Nature Notes Lots to enjoy in the Great Outdoors


The River Dart is a beautiful river, not just a waterway but also a haven for all types of wildlife in, on and out of the water. With protected beaches and secluded coves the best way to see anything is out on the water.


Wildlife in and around the water


Fish - The Dart estuary provides excellent feeding and nursery grounds for a wide variety


of fish, including sea bass, plaice, pollack and sea trout. The estuary is also host to populations of sand smelt, sand goby, mullet, flounder, wrasse and pipefish.


Shellfish - The Dart estuary has a long history of shellfish cultivation and has a designat-


Did you know?


The Dart is an almost entirely freshwater river from Dartmoor to Totnes. It transforms to a tidal system at Totnes weir.


The Dart valley is, in geographic terms, a ‘Ria’ or flooded valley created by a small river. This re- sults in steep sides to the valley, protecting it from much development.


The River Dart derives its name from Celtic origins meaning ‘river where oak trees grow’ reflecting the presence of oaks which cover the lower banks of the river.


The Dart is 52 miles long starting on the high mires of North Dartmoor through to the estuary mouth at Dartmouth & Kingswear.


ed shellfish area located at Waddeton. Shell- fish filter the water, feeding on plankton and exchanging oxygen across their gills, absorbing pretty much everything that comes their way. For this reason they act as wonderful indicators of environmental water quality like ‘miners’ canaries’ for the estuary.


Dolphins and basking sharks are regular visitors to our coast and on occasion will


venture into the estuary.


Birds – get the binocs out and spot the birds along the river valley - buzzards, osprey, egrets, shags, cormorants, guillemots and gannets.


Seals – The Mewstone is a popular place for grey seals to hang out and dry off. There are


also several seal haul out points within the Dart, allowing seals that follow fish into the estuary a place to relax and do a bit of ‘sunbathing’. Num- bers peak from late August to October. Don’t forget they like peace and quiet so keep your distance.


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