River Exe
The
River Exe rises near the village of
Simonsbath, on
Exmoor in
Somerset, near the north (
Bristol Channel) coast of the county, but flows more or less directly due south and reaches the sea at a substantial
ria on the south (
English Channel) coast of
Devon. Historically, its lowest bridging point was at
Exeter, though there is now a viaduct for the
M5 motorway about 3
km south of the city centre.
Many
villages along the course of the
river take their names from it, including
Exford,
Up Exe,
Nether Exe,
Exwick,
Exton,
Exminster, and
Exebridge, where it is joined by the
River Barle. The
seaside town of
Exmouth is at the east side of the
estuary, and
Dawlish Warren at the west.
Tides on the river are now limited at
Countess Wear (or
Weir), which was constructed by the
Countess of Devon. The
Exeter Canal bypasses the
weirs and enabled ocean-going sailing ships to reach Exeter
quay. At high
tide, the
estuary forms a large body of water that is heavily used for water sports especially
sailing,
windsurfing and
water skiing; at low tide, extensive
mud flats are exposed, and these are an important feeding source for
wading birds. Along with other rias in
South West England, the Exe estuary is an important site for
wintering waders.
Dawlish Warren is a favoured site for
birdwatching.
Railways run along both sides of the estuary. The
Avocet Line from Exeter to Exmouth on one side, and the
South Devon main line on the other. the latter is
on a causeway for much of the way.
*
Dawlish Warren Nature Reserve*
Rivers of the United Kingdom* Lawrence, Rod:
The Exe: A River for Wildlife Bradford-on-Avon 1999
