Devon's Best Nature Reserves: A Wildlife Lover's Guide

A County Built for Wildlife

Devon has more nature reserves than most people realise. Between the two coastlines, the moorland, the river valleys, and the ancient woodland, this county holds an extraordinary range of habitats — and each one supports a different cast of wildlife. You can watch avocets on a tidal marsh in the morning, walk through an ancient oak forest before lunch, and stand on a limestone headland watching guillemots dive into the sea by mid-afternoon.

What makes Devon's reserves particularly special is their accessibility. Many are free to visit, well maintained, and designed for people of all abilities. Some have bird hides and visitor centres. Others are wilder, quieter places where you might not see another soul for an hour. All of them are better when you share them with someone.

There is something about watching wildlife with other people that changes the experience entirely. You notice more. You share the thrill of a first sighting. You have someone to turn to and say, "Did you see that?" And afterwards, over a cup of tea or a pint, you have something real to talk about — not small talk, but the kind of conversation that comes from having been somewhere beautiful together.

This is our guide to Devon's best nature reserves. For each one, we have included what you are likely to see, when to visit, practical information about access and facilities, and — because this is who we are — why these places make brilliant social outings.

Bowling Green and Goosemoor, Topsham (RSPB)

Bowling Green Marsh — these days the RSPB runs it as Bowling Green and Goosemoor — sits on the confluence of the River Exe and the River Clyst, just outside the pretty town of Topsham near Exeter. It is one of the most important birding sites in the South West, and it is absurdly easy to get to — just a short walk from Topsham's high street, where you can reward yourself with excellent food and drink afterwards.

What you will see: The reserve is a haven for overwintering birds. From autumn through winter, flocks of redshanks, greenshanks, and dunlins arrive alongside hundreds of curlews finding their high-tide roosting spots. Siberian brent geese fly in from the other side of the world to feed here. Avocets, wigeon, teal, and black-tailed godwits are regularly present. You might also spot a peregrine falcon hunting over the marsh, and ospreys pass through during spring and autumn migration. On the river, otters have been sighted, and several fish species inhabit the marsh's pools.

Best season: Autumn and winter are the busiest times for birdlife, though the reserve is worth visiting year-round. Spring migration brings ospreys and other passage birds.

Facilities: The Lookout, the reserve's small visitor centre, opens Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm, does light refreshments and ice creams, and the RSPB says plainly that it depends on volunteer staffing, so it may open late or close early. (The RSPB shop is a separate thing three-quarters of a mile away at Darts Farm — don't set out for one expecting the other.) Binocular hire and the guided walks programme are both suspended at the time of writing.

On the hide, two RSPB sources disagree and we are not going to pretend otherwise. The reserve's main facilities page says the hide is open at all times. The Exeter local group's page says it was closed in February 2026 after antisocial behaviour and now opens only when The Lookout does. We cannot tell you which is current. Treat the hide as available Wednesday to Sunday within Lookout hours, and anything more as a bonus.

Access, in more detail than usual, because it matters here: the Bowling Green hide and The Lookout are both designed to be wheelchair accessible, and there is a Blue Badge bay immediately outside. The Clyst viewing platform is a different proposition — a 130-metre compacted stone path, then shallow steps up to the platform, and no seating once you are there. There is no general car park on site: the nearest are the council pay-and-display at Holman Way and the Quay in Topsham. And there are no toilets at the reserve — the nearest accessible WC is at Topsham Quay (RADAR key) or, for customers, Darts Farm, both about three-quarters of a mile away. Worth knowing before you set out rather than after.

The reserve connects to the Exe Estuary Trail, making it easy to combine a visit with a walk along the river.

Social angle: This is one of the most sociable nature reserves in Devon. The proximity to Topsham means you can spend a morning at the hide and then walk into town for lunch. Birdwatching here does not require specialist knowledge — the hides have information boards, and there are usually other birders happy to point out what they have spotted. It is a genuinely lovely way to spend time with friends.

Dawlish Warren National Nature Reserve

Dawlish Warren is a sand spit of around 214 hectares stretching across the mouth of the Exe Estuary, and it is one of Devon's most important wildlife sites. It holds an almost bewildering array of designations — National Nature Reserve, Site of Special Scientific Interest, Special Protection Area, and Special Area of Conservation — and it earns every single one.

