Haven with A History

Spring at last and we've taken the opportunity to explore the Tarka Trail between Bideford and Meeth.Today we're walking from Petrockstow to Meeth, a now tranquil tree-lined section of what was once the old railway, originally built as a narrow-gauge freight line to carry ball clay to Torrington from the Marland and Meeth clay pits. We step off the Trail into the light and the haven that is Meeth Quarry Nature Reserve. Nature, with a lot of help from the Devon Wildlife Trust, has reclaimed what was once a barren, busy, noisy quarry producing clay for export.

The Devon Wildlife Trust purchased the 150 hectres of Meeth Quarry in 2012 and it opened as a nature reserve in 2013. Today the lunar landscape has been replaced by two huge lakes, grassland and woodlands containing coppiced Hazel and Ash together with mature Beech and Oak. The trees today are just bursting into life and I can see that it will be wildflower rich in the weeks to come a  haven for bees, butterflies and all manner of countryside critters. There are also boggy marshy ponds, pits and gullies which will attract dragonflies and damselflies. We saw a Blackcap high in one of the trees, heard Robins and Blackbirds. Another visitor was excited about spotting a Grebe on the lake, I could just about make out it’s pointy head amongst the Terns.

This was a short sojourn and I hope to return to spend the day exploring the rest of this wonderful reserve which is open to all with bike trails, easy access trails and picnic areas, a perfect day out for families, birdwatchers and nature lovers like me. As we return to the Tarka Trail we walk across to view another DWT Nature Reserve, Ash Moor, according to the detailed sign posts there's a good chance of spotting Red Deer, Orchids, rare butterflies and dragonflies.  (Article P. Adams 24 April 2016)

Peace and Tranquility at Glebe Lake

 

 Devon Wildlife Trust's Meeth Quarry Nature Reserve

Coppiced trees springing into life at Meeth Quarry

Meeth Quarry April 24th 2016

Perfect for Dragonfly Watching

Meeth Quarry 24th April 2016 - A Haven for all

Devon Wildlife Trust's Ash Moore Nature Reserve 

About Ash Moor. "In 2002, at the height of the terrible foot and mouth crisis, Ash Moor was chosen to be a vast burial site for infected cattle. Plans were made and the landscape was hollowed out in preparation. Fortunately, the burial site was never used. Today Devon Wildlife Trust cares for what has been transformed into a wonderful network of meadows, ponds and wetlands. This is now a top spot for wildlife".

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About Meeth Quarry is a former clay works located close to Hatherleigh within the Northern Devon Nature Improvement Area and the North Devon Biosphere. 'It incorporates six threatened wildlife habitats, supports 18 species of national importance and will provide a haven for a huge range of bird life, making it an excellent winter wildlife-watching destination for local communities '. 

 

Tap here to find out more about Meeth or any of DevonWildlife Trust 47 other nature reserves 

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Wikepedia Stub Petrockstow Railway Station  Torrington Railway Station

Tap here to read other posts about Meeth Quarry 
 
Located near village of Meeth 4 miles north of Hatherleigh EX20 3ER
Map reference SS 547 078
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DATE FOR YOUR DIARY
Fun for the family at Meeth Quarry Discovery Day between 10.30am and 4pm on Sunday 22nd May. 

Boost for beavers as project receives £150k

A national charity which aims to improve the quality of life for people and communities in the UK through its work with arts, environmental and community welfare organisations has given a major boost to one of Devon's most important wildlife projects.

The Peter De Haan Charitable Trust has provided £150,000 of funding to the River Otter Beaver Trial - an East Devon project which is measuring the impact of England's only breeding population of wild beavers. The funding will be used to support the next three years of the project.

The charity Devon Wildlife Trust is leading the River Otter Beaver Trial, in a partnership which also includes Clinton Devon Estates, the University of Exeter and the Derek Gow Consultancy. Devon Wildlife Trust's Mark Elliott is the Trial's manager. He said:

"The generous support of The Peter De Haan Charitable Trust is very welcome. It gives this unique and important project a firm footing. The River Otter Beaver Trial is a vital piece of work which aims to objectively understand what impact beavers will have on the local landscape and its wildlife, along with the impacts that are experienced by local farmers and the wider communities that live along the wonderful River Otter." Mark continued:

"Many people may have thought that the main task of the River Otter Beaver Trial ended when Natural England granted its licence in January 2014. However, this just signalled the start of a huge amount of work. The trial involves a great deal of scientific study and working with local communities, as well as animal welfare considerations and practical management. This all costs money. We estimate that the Trial will require around £500,000 during its lifetime to carry out its work. The support of The Peter De Haan Charitable Trust is therefore very good news." The Peter De Haan Charitable Trust (PDHCT) was founded in 1999 by businessman and philanthropist Peter De Haan. Since then it has provided £20million to arts, environment and community welfare projects throughout the UK. Peter De Haan, chairman and founder of the Trust said:

"PDHCT has a long history of supporting Wildlife Trusts in their quest to conserve and restore our national landscape. This innovative attempt to revitalise the beaver population in the River Otter has all the elements of a fantastic conversation project: lively community engagement, rigorous scientific monitoring of its progress, and an experienced team to see it through. We wish the Devon Wildlife Trust (and the beavers) every success!"

