River Axe

The River Axe rises in Dorset’s rolling countryside south of Chedington, near the source of the River Parrett. It flows west then south, marking the boundary between Dorset and Somerset before entering Devon. The river passes old villages like Winsham and the ruins of Forde Abbey, joined along the way by smaller rivers such as the Blackwater and the Kit. Near Axminster it turns south again, passing Whitford and Colyford, where it widens into a tidal estuary before reaching the sea at Lyme Bay. The river’s middle section from the Blackwater confluence to Colyford Bridge was named a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1999. Experts call it unusually rich in water plants and animals because of its shifting channels, open banks and stable riverbed. Salmon, otters and kingfishers live here alongside rare plants and even medicinal leeches. The meanders south of Axminster are noted for their geological interest, shaped by centuries of gentle erosion. At the mouth, the Axe Estuary once handled fifteen per cent of England’s shipping in the 14th century. Axmouth, now a mile inland, was then a busy port, and the remains of a medieval fishing boat appear at low tide. Today the estuary is bordered by Seaton Wetlands, a chain of nature reserves with lagoons and hides that attract birds and otters. A narrow-gauge tramway runs beside the water, giving visitors views over the marshes and the rising hills of the Jurassic Coast.