River Avon

The River Avon, also called the River Aune, begins in the southern half of Dartmoor National Park. It starts in a boggy area west of Ryder’s Hill and soon meets a dam built in 1957 to create Avon Reservoir. After leaving the moor it winds past villages such as South Brent and Avonwick before reaching Aveton Gifford. Near Loddiswell the river flows through Fosse Copse, a small woodland of 1.88 hectares managed by the Woodland Trust. The estuary lies within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and forms part of the South Devon Heritage Coast. The river’s valley once carried the Kingsbridge branch line railway from 1893 until the line closed in 1963. The railway once linked South Brent with Kingsbridge along the valley floor. Visitors find quiet paths beside the river and reservoir, with views across Dartmoor’s uplands. The estuary offers tidal waters and saltmarsh habitats rich in wildlife. Woodland Trust trails wind through Fosse Copse, where bluebells flower in spring. The old railway route now forms a green corridor for walking and cycling.