Eleven wild beavers are thought to be living on the River Otter. The animals and their signs have been seen regularly over the winter months up and down the River Otter from White Bridge, near Budleigh Salterton in the south, to the upper reaches of the river close to the Devon-Somerset border in the north.

The beavers first hit national headlines in 2013 when they were filmed by an amateur film maker. Since then the animals have proved very popular with local people. A series of guided 'beaver walks' to see field signs of the animals drew more than 300 people last year. The River Otter Beaver Trial plans to repeat the walks this summer. More details will appear at www.devonwildlifetrust.org

European Beaver. Photo copyright Ben Lee (All rights reserved)

ABOUT The Peter De Haan Charitable Trust Founded in 1999. 

The Peter De Haan Charitable Trust aims to improve the quality of life for people and communities in the UK through its work with arts, environmental and community welfare organisations. Since then the Trust has donated more than £20 million to organisations working in these areas. Led by businessman and philanthropist Peter De Haan, the Trust operates under a venture philanthropy model, working closely with the organisations it supports financially and organisationally to increase their capacity and impact. Until recently the Trust targeted a significant proportion of its resources towards the youth arts charity IdeasTap, as well as select UK wildlife trusts, and community projects surrounding its South London offices. The Trust will not exist in perpetuity, as the founding Trustees planned for its reserves to be gradually spent over a 20 year period from its date of constitution. The Trust is not open to unsolicited applications.

Boat Stories Films Continue to Make Waves for North Devon

The boat stories series of ten short films is continuing to make big waves for North Devon. 'Fishing for Clovelly Herring' has been chosen by the jury for Plymouth Film Festival on 13-15th May. Selected from over 450 submissions, this lively film will be shown as part of the Sunday brunch session and is up for best documentary, best of the south west and the people's choice award. This whole series is being shown this week at Exeter Phoenix before the feature length documentaries at the UK Green Film Festival, billed as a nationwide celebration for film lovers and green thinkers. In April the films were shown at the inaugural and colourful Ilfracombe Film Festival. Amanda Gartshore festival organiser says 'Boat Stories were a big hit with the festival audience. "Some seeing them for the first time loved them because they featured people they knew and others who'd already seen them came to watch them on the big screen." Last autumn two of the films were part of the official jury selection at Bath Film Festival. Jo Stewart-Smith, director and producer of the films says 'it's fantastic to see the Boat Stories buzz continuing, long after we sailed on our last filming trip. Once again I want to thank all the talented local cameramen, Simon Vacher, Matt Biggs, Mark Brindle, Stu Gaunt and Rich Stevenson and our sound assistants, Josh Hawker and Oscar Adams plus the ten versatile musicians we worked with - a different one for each film - together we made a great team."

Jo has been showing the films and revealing some of the adventures of cast and crew at a series of talks in packed village halls for Beaford Arts. The final talk is at High Bickington on Friday 13th May. Stephen Perham star of the film Fishing for Clovelly Herring will be chatting about his experiences alongside another boat stories star Thom Flaxman, relief coxswain and crew on the Bideford pilot.

Recently Glorious Oyster (of food and farming awards fame) partnered with Treyhill farm to show the films at a fundraiser for Sea-Changers. Several festivals are coming back for seconds. The films will be on show for the second year running at the Westward Ho Fish Festival in June and at Sea Ilfracombe and Appledore Book Festivals in the Autumn. Jo adds, "I want to remind local businesses, tourist and activity centres and groups of friends that they are welcome to show these films. They make great entertainment for those rare, rainy evenings we get in North Devon!"

Boat Stories DVDs are available from many tourist information centres, museums and galleries in Appledore, Bideford, Braunton, Clovelly, Ilfracombe, Mortehoe, Westward Ho! and Woolacombe or from the website www.boatstories.co.uk

Stephen Perham leaving harbour in Dad’s old boat Neptune 
“herrings rise to the light” Clovelly
Photos copyright Jo Stewart-Smith (All rights reserved)  
Tap links below for tickets:

 Plymouth Film Festival
 Exeter Phoenix UK Green Film Festival
 Beaford Arts Boat Stories at High Bickington Community Centre

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Boat Stories films were part funded by Northern Devon FLAG (Fisheries Local Action Group,) Bideford Bridge Trust, Tarka Country Trust, Fullabrook CIC, The Clovelly Estate, the West Country Rivers Trust and North Devon Plus
Boat Stories was hosted by Amanda McCormack from North Devon Moving Image CIC: a community film making organisation creating, collecting and sharing short documentary films about life in North Devon.