Devon County Council

A Walk along the Exe Valley between Exeter and the Estuary Mouth

The Exe Valley Way is a long-distance route for walkers exploring some 45 miles of the valley.  At its lower end the eight miles between Exeter and the coast follow the flat valley floor, partly alongside the historic Exeter Canal and partly alongside the estuary of the Exe.

This walk starts on the Quay at Exeter and ends at Starcross, on the western bank of the estuary.  From here a bus or train can be taken back to Exeter.  Starcross is on the South West Coast Path and in summer a ferry operates across the estuary to Exmouth.

Fact File

Regular bus serices operate between Starcross and Exeter, Monday-Saturday, slightly less frequently on Sundays.  For timetable details telephone Traveline on 0870 608 2 608.  For train times contact National Rail Enquiries on 08457 484950. Note that it is also possible to get a bus or train from Exmouth to Exeter. Walk length: 13km/8 miles.  Completely flat.  No stiles. Facilities:Exeter: all facilities.  Double Locks: pub.  Countess Wear: pub, buses.  Turf Lock: seasonal pub.  Starcross: shops, pubs, café, toilets, buses, trains.

The Walk

This is a One-way walk, but buses back to the start at Exeter from Starcross are sufficiently frequent that there should be no concern about how long is taken for the walk. Walking towards the sea allows you to experience the range of environments from historic quayside to wide, open estuary, the urban influence gradually being left behind.

The walk begins at Exeter Quay.  Follow the signs from the City Centre.

There seems to have been a quay here in Roman times, and possibly even before. However, it was substantially enlarged and reorganised in the 1670s, when its current shape emerged.  Particularly notable is the Custom House, built 1680-81 and said to be the first brick building in Exeter.  It is a reminder of the City's former importance as a port, at times the third or fourth most important in the country.  Opposite is the Fishmarket, an open 19th century ironwork structure.  Downstream, the large early 19th century warehouses are also attractive.

Walk to the Fishmarket Shed, then cross the bridge behind it over an old leat.

This leat is one of a number which were formerly used for driving industrial machinery in what was once the City's main industrial area.

Beyond the leat cross the Exe on the large Cricklepit suspension bridge.  On the far side turn left, alongside the river.

On the right, just after the Piazza Terracina [named after Exeter's twin town in Italy], is the basin of the Exeter Canal.  Although the Basin is of later date, the first part of the canal was completed in 1567, making it the first inland waterway to be built in England.   It was built to by-pass a weir which had been constructed across the Exe by the Countess of Devon in the late 13th century.  This had the effect of cutting off Exeter's link to the sea and thus boosting the Countess's port at Topsham, at the head of the estuary.  The canal was successful, as seen by the Customs House and warehouses at the Quay.

Continue along the riverside and at the lock at the end turn right, over the swing bridge which crosses the entrance to the canal basin.  On the far side turn left, now alongside the canal.

The lock to your left gives access from the canal to the river and quay.  Together with the basin, it was constructed in its present form in the early 19th century.

Continue along the canal, passing a small quay.  Keep ahead, past a swing bridge, to arrive at the Double Locks and its Inn.

The canal is parallel to the Exe for its entire length, generally close to it although sometimes further away.  Along much of this length the line of trees alongside the river can be seen to the left, and occasionally  the river itself is visible.

Looking back towards Exeter from this stretch of the canal gives a modern version of the view of the city and cathedral famously painted by Turner.

The pound locks here were first built when the canal was originally constructed in the 16th century, making them the earliest in England.  They were rebuilt later, probably by Dutch engineers, and the design of the Double Locks Inn, which was built in the late 17th or early 18th century, shows Dutch influence.

Keep going alongside the canal, on either bank, after the Double Locks [the left bank has the advantage of bird hides and slightly better views].

A little further on, to the left can be seen the houses of Countess Wear village.  The village gets its name from the Countess Isabella who built the weir across the Exe here in the late 13th century, thus cutting off Exeter's link with the sea and prompting the building of the canal.

The noise of the traffic gets louder as the path approaches a main road.

This is the old Exeter by-pass, notorious for its holiday weekend traffic jams in the 1960s and 70s.  It crosses the canal on two separate bridges, a lifting bridge and a swing bridge.

For those who feel they have walked far enough, buses back to Exeter can be caught from Countess Wear, along the road to the left.

