A Natural Balance
In North Devon and Exmoor we are blessed with beautiful landscapes and exceptional environments, so whether you come here for the walking, the cycling, the twitching or the wildlife, there's always somewhere new to explore and something new to learn.
North Devon and Exmoor is unique. Most of the coastline is made up of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and National Park. There are 14 Sites of Special Scientific Interest along the way. At the heart of it all lies the Taw and Torridge Estuary, which along with the stunning world class dune system of Braunton Burrows has been given World Biosphere Reserve status by UNESCO, celebrating our ability to co-exist with nature and proving that life still revolves around the countryside.
The reserve also includes the reclaimed traditionally farmed land at Braunton Marsh with its wide array of plants, insects and wild life, the Estuary itself, famous for its salt marshes and migratory populations of wading birds, and Northam Burrows with its nationally important marsh and pebble ridge.
You can learn all about this very special environment at visitor centres across the reserve which extends up the river corridors of the Taw and Torridge.
Beyond the Biosphere you"ll still find plenty to occupy your curiosity: wild coastline, rolling countryside and Exmoor - as unchanging as ever. Still a place where wild moorland meets the sea, wooded combes end in waterfalls, and wild animals like the Exmoor pony and red deer roam free, the park is a testament to man and nature living in harmony.
Tarka and Ruby Country provide even more opportunities to get out and about — the Tarka Trail is an easy cycle and a great way for all the family to experience the environment, whilst Ruby Country
has nature trails to take you to the very heart of our lovely countryside.
Lundy Island, in the Bristol Channel, is another very special place too. With no less than three lighthouses, it has an endangered puffin population and is surrounded by Britain"s only Statutory Marine Reserve - which is great for the environment and great for all of our visitors too!