What you will see: Around 600 species of flowering plant have been recorded here, including the Warren crocus (Romulea columnae), which flowers at only one other site in the UK — a tiny thing with lilac-blue petals that appears on dry, stable dunes in early spring. Another rarity is petalwort, which looks like a miniature lettuce only two millimetres across. The reserve is also home to bee orchids, marsh helleborines, and southern marsh orchids, making it a botanical treasure trove from spring through summer.

For birders, the reserve is part of the larger Exe Estuary Special Protection Area. Huge flocks of wildfowl and wading birds overwinter here, including sandwich terns, Arctic terns, curlews, black- and bar-tailed godwits, brent geese, and red-breasted mergansers. Around 2,000 invertebrate species have also been recorded — so if you are into butterflies, moths, or beetles, you will not be disappointed.

Best season: Spring for the Warren crocus and early wildflowers. Late spring and summer for orchids and invertebrates. Autumn and winter for overwintering birds.

Facilities: Teignbridge District Council runs a free visitor centre, but it opens afternoons only — Wednesday to Friday 2pm to 4pm and weekends 2pm to 5pm from April to August, weekends 1pm to 4pm in winter, closed Mondays and Tuesdays — and it shuts without notice when the wardens are out on the reserve. Paths across the dunes are manageable in dry conditions. The wider Dawlish Warren area has cafes, toilets and parking, and the reserve connects to the broader Exe Estuary walking network.

A few restrictions that catch people out: no dogs at all beyond Groyne 9, year-round; further closures north-east of Groyne 9 around high tide in winter to protect roosting birds; the Wildlife Refuge is no-entry; and the Inner Warren is a golf course, not open access. No barbecues, drones, cycling or camping.

Read this before you walk out to Warren Point. The far end of the spit — roughly Groyne 10 to Groyne 15 — is reachable only along the beach, and you can be cut off for about an hour either side of high water, sooner in bad weather. The footpath out there has been closed by storm damage at times, and the bird hide at the point is closed for the foreseeable future. Check the tide before you set off and read the notices on site; they are about safety, not just bylaws.

Social angle: The variety of habitats here — dunes, grassland, mudflats, reedbeds — means there is always something to see regardless of the season. It is an excellent place for a group with mixed interests: the botanist in your circle will be delighted by the orchids, the birder will be scanning the estuary, and everyone else will enjoy the walk and the views. Afterwards, Dawlish itself has some lovely tearooms and seafront spots for a debrief.

Slapton Ley National Nature Reserve

Slapton Ley is the largest natural freshwater lake in south-west England, stretching 1.5 miles along the south Devon coast. It is separated from Start Bay by the shingle bar of Slapton Sands — a dramatic, exposed beach that faces the open English Channel. The contrast between the wild, wave-battered coast and the sheltered, reed-fringed lake behind it is remarkable.

What you will see: The reserve is one of the best places in south Devon to encounter an otter, and sightings are regular. Cetti's warblers are a specialty — listen for their explosive, unmistakable song from deep within the reedbeds. Eurasian bitterns are resident, and breeding waterfowl include garganeys, gadwalls, tufted ducks, great crested grebes, and pochards. Water rails and kingfishers are regularly seen, and cirl buntings — one of Britain's rarest farmland birds — sing from the hedgerows around the reserve.

The botany is notable too. Slapton Ley is the only UK site for strapwort (Corrigiola litoralis), and over 2,000 species of fungi have been recorded here.

Best season: Year-round, but winter is excellent for wildfowl and bittern sightings. Spring and summer bring breeding birds and wildflowers.

Facilities: The reserve is managed by the Field Studies Council and is free to enter with no gates or closing times. The FSC's Slapton Ley centre is very much a going concern — a residential field centre with 178 beds running courses and events through the year, including a Festival of Nature each August. A footpath runs alongside the Lower Ley, and there are hides for watching the lake. Parking is the difficulty at the moment, for the reasons above.

