This landscape is centred on the Dart estuary which carves a deep fissure into the surrounding higher land, creating a unique amalgam of land and water. A journey down the estuary displays many contrasts, from steep, wooded cliffs to gentle, rolling pasture lands, and from the grandeur of the wide and deep main channel to the intimacy of the tributary creeks. The tributary creeks have cut their own steep sided, secluded valleys such as Bow Creek, Dittisham Mill Creek and Old Mill Creek, deeply dissecting the high ground. The steeply sloping banks and valley sides, in places too steep for agriculture, support some of the most extensive tracts of ancient semi-natural woodland in the South Devon AONB and these woodlands enhance this landscape’s sense of enclosure. Small historic villages cling to the steep slopes, their vernacular buildings, boathouses and mills sitting on the water’s edge; and this coupled with the network of narrow ancient lanes, lends a timeless quality to the area.
This area comprises the Dart Estuary – a ria valley (drowned river valley) with tidal creeks that extend as far as Totnes (a distance of 17km). Its boundaries are defined by surrounding higher land creating a distinct visual unit focused on the estuary. To the north beyond this landscape the land drops northwards to form Torbay Hinterland while to the east the land forms a coastal plateau (the Froward Point to Berry Head Coastal Plateau) which faces out to sea. To the south and west the tributary creeks of the estuary become inland valleys creating deep incisions into the inland plateau landscapes.
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/south-hams-area/dart-estuary
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas
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Lundy is an isolated and unique place, surrounded by and dominated by the ever-changing sea. Remote and undeveloped, it is a ‘sanctuary’ away from the mainland. Its seascapes are dramatic, with sheer cliffs rising out of the water, battered into dramatic shapes by the force of the Atlantic breakers. The desolate, windswept moorland is alive with the sounds of crashing waves and the cries of the sea birds. The island’s remoteness from 21st century life, and its sense of changelessness, is enhanced by the extraordinary richness of its history. This historic sites provide a tangible link with the island’s past, stretching as far back as prehistoric times.
Lundy is a small island (approximately 1km by 5km) located around 18km off the North Devon coast in the Bristol Channel.
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/torridge-area/lundy
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas
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In the Hartland Peninsula, complex geology, combined with centuries of pounding by the full force of the Atlantic waves, has produced some of the most dramatic seascapes and coastal scenery in Devon. The cliffs are high and rugged, with zig-zag faults and folds. Wave-cut platforms and spectacular coastal waterfalls are also distinctive features of this jagged, exposed and windswept coastline, with the profile of Lundy visible in the open seascape. Coastal heathland on the cliff tops produces vivid and changing colours for much of the year. Inland, the area contains an open, flat, elevated plateau of agricultural land, which contrasts with the twisting, wooded and secretive combes that are cut into the plateau at its coastal edge. Dramatic sunsets over the sea add to the drama of the area.
This area comprises the south-western part of the North Devon coast. It is bordered by the sea to the north and west, and by the county boundary with Cornwall to the south. To the east there is a gradual transition to the Bideford Bay Coast and a more abrupt transition (marked by the prevalence of unimproved Culm grassland) to the Western Culm Plateau.
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/torridge-area/hartland-peninsula
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas
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This is an elevated, expansive landscape forming a series of ridges, with long views from high ground. Dartmoor provides a backdrop to the southern part of the area; the sea forms the horizons from the north. There are extensive areas of Culm grassland, which can feel bleak and exposed, but are rich in prehistoric archaeology and of international importance for their biodiversity. Some areas of the Culm grassland have been planted for forestry, and the dark colours and abrupt edges of the large conifer plantations contrast with the softer deciduous vegetation in the valleys. The farmed landscape of the valleys has a much softer texture and a more settled ‘working’ character than the Culm grasslands of the moors above. It includes pastoral fields, scattered whitewashed farms and occasional larger settlements such as Bradworthy and Holsworthy.
This extensive area is located on the western edge of Torridge District, and comprises elevated upland farmland and Culm grassland. Its western boundary is defined by the county boundary with Cornwall. To the north are the Hartland Peninsula and the Bideford Bay Coast, where the landscape changes from grassland and plantation to more intensive agricultural use and coastal influences become stronger. To the east is the more incised landscape of the Western Torridge Upland Farmland; while to the south there is a gradual transition into the High Torridge Culm Plateau and the Upper Tamar Tributary Valleys.
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/torridge-area/western-culm-plateau
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas
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Deep combes cloaked in oak woodland wind inland from the wooded cliffs, with carpets of bluebells in spring. Streams rush down the valleys, and ferns thrive in the dark, damp conditions. The woodland paths, with their glimpsed views of the sea, have a sense of intimacy, secrecy and peace. Narrow lanes with high, fern-covered banks provide access to the sheltered combe villages of Bucks Mills and Clovelly, the latter with its picturesque harbour and whitewashed houses. On higher land behind and between the combes is a lush landscape with a rolling patchwork of fields, a peaceful settled feel, and views of the woodlands and the sea. There are open sea views across Bideford Bay towards the Taw-Torridge estuary, with Lundy a distinctive feature on the horizon.
This area encompasses a sweep of coastal land from Beckland Bay (near Exmansworthy) to Westward Ho! To the north is the sea, and to the east (beyond the settlements of Westward Ho! and Appledore) is the Taw-Torridge Estuary. To the south is a transition to the Torridge Valley (marked by a change in landform) and the Western Culm Plateau (marked by the change in dominant vegetation to Culm grassland and plantation). To the west is a gradual transition to the Hartland Peninsula.
