With the gentle humps and bumps of Dartmoor to the north and the estuaries of the Exe and Tamar to the east and west, South Devon sits in the middle, offering unspoilt beaches and hidden wooded valleys.
Boasting wildlife highlights throughout the year, South Devon is at its very best in spring and summer when its coastal headlands burst into wildflower colour, birds sing from the hedgerows and butterflies float over the meadows.
The undulating hills, wooded coombes and headlands that jut out into sea make for excellent walking and the various habitats support plenty of intriguing species. Devon’s famously high hedgerows are evident in the region and are used as corridors by the rare greater horseshoe bat. During the day, some of these hedgerows are used by the attractive cirl bunting, one of the bird specialities of the region.
The coast features some of the most geologically rich rock formations in the country, with some fine examples of the Devonian Limestone that dates back up to 400 million years. The many undisturbed beaches offer breeding sites for a resident population of grey seals while the high cliffs provide nesting sites for many seabirds including large colonies of guillemots, fulmars and also peregrines. The seas surrounding South Devon also contain many marine protection zones and are noted for Balearic shearwaters that pass through in the summer and early autumn, as well as an increasing population of common dolphin.
Discover the best of Devon’s wildlife on this small group tour, where beavers, dolphins and cirl buntings are among some of the highlights that can be found. Travelling in mid-summer, Devon is full of life with migrant birds feeding their chicks, butterflies drifting over Dartmoor hillsides and beavers raising kits. Find out more about Z) Wild Devon in Summer