Cross the by-pass using the lights and continue on the path ahead, canal to the left.

The earliest stage of the canal ended a little further on, just downstream of the Countess's weir.  The next section, to Topsham, was added in the 17th century.

As the noise of the Exeter by-pass fades behind, it is replaced by the sound and then the sight of the M5 bridge crossing the Exe and the canal ahead.

This was built in the late 1970s and solved the traffic jam problems of the old by-pass.

Having passed under the M5, the aspect becomes decidedly rural.  Over the fields to the right is the village of Exminster.  This is an ancient settlement, dating to the early years of the Saxon occupation of Devon.  Its name [the Minster on the Exe] shows it to be the site of a very early church.

Continuing, the canal-side path reaches Topsham Lock.

This attractive location gives good views over the river to Topsham, which can be reached by a seasonal ferry.  It also marks the end of the canal as it was extended in the 17th century.  The lock which gave access to the river is just above the ferry crossing.

The next, lowest, part of the canal was added in the early 19th century.  It runs closely parallel to the Exe, separated only by a narrow spit of land covered in reed beds.

On the right of the path are the Exminster Marshes.  Once part of the estuary, they have been reclaimed by a network of drainage ditches.  They still comprise extensive wetlands however, and form part of the important Estuary wildlife habitat.

Continue along the slightly raised canal-side path.

A little further on, look over the canal to the river beyond.  Around here the Exe is joined by a major tributary river, the Clyst, and together they combine to form the now extensive estuary.

Keep on the path to reach Turf Lock.

This marks the end of the canal.  Another attractive location, it offers superb views down the estuary.  The lock and the inn both date to 1825, when the final canal extension was built.

Follow the path past the lock, bear right at the end then go through the gate on the left to the path alongside the estuary.

The superbly scenic estuary-side path gives unparalleled views over the Exe and the marshes.  The estuary is of international importance for its wintering wildfowl and waders and also has many rare plant species.  In addition, the estuary sandbanks support communities of invertebrates of national significance.  In winter over 10,000 wildfowl and 20,000 waders may be on the estuary, which also carries the largest current flock of wintering avocets in Britain.

At the end of the path, carefully cross the railway line on the crossing and follow the fenced path to the left, which after a short while arrives at a road.

To the right is the 15th century Powderham Church, a church with no village which was built to serve Powderham Castle.

Continue along the road ahead and left, parallel to the railway and estuary.

Although not an especially busy road, take care here, especially if walking with children or dogs.

On the right are the grounds of Powderham Castle, home of the Courtenays, Earls of Devon.  The 15th century castle is seen on the skyline.  Alongside the road is the deer park, and the estate's deer are usually visible here.

Follow the road until it bears right and approaches the main road on the outskirts of Starcross.  Turn left by the gate just before the road junction and cross the grassy area to the path alongside the railway.  Walk along this raised path into Starcross.

Superb views over the estuary to Exmouth are obtained from here.  On the near side ahead is the distinctive tower of the pumping station for the South Devon Atmospheric Railway.  When the railway line was first built by Brunel in the 1840s he had the idea of propelling the trains by a vacuum system using pipes between the rails connected to the locomotives.  The vacuum was created by a series of pumping stations, of which the Starcross one is perhaps the best surviving example.  Although a novel idea, it never really worked and was abandoned after three years.

Continue ahead to the railway station.  Buses back to Exeter stop at the shelter on the opposite side of the road.  The seasonal ferry to Exmouth is just beyond the station.

Further Information

A guide booklet on the Exe Valley Way is available in local Tourist Information Centres, price £1.  Alternatively, it may be obtained from the Discover Devon Information Service, Westacott Road, Barnstaple, EX32 8AW, telephone 0870 608 5531, price £1.50 including p and p; cheques payable to Devon County Council, quote reference DP14.

For information on the wider network of walking routes in Devon, obtain the free leaflet "Discover Devon - Walking" from Tourist Information Centres or from the address given above. Alternatively, visit the website www.discoverdevon.com, which has all the walks information and an order form.

OS maps for this walk:

• Landranger [1:50,000 scale] no. 192 Exeter and Sidmouth:
• Explorer [1:25,000 scale] no. 114 Exeter and Exe Valley [for Exeter to Topsham] and no. 110 Torquay and Dawlish [for Topsham to Starcross].

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