Social angle: The walk along Slapton Ley is flat, gentle, and perfect for conversation. You walk at the pace of the slowest person, and there is always something to stop and look at — a heron standing motionless in the shallows, a sudden flash of kingfisher blue. The village of Torcross at the southern end has the Start Bay Inn, a pub right on the beach where you can sit and watch the waves while you eat. It is the kind of place where a casual walk turns into an unexpectedly brilliant afternoon.

Berry Head National Nature Reserve, Brixham

Berry Head is a limestone headland forming the southern boundary of Tor Bay, just east of Brixham. It is one of Devon's most dramatic nature reserves — a place where 400 million years of geology meets a thriving seabird colony, Napoleonic War fortifications, and views that stretch across Lyme Bay on a clear day.

What you will see: The reserve's limestone cliffs support around 900 guillemots nesting on the ledges each spring — one of the largest mainland colonies in south-west England. Kittiwakes breed here too, and peregrine falcons are regularly seen hunting along the cliff face. From the headland, you can often spot dolphins and harbour porpoises in the waters below — Berry Head is one of the best land-based cetacean watching points in south Devon.

The limestone grassland is rich with wildflowers, including white rock-rose, small restharrow, autumn squill, and several species of orchid. Around 500 plant species have been recorded. Beneath the headland, caves provide roosting sites for the endangered greater horseshoe bat.

Best season: Late spring and summer for seabirds, wildflowers, and cetacean watching. Autumn for migration. Winter is quieter but still rewarding.

Facilities: The Guardhouse Cafe in the Napoleonic fort is trading, daily 9am to 4pm. The car park is Torbay Council's, on Gillard Road (TQ5 9AP) — pay and display, 76 spaces, seven blue-badge bays, no height restriction, card or cash or RingGo, and charges apply on Sundays and bank holidays too. On access, be careful what you infer: the seven blue-badge bays and the level ground between car park, cafe and fort are manageable, but the clifftop paths beyond are not.

A note on management, because you may see conflicting information: Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust, which ran the reserve for years, went into voluntary liquidation, and Berry Head is now looked after by SWISCo with the car park under Torbay Council. Old Trust permits stopped being honoured on 31 March 2026.

The lighthouse is worth seeing, but the line you will hear repeated — that it is the smallest and highest in Britain — does not survive checking. Trinity House puts Berry Head's 5-metre tower joint-shortest with Crow Point, and Hilbre Island's is shorter still at 3 metres. What is true is that its light sits about 58 metres above the sea, because the headland does the work rather than the tower.

Social angle: Berry Head is one of those places that appeals to everyone, not just wildlife enthusiasts. The views alone are worth the visit, and the cafe is a proper destination in its own right. Bring binoculars, watch the guillemots, scan the sea for dolphins, and then settle into the Guardhouse Cafe for a cream tea. If your friends are interested in exploring Dartmoor as well, you can easily combine both in a weekend trip — Berry Head in the morning, the moor in the afternoon.

Lundy Island

Lundy sits twelve miles off the north Devon coast, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Bristol Channel. Its name comes from the Old Norse for "puffin island," and after decades of decline, the puffins are back. The island now has over 1,335 puffins — up from just 13 in 2000 — thanks to a remarkable conservation effort that included removing the rats that had devastated the breeding population. The island was declared completely rat-free in 2006, and since then, seabird numbers have soared. More than 40,000 seabirds now call Lundy home.

What you will see: Puffins are the headline act, returning between March and August (April to July is peak season). The best viewing spots are Jenny's Cove and St Philip's Stone on the western side of the island. But Lundy is far more than puffins — Manx shearwaters, razorbills, guillemots, and fulmars all breed here. The island was England's first statutory Marine Nature Reserve and its first Marine Conservation Zone, and the waters around it are teeming with grey seals, dolphins, and extraordinary marine life.

Best season: April to July for puffins and breeding seabirds. Grey seals are present year-round.

Facilities: The MS Oldenburg sails from Bideford or Ilfracombe (check the Landmark Trust website for schedules). There is a shop, a pub (the Marisco Tavern), and basic accommodation if you want to stay overnight. The island is managed by the Landmark Trust on behalf of the National Trust.

One thing to check before booking if anyone in your party is less mobile. The passenger Land Rover that normally carries people up from the landing bay is suspended while Beach Road stabilisation works are under way. Without it, getting from the boat to the village is a steep half-mile climb on foot, which currently puts the island out of reach for a lot of visitors. Ring Landmark and ask where the works have got to.

