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River Exe stroll for all the family |
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| Looking
across the River Exe to Exeter - with the Cathedral on the right |
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This
riverside walk is near Exeter city centre, but it feels as though
you're out in the countryside. It's level and accessible for walkers
of all ages and wheelchair users.
By: Laura Joint |
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The Riverside
Valley Park
is seven miles long, and is a link between Exmoor in the north, to
the Exe Estuary and the sea in the south.
In the middle of the park is the section of the Exe which passes through
Exeter. Here, there are cicular walks which take you across the river
and back again.
I did this walk with a group of colleagues from work, as part of the
2004 Walk for Life event in aid of cancer charities.
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| There
we are, at the start of the walk with the flood plain to our
left |
It
was a three mile walk (or run, for the more energetic ones among us),
starting at the Piazza on Exeter Quay, on the west side of the river.
It was a busy day down on the Quay, because as well as the hundreds
of charity runners/walkers, there was also a gig racing event going
on as well.
We headed off down to Kings Arms Gate, which is at the end of the
500-year-old Exeter Ship Canal, and joined the path and cycleway which
runs alongside the River Exe flood relief channel.
This whole area is a wildlife haven, where you can find birds such
as kingfishers and herons. And on the river, there are families of
swans.
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| A
swan, looking all serene on the Exe |
The
meadows to the right of the path are home to butterflies, swallows
and other wildlife.
We crossed the River Exe via Duck's Marsh Bridge, and stuck to the
pathway to do a U-turn, walking back along the other side of the river.
We
passed through Belle Isle Park, and then crossed the river again,
using the Trews Weir Suspension Bridge (which felt a bit wobbly!).
Here, you get a good view of Trews Weir - a good place to take photos.
As part of our route, we then crossed the flood relief channel and
re-traced our steps on the path on the western bank before crossing
the playing field to the right.
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| The
view from Trews Weir Suspension Bridge |
This
took us to the path alongside the Exeter Ship Canal, and we made our
way back to our starting point.
You can end the walk with a drink and a bite to eat at one of the
many riverside pubs and cafes here.
The walk takes about an hour, and it's flat and accessible.
Alternatively...
if you fancy a longer walk, you can head off down the Exe from the
Quay and then, instead of crossing the river, you can walk across
the fields on your right and join up with the ship canal.
From here, you can walk all the way down to Turf Locks or even Powderham,
and then back again - stopping off at one of the canalside pubs on
the way.
For more information on this area, take a look at Exeter City Council's
Riverside Valley Park web pages, linked from the left of this page.
Article first published: 21st July 2004
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