude our visit with an evening beaver watch at one of their breeding ponds.

3. Day 3: South Devon Coast

   Today we start early with a thrilling coastal boat trip in search of pods of common dolphin, porpoises and many seabirds including hundreds of guillemots, razorbills, shags and a small number of puffins and fulmars. Our cruise also takes us along the rugged and geologically significant coastline, where grey seals and peregrines thrive. Later in the day, we go in search of Devon’s star bird, the beautiful cirl bunting, which has its British stronghold along the South Devon coast. 

   After dinner and some time to relax back at the hotel, we enjoy another evening walk along the River Otter for further beaver sightings and perhaps visit a local heathland in search of the enigmatic nightjar.

4. Day 4: Explore more of Dartmoor

   This morning, we visit one of the local heathland reserves close to our hotel, such as Aylesbeare Common. Part of the extensive East Devon Pebblebed Heaths, National Nature Reserve, this very special landscape of lowland heath is home to Dartford warbler, tree pipit, hobby, and crossbill. The heaths are rich in invertebrate life too, with green hairstreak butterflies, tiger beetles and southern damselflies amongst the specialities. We then return to another part of Dartmoor for our final excursion. If the weather is suitable, we look for another Devon speciality, the rare high brown fritillary, on some bracken-clad hillsides with superb views towards the wooded Dart Valley below.