Social angle: A day trip to Lundy is one of the most memorable outings you can have in Devon. The boat crossing itself is an experience — an hour or two on the Bristol Channel with the possibility of seeing dolphins en route. Once on the island, there is nowhere to rush to and nothing to do except walk, watch wildlife, and enjoy being somewhere genuinely remote. The Marisco Tavern, the island's only pub, has a convivial atmosphere that makes strangers feel like friends. It is the kind of day out that people talk about for months afterwards.

Dunsford Wood (Devon Wildlife Trust)

Dunsford Wood lies in the Teign Valley on the north-eastern edge of Dartmoor National Park, managed by the Devon Wildlife Trust. The reserve follows the River Teign as it winds through a steep-sided valley of oak, ash, and birch — an ancient woodland that has been here for thousands of years and feels like it.

What you will see: The river is the star. Kingfishers, goosanders, and dippers feed along the Teign, and otters are seen regularly. In the woodland, tawny owls, spotted flycatchers, and all three species of British woodpecker (great spotted, lesser spotted, and green) are present. Herds of fallow deer pass through the valley. But the real showstopper is the wild daffodils: in late March, the woodland floor turns brilliant yellow with a display that is one of Devon's natural wonders.

Best season: Late March for wild daffodils. Spring for woodland birds and wildflowers. Summer for butterflies and dragonflies along the river.

Facilities: The reserve is 57 hectares, free to enter and open at all times. The main entrance is at Steps Bridge on the B3212 (Exeter to Moretonhampstead road), where there is a public car park; you can also park on the roadside near either entrance, and there is a second entrance at Clifford Bridge. Devon Wildlife Trust rates the paths 2 out of 3 for accessibility: level in places but steep in others, and the riverside path gets muddy in winter. There are no toilets on site, and the mobile signal is poor — better on the open slopes than down by the river. Dogs on leads. There is cattle grazing.

We have previously described a tearoom at Steps Bridge. Devon Wildlife Trust lists no refreshments among the facilities and we could not confirm one is trading there, so do not plan your day around a cup of tea at the end of it — the nearest reliable option is in Dunsford village. Roadside space at Steps Bridge fits only a couple of cars, so use the public car park.

Social angle: The wild daffodil walk is a genuinely special experience to share with friends. The path along the river is mostly gentle and the scenery is beautiful — take a flask, given there is nothing on site. If you enjoy community gardens and outdoor social spaces, Dunsford Wood offers a similar feeling of shared wonder in a natural setting.

Yarner Wood National Nature Reserve

Yarner Wood is part of the East Dartmoor Woods and Heaths National Nature Reserve, located west of Bovey Tracey on the south-eastern edge of Dartmoor. It is an ancient oak woodland with a rich understorey of mosses, lichens, and ferns — part of Devon's temperate rainforest heritage.

What you will see: Pied flycatchers are a specialty here, arriving in spring to breed in nestboxes. Lesser spotted woodpeckers are present but elusive. Dormice breed in the woodland, and the high brown fritillary butterfly — one of Britain's most endangered butterflies — can be found in the surrounding area. The site supports abundant lichens and mosses, including tree lungwort, and the rare blue ground beetle. In spring, the woodland floor is carpeted with bluebells.

Best season: Mid-April to mid-June for woodland birds, bluebells, and butterflies.

Facilities: From Bovey Tracey take the B3387 towards Manaton — taking care not to fork left to Haytor — and after about a mile and a half the Yarner Wood car park is signed on the left, 300 metres down a driveway, alongside the NNR office. Parking charges are voluntary and paid through the RingGo app rather than a machine, so set that up before you lose signal. There are two further car parks on the reserve, at Trendlebere Down and Pullabrook Wood. There are toilets at the NNR office by the car park, information boards, waymarked trails of varying lengths and a bird hide; paths are generally good but uneven in places. Bovey Tracey is the nearest place for refreshments. The reserve is managed by Natural England with the Trendlebere Down Commoners Association, the Woodland Trust and the Dartmoor National Park Authority.