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/torridge-area/bideford-bay-coast
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas
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Centred on a watershed in the very heart of Devon at the junction of numerous character areas, this typical Devon farmed landscape comprises lush green pastoral farmland, visually dominated by the brooding mass of Dartmoor to the south. Rounded hills covered in hedged fields are separated by secretive valleys where rivers meander along their tree-lined courses. There is a strong perception of time-depth, with the landscape reflecting thousands of years of human history from the Neolithic to the present day. The landscape presents a rich tapestry of medieval features, including churches, villages, farms, field boundaries and narrow lanes with ancient wayside crosses.
dca33-high-tawThis is an extensive area of undulating farmland between Dartmoor and the Taw and Torridge Valleys. The town of Okehampton lies to the south-west of the area. To the south is a narrow band of the Moretonhampstead Moorland Fringes, with Dartmoor beyond. To the west (beyond the Okemont River) are the Broadbury Ridges and High Torridge Culm Plateau. To the north the area merges with the Torridge Valley, the High Culm Ridges and the Taw Valley; while to the east there is a gradual transition to the Crediton Rolling Farmland, the Yeo, Culm and Exe Lowlands and the Yeo Upland Slopes.
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/west-devon-area/high-taw-farmland
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas
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A gentle agricultural landscape of high scenic quality, characterised by ribbon-like rivers. Slow-flowing, meandering streams fringed by trees glide through quiet, inaccessible floodplains. A semi-regular pattern of fields, edged with hedges and earth banks, covers the undulating landform and adds pattern and texture to the landscape. The area feels remote and peaceful, and away from Okehampton has seen very little C.20th development; the scattered stone-built farms and villages have a timeless quality. Narrow, earth-banked lanes thread across the valleys, contrasting with the A30 which cuts across the landscape.
dca62-upper-tamarThis roughly V-shaped area comprises the upper valleys of the rivers Tamar and Thrushel and their tributaries the Carey, Deer, Lyd, Lew and Wolf, extending from just east of Launceston in Cornwall northwards to Holsworthy and eastwards towards Okehampton. The western boundary of the area corresponds to the county boundary with Cornwall. To the north there are gradual transitions to the Western Culm Plateau and the High Torridge Culm Plateau. To the east are the Broadbury Ridges and to the south the Middle Tamar Valley, Tamar Upland Fringe and Tavistock Dartmoor Fringes. The boundaries with the latter two areas are marked by the transition to higher ground with a stronger moorland influence.
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/west-devon-area/upper-tamar-tributary-valleys
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas
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This is an east-west ridge of elevated land, separating the valleys of the Lyd and Tamar. It is an open, quiet landscape, with long views over the woodland and fields of the surrounding valleys. The hill tops retain their moorland feel, and the prehistoric archaeological features add a sense of time-depth to the landscape. Isolated farms nestle in sheltered valleys, and historic villages and hamlets are scattered on the valley sides, their square-towered churches providing landmarks.
This relatively small area comprises elevated land overlooking the northern part of the Tamar valley. To the north is a gradual transition to the Upper Tamar Tributary Valleys, and to the east a gradual transition to the Tavistock Dartmoor Fringes. To the south and west the area merges with the lower-lying land of the Middle Tamar Valley and River Tavy Middle Valley.
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/west-devon-area/tamar-upland-fringe
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas
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This landscape is dominated by the graceful line of the River Tamar, which flows towards the sea in a series of loops and meanders, sometimes through dramatic rocky gorges. Seen from the river, oak woods and mixed plantations clothe the hillside from ridge to water’s edge, while the woodland canopy creates a rich texture, even in winter. Within the woods, ivy-covered banks, spangled in spring with daffodils, primroses and bluebells enclose twisting lanes that weave up and down the steep slopes. The lanes connect the riverside settlements with their colourful houses, workshops and quays. A sense of history is everywhere, emanating from the old quays, abandoned mine buildings and historic estates.
This is a long, narrow area, following the winding path of the River Tamar in a broadly north-south direction. Its western edge is defined by the county boundary with Cornwall, but in reality the character area continues to include Cornish bank of the river. To the north is a gradual transition to the Upper Tamar Tributary Valleys; to the east the area merges with the Tamar Upland Fringe and the River Tavy Middle Valley. To the south the river channels are within the Lower Tamar and Tavy Valleys.
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/west-devon-area/middle-tamar-valley
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas
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This is a low lying, intensively farmed landscape with a uniformity to its undulating topography except in the north where there are a couple of outliers of higher ground. The uniform topography and pattern of hedgerows and hedgerows trees mean that there are few distinguishing features and this coupled with winding rural lanes results in a landscape which can feel quite disorientating. A distinguishing element of the area are ‘Clyst’ place names which mean ‘clear water’ and the numerous small steams which drain the area, along with the more prominent Clyst and Tale valleys, are defining characteristics. This is a settled landscape with a dispersed pattern of villages and farmsteads and includes modern communications and infrastructure, namely the A30 corridor, railway lines, pylons and more recently Exeter Airport. It also includes the town of Honiton.
This area comprises low lying farmland between Exeter and Honiton which is drained by a series of small steams feeding into the more pronounced valleys of the Clyst and Tale. The northern fringes of this area are marked by the distinctive hills of Budlake, the M5 corridor and Culm Valley although the change in character to the Culm Valley Lowlands is transitional. To the south the landscape is also transitional but distinguished by more undulating terrain and closer association with the Pebble Bed ridge. To the east the change in landscape is marked by the rising greensand ridges while to the west the boundary is clearly defined by the urban edge of Exeter and the Exe Estuary.
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/east-devon-area/clyst-lowland-farmlands
https://www.devon.gov.uk/planning/planning-policies/landscape/devon-character-areas
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