DIVINE DEVON
Live the good life on a tour of this gorgeous eco-conscious county of fruitful farms, stunning coastlines, wild woodlands and romantic moors with
EXPLORE AN ECO-POSITIVE COUNTY
“AT BRAUNTON BURROWS, 33 SPECIES OF BUTTERFLY HAVE BEEN RECORDED ON THE GRASSLANDS”
The county flag of Devon is no ancient ensign. Unfurled for the first time in 2003, it was the result of a campaign to create a symbol of Devonian pride, which saw different ideas put to an online poll. The winning design (pictured below) is now a familiar one, featuring a black-trimmed white cross against a dominant green background.
These colours are signifiers: black for the high moorland of Dartmoor and Exmoor, white for the salt-spray of the coastline, green for the swelling, numberless hills. The flag may not have history, but it has meaning.
And how. Devon is as green as they come. Call it lush, verdant or emerald, the countryside here holds some of the UK’s most gorgeous rural scenery, from oaky creeks and rolling farmland to craggy clifftops and wild national parks. It has wetlands, woodlands, stunning sandy beaches and no less than five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
But the word ‘green’ carries multiple connotations these days, and this is also a county packed with options for sustainable holidays, old-fashioned outings, natural encounters and volunteering opportunities for the eco-conscious countryside lover. From getting back to basics to sampling wholesome, farm-fresh food, there’s nowhere quite like it.
BACK TO NATURE
Devon’s flora and fauna are a case in point. On the sweeping north coast, the natural dune system of Braunton Burrows, on the Taw-Torridge Estuary, is a fine example of the kind of wildlife hotspot in which Devon excels. Here, 33 species of butterfly have been recorded on the flower-rich grasslands, as well as breeding birds, such as meadow pipits and wheatears. Close by, Horsey Island is – as of November 2019 – the newest of the county’s 57 nature reserves, offering possible sightings of glossy ibis, osprey and spoonbills.
This same area is where you’ll find the 32-mile off-road stretch of the Tarka Trail, one of the longest continuous cycle paths in the UK. Loosely exploring the home territory of Henry Williamson’s fictional Tarka the otter, it offers the chance to spot everything from kingfishers and waders to – with patience – otters. A short distance offshore, lovely Lundy Island is home to seals, Sika deer, ponies and, between April and July, nesting seabirds that include guillemots, razorbills and puffins. Over the same period, you might even sight basking sharks.
The south coast offers just as much for wildlife lovers. Wembury Marine Centre has colourful, educational displays and organises regular rockpool safaris over the summer months. This is small fry, however, when compared to Plymouth’s
National Marine Aquarium, where the large area dedicated to Britain’s coasts will teach even the most seasoned seafarers a thing or two about our marine life. This is the UK’s largest aquarium.
Further east, the Dart Estuary is a joy to explore, whether by boat or on foot. Seals, otters and even dolphins are visitors to this winding, forest-flanked waterway, its greenery so abundant that it once doubled on screen as the Amazon rainforest. Special mention also goes to the lower stretches of the River Otter, near Sidmouth, where the unlikely wildlife stars are several families of wild beavers. Spotting these toothy mammals on a warm evening is a rare thrill. Exactly who introduced them remains a well-kept secret.
SLEEPING UNDER THE STARS
Not far away, the brooding expanse of Dartmoor National Park is a world unto its own. Dartmoor Nature Tours runs guided visits year-round, ranging from butterfly walks – the park is a bastion for fritillary species – to dusk walks where you might see badgers, glow-worms and nightjars. Dartmoor also has the distinction of being the only place in England where you can wild-camp
(legally, at least). Large swathes of the park are open to campers, and pitching up among the heathland and boulders is a magical experience.
For more traditional tent-life, Devon has dozens of fantastic campsites. In the north, these range
from beachside favourites, such as Ocean Pitch in Croyde – which offers surfboard hire – to the wonderfully named Under The Milky Way, near
Combe Martin, where bell tents, shepherd’s huts and a green approach make it a top option for glampers. To cherry-pick two sites in the south, meanwhile, you’ll find peaceful yurt retreats at
East Portlemouth’s pretty High Nature Centre, where the emphasis is on eco-tourism and permaculture, and traditional farm camping at the beautifully secluded and spacious Holsome Park near Totnes.
FRESH FROM THE FARM
Farms and fresh food play a big role in making Devon the place that it is. The county is famed for everything from its dairy produce and handpicked fruit (did someone say cream tea?) to its meat and seafood. Local suppliers, such as Eversfield Organic, win awards for their grass-fed meat, while Brixham Fish Market is famed across the UK. Strawberry Fields Farm Shop near Lifton, meanwhile, has evolved from a produce barrow outside a family home to recently being named ‘Best Farm Shop’ in the south-west.
Sticking with the county’s farms, Riverford Organic Farm near Totnes is one of the UK’s best-known organic food providers, and runs field-to-fork farm tours, while nearby Orchard Organic Farm not only produces top-notch apples and eggs but offers smart wooden pods, known as ‘The Hen’s Dens’, for farm-stays.
In the Blackdown Hills AONB you can pick your own raspberries, strawberries and blackcurrants at Royal Oak Farm, where further perks include a tearoom and on-site accommodation. And near Braunton, Little Comfort Farm is an organic farm-stay retreat with 28 hectares grazed by native Devon cattle and a fishing lake stocked with carp, rudd, roach and bream.
If you really want to get your hands mucky with Devon soil, the longstanding organisation
WWOOF – which these days stands for
Worldwide Opportunities On Organic Farms – arranges voluntary work placements at more than 35 farms, many of them in Devon, from traditional smallholdings keeping rare-breed sheep to organic farms with veg gardens and orchards.
On a related note, Knightshayes is a spectacular National Trust country house near
Tiverton, with a walled kitchen garden that uses heritage seeds to specialise in Victorian-era produce, and a glorious ‘formal and woodland garden’, showcasing everything from rose beds to a towering arboretum. On the north coast, meanwhile, Clovelly Court Gardens also has a Victorian walled garden, its glasshouses producing apricots, peppers, melons and more.
BOOTS OR BIKES?
Now to loosen your legs. Being one of England’s largest counties (only Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Lincolnshire are bigger), Devon offers a landscape ripe for slow exploration. Walkers can enjoy the salty-aired views from the South West Coast Path, which traces both coastlines and lends itself equally well to hour-long dog walks as it does to multi-day yomps. Dartmoor also has an array of scenic circular hikes, including some beautiful woodland trails, while the likes of Haldon Forest Park, a handsome 1,416-hectare site
“DEVON OFFERS A LANDSCAPE RIPE FOR SLOW EXPLORATION”