Tarka Tales. Meandering beside the Marshes

This is Isley Marsh, the RSPB Nature Reserve just off the Tarka Trail beside the Taw/Torridge Estuary between Yelland and Fremington Quay. Visitor access is restricted to public footpaths, largely outside the reserve itself, but allowing expansive views across the estuary and the surrounding farmland. From here you can see across the estuary to Chivenor and Saunton Sands and the North Devon Biosphere..

It is an important haven in the busy estuary for undisturbed feeding and resting birds, especially the wintering flocks of ducks such as Teal and waders including significant numbers of Curlew, Greenshank and Dunlin. In recent years, numbers of little Egret have increased. 

 

An incredbly dull day on Sunday but we enjoyed the walk from Yelland to Fremington Quay. going past Isley Marsh we spotted two Spoonbills, a flock of Lapwing and a little Goldfinch. Further along the trail at Fremington Quay we saw 4 Oyster Catchers, 1 Curlew, 2 Shelduck and one Redshank. (Article photos credit Pat Adams 13 January 2019)

 

RSPB Isley Marsh Wildlife Refuge beside the Tarka Trail

RSPB Isley Marsh Saltmarsh and Mudflats beside the Taw/Torridge Estuary

The Tarka Trail is popular with runners, walkers and cyclists. The section between Instow, Yelland and Fremington Quay is popular with birdwatchers. The Big Garden Birdwatch 2019 is from 26-28 January

👀👀

North Devon Focus on RSPB

North Devon Focus on the Tarka Trail

North Devon Focus on Fremington Quay 

👀👀 

Tap here for details on RSPB Isley Marsh 

Tap here to sign up for the The Big Garden Birdwatch.

Short Film: The Bideford Pilot - Out in the estuary whatever the weather.

Yes, the weather's dreadful but spare a thought for those whose work continues rain or shine, day or night and whatever the swell out in the Torridge estuary.  

The Bideford Pilot is an insightful and dramatic new short film showing the work of the pilot, Roger Hoad, who guides ships safely into Bideford, Appledore or Yelland.  In the film, Roger says "People from Bideford often open their curtains to find a ship down at the quay. They go to work while the ship is being loaded and the next morning it has vanished again."

The Bideford Pilot is one of ten short films in the Boat Stories series and local historian Peter Christie, who presented the Bideford premiere screening of the series, commented "I was delighted to see the films which really explored one of those parts of the North Devon economy that we all talk about yet very few see at first hand. It was especially good to see the film on Roger Hoad, the Bideford harbour pilot, whose essential work often happens at very unsocial hours (tides wait for no man not even Roger) and is often very challenging."

Before she began research on the film, Boat Stories producer Jo Stewart-Smith thought that escorting incoming ships over the notorious Bideford Bar would be the most difficult part of the pilot's job.  Jo commented "I know now that transferring the pilot on and off the big ships, gaining the trust of a new captain quickly so the pilot can effectively control the ship, guiding the ships up and down the tidal river through the narrow constantly changing channels and turning a 6,000 tonnes ship against a flood tide - are all tough, challenging tasks."

The work has its rewards as well as its challenges and crew member Thom Flaxman says "I get to see some lovely sunrises and sunsets and appreciate the beauty of the river at all hours of the day and night. Some winter nights the deck of the Pilot Boat is just a sheet of ice. When you're hauling on a line it's worth hanging onto the boat as there's nothing to stop your boots from sliding straight over the side."

John Pavitt is coxwain of the pilot boat and it's his job to keep Roger safe, positioning the boat so they are not in danger of squashing him or breaking his legs.  He tells us "For all the technology that has come along nothing has changed from the pilot’s point of view. He is still hanging on to a rope ladder on the side of the ship under any conditions and it’s the crew of the pilot boat that have to get him safely off and on..."

During the recent storm 'Frank' the pilot crew were out working in winds up to 30 knots, escorting the Celtic Warrior out from Yelland Quay. The ship's master was concerned that transferring the pilot down the long ladder would be too dangerous due to the pitching and rolling but as Roger Hoad said in typically understated fashion "in the event all went well and the crew did a good job in quite testing conditions."

Watching the film has had a lasting impact on Instow resident Jim McCormack "I can see the estuary from my garden and when I'm outside at night I look out across the bar and spare a thought for the Bideford pilot - remembering that dramatic scene in the film where he takes his life in his hands as he jumps from the small pilot boat onto a rope ladder dangling from the giant cargo ship."

You can watch the Bideford Pilot along with the other nine Boat Stories short films at www.boatstories.co.uk.