Social angle: Yarner Wood is the kind of place that rewards patience. Bring binoculars, walk slowly, and listen. The woodland is peaceful without being silent — birdsong fills the canopy, and the sound of the River Bovey runs through the background. It is a perfect place for a mindful walk with a friend, the kind where you do not need to fill every moment with conversation because the place does the talking for you. If you have been meaning to try birdwatching as a social activity, Yarner Wood is an ideal starting point.

Seaton Wetlands

Seaton Wetlands is a newer reserve in east Devon, managed by Wild East Devon. It comprises four main areas — Seaton Marshes, Black Hole Marsh, Colyford Common, and Stafford Marsh — and has quickly become one of the best wetland sites in the county.

What you will see: The reserve attracts a wonderful variety of wetland birds. Sand martins and avocets breed here. Cetti's warblers sing from the reedbeds. In winter, wildfowl and wading birds gather in impressive numbers. Otters have been seen at the pond, and through summer the reserve is alive with dragonflies and damselflies. Long-tailed tits, robins, and chaffinches are ever-present.

Best season: Year-round. Winter for wildfowl, spring and summer for breeding birds, dragonflies, and butterflies.

Facilities: This is one of Devon's most accessible reserves, and unusually for this guide the operator publishes the detail rather than leaving you to guess. The reserve is open 24 hours a day, year-round, and entry is free — a £1 donation is suggested for the car park. There are five bird hides and pond-dipping platforms, and nearly four kilometres of level trails and boardwalks that Wild East Devon describes as suitable for wheelchairs, bikes and pushchairs. There are accessible toilets and baby changing at Stafford Marsh, where the Discovery Hut does hot drinks — but the Hut keeps seasonal hours, so do not plan a visit around it without checking. The classroom is a separate building, The Reed Base, which is hired rather than open.

The Tramper is not free and not spontaneous, which matters if it is the reason you are going. The all-terrain mobility scooter needs Countryside Mobility membership — about £3 for a single use, £5 for a two-week taster or £15 for the year — plus a suggested £5 donation, photo ID and a ten to fifteen minute induction. It runs Monday to Saturday only, when trained staff are on duty, and needs 48 hours' notice: book on [email protected]. A free British Sign Language guide is available on request.

The Seaton Tramway has a Wetlands halt, so you can arrive without a car — though it is about 300 metres from the main site along a boardwalk rather than at the gate. Note that this is a dog-free reserve, assistance dogs excepted.

Social angle: The accessibility of Seaton Wetlands makes it ideal for groups where mobility varies. Everyone can enjoy the hides, the trails are flat and easy, and the Discovery Hut gives you somewhere to gather and learn together. It is proof that wildlife watching does not have to involve trudging across boggy fields in wellies — sometimes, the best encounters happen from a comfortable hide with a flask of tea.

Making It Social

Every reserve in this guide is better with company. But if you are looking for ways to turn nature watching into a regular social habit, here are a few ideas:

Join a local group. The RSPB Exeter and District Local Group runs regular walks and talks. The Devon Wildlife Trust organises guided walks at many of their reserves throughout the year. And the county bird society — founded in 1928 as the Devon Birdwatching and Preservation Society, and known simply as Devon Birds these days — is another excellent way to meet people who share your interests.

Start small. You do not need to know the difference between a dunlin and a sanderling to enjoy a morning at Bowling Green Marsh. Start with a flask and binoculars, and let curiosity do the rest.

Combine nature with food. Several of these reserves are near excellent pubs, cafes, and tearooms. A morning watching birds followed by a proper lunch is one of the most civilised ways to spend a day in Devon.

Make it seasonal. Visit different reserves at different times of year. Slapton Ley in winter for bitterns, Dunsford Wood in March for daffodils, Berry Head in June for guillemots, Lundy in May for puffins. A seasonal rhythm gives you something to look forward to and a reason to keep meeting up.

If you enjoy getting outdoors with friends, you might also like our guide to stargazing across Devon's dark sky spots — another brilliant excuse to spend time together under open skies.

Nature reserves are not just places to see wildlife. They are places where the pace slows down, where conversations deepen, and where shared wonder turns acquaintances into friends. Devon has some of the best reserves in England. Go and see them — and take someone with you.