Power walk on the Tarka Trail

The sheep are back in the field there’s a break in the weather and blue skies at last so time to get out in the open air to see if there is any sign of Spring. The Tarka Trail is ideal for a walk run or cycle ride and one of my favourite stretches is from Yelland to Fremington Quay which is about 2.25 miles. As we stepped from the car about 30 Crows were roosting atop piles of wood on a recently cleared puddle-filled field. Off the Trail there are a couple of points of interest for birdwatchers and nature lovers, a path which skirts the shores of the Taw Estuary and the small RSPB Reserve Isley Marsh and the Gaia Trust’s Home Farm Marsh. There is a Permissive Path around Home Farm Marsh both paths are wild-flower rich in Spring/Summer and at this time of year the marshes are havens for over-wintering birds. Today I caught sight of about 10 Egrets along this stretch. There are field upon field of winter stubble on the other side of the trail and I noticed further up there is now another Permissive Path linking the trail to the village of Fremington. Amongst the winter stubble I spotted two male Pheasants. The Tarka Trail can be quite busy so listen out for the sound of tinkling bicycle bells. Watch out for these cyclists, they come in all different forms and all at different speeds. Head down racers, family groups (there is always one slow one bringing up the rear) Little ones teetering on the back of Dad’s bike or tots on trikes, wheelchair users or wheelchair tandems, this fantastic Trail is open to everyone, even folk with bicycle trailers specially designed for pampered pooches. Today we just had a pot of tea and a toasted teacake at Fremington Quay Café but Sunday Roast is also on the menu at this time of year. There is also an exhibition here which offers a fascinating insight into the Victorian quay’s past, with touch screen, video and sound displays. The tide was creeping into the Pill, I spotted about 15 Oystercatchers on the mud flats beyond and there were two flocks of seabirds flying in to join the multitude out on the estuary. No sign of the Seal that was a regular visitor to the Pill last year. A quiet but brisk walk back the way we came, a twittering Blue Tit, a Robin and a large group of Chaffinch fluttering up then settling in a nearby tree. Luckily the late afternoon sun lit up the old power lines over Isley Marsh and highlighted the estuary across to the iconic Saunton Sands Hotel. On the horizon the new power turbines at Fullabrook Wind Farm. Article Pat Adams Sunday 18^th January 2015

Don't forget to register now for the Big Garden Birdwatch 2015 which is on 24-25 January

Access and Parking - Head for the Estuary Business Park Road, West Yelland EX31 3EZ off the Bideford to Barnstaple B3233

or Access and Parking - Fremington Quay EX31 2NH

 ----------------------------------------------------------
Focus on the RSPB Reserves in North Devon
North Devon Focus on the Tarka Trail
Points of Interest

The Gaia Trust
Please note: Dogs are not permitted anywhere on Home Farm Marsh, even on leads. This is because of the Trust’s purpose for the Marsh to support and encourage breeding and over-wintering birds. Cycling is also not allowed, but cycles can be left chained to the railings at the entrances to the site, at the cycle owner’s risk.
RSPB Isley Marsh
Fremington Quay Heritage Centre was renovated and officially opened it’s doors to the public in 2013. Located in the replica station building that also contains the popular Fremington Quay Café, on the Tarka Trail, the Heritage Centre now offers a fascinating insight into the Victorian quay’s past, with touch screen, video and sound displays enabling the visitor to step back in time. A charming community space, a good place for visits by local groups or schools or anyone wishing to learn all about the history of Fremington Quay and Fishleigh Pottery. 

Circle of Life. End note for the Severn Sands

The sun was out in Bideford last week so took the opportunity to take some photos of the Quay and Victoria Park. Had a coffee on Bideford’s first floating venue, the new Café on the Barge down Bank End. The ex-military seamanship training barge has now been restored and the top deck, with views over the Torridge Estuary, is adorned with colourful flags and bunting. Amongst the host of maritime memorabilia I was delighted to see an old lifebuoy from the ship“Severn Sands”. We photographed this massive dredger when it made its first appearance at Fremington Quay in 2007, when it broke it's moorings in 2009 and again when it was eventually dismantled at Yelland in 2010. So for me the lifebouy picture really is an end note for the old ship's "Circle of Life". Article Pat Adams 11April 2012

Click here for North Devon Coast and Country Chronicle Post "Severn Sands - last passage through the Marshes"
Click here for North Devon Focus on Fremington Quay.

Circle of Life

For information about Café on the Barge visit http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/Welcome-aboard-coffee/story-15589030-detail/story.html

Severn Sands - last passage through the Marshes

After being tossed by stormy seas, the Severn Sands dredger has finally come to rest at Yelland. The massive hulk was originally docked at Fremington Quay in March 2007 and remained there until 2008 until it broke its moorings during storms, by January 2009 it had become a wreck beached beyond the Quay. This year it broke its moorings once again when exceptionally high tides flung it across the far side of the estuary where it settled on the riverbank at Heanton Court. The floundering wreck and it’s perilous cargo has put local shipping and the environment in jeopardy and the problems have been highlighted in the local news for some time. Last week, in an operation overseen by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the dredger was towed back across the estuary to the big old jetty at Yelland where it is planned to remove all hazardous materials and clean it up before it is safely dismantled. The hulk, pictured Sunday 10th October, is located, just off the Tarka Trail, in a peaceful, scenic spot beyond the RSPB nature reserve Isley Marsh. Isley Marsh is made up of saltmarsh and intertidal mudflats on the southern edge of the Taw Torridge estuary and lies largely within the estuary SSSI. It is an important haven in the busy estuary for undisturbed feeding and resting birds, especially the wintering flocks of ducks (such as teal) and waders (including significant numbers of curlew, greenshank and dunlin). In recent years, numbers of little egret have increased and, in winter, it is often possible to see spoonbills. NB. RSPB Isley Nature Reserve: Visitor access is restricted to public footpaths, largely outside the reserve itself, but allowing expansive views across the estuary and the surrounding farmland. There is no public parking within two miles, although the Tarka Trail runs along the south side of the reserve, allowing easy foot and cycle access along this former railway track. Click here to find RSPB Nature Reserves in Devon and Cornwall

Alongside "Severn Sands" photo copyright B. D. Adams



Click here to view more photos of the Severn Sands at Fremington Quay

In the Area and across the estuary Home Marsh Farm, Instow, Lower Yelland, Braunton Biosphere

View northdevonfocusyelland in a larger map