Information
The Landscape of East Devon AONB
The landscape of East Devon is largely man made, shaped by man's activities from prehistoric times to the present. However, the underlying geology has influenced this process.
The geology of the AONB ranges from the infertile Triassic sandstone of the pebble bed heaths in the west to the more fertile sandstones in the east, where agriculture predominates. In the east the landscape is made up of rocks from the Jurassic and Cretaceous period www.jurassiccoast.com
There are six Landscape Character Zones defined within East Devon AONB (Devon County Council Landscape Appraisal 2002):
Greensand Ridges
Two separate areas within the AONB, separated by the Axe Valley . Key characteristic features are long Greensand ridges including heath and forestry, beech hedges and avenues.
Coastal Chalk Plateaux
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Two separate areas on the coastline of the AONB, stretching from Sidmouth to Beer and from Axmouth to Lyme Regis. Key characteristic features are the only chalk outcrop in Devon and the most westerly in England, giving spectacular cliffs, chalk grassland and local building materials (including Beer stone and flint). |
Axe and Otter Valleys
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Two parallel river valleys in the AONB separated by higher land - the Axe Valley stretches from the Somerset/Dorset boundary to the coast and the Otter Valley occupies the lower part of the valley only. Key characteristic features are lowland rivers with noticeable floodplains and shingle bars across both estuaries, backed by ecologically important salt marsh. |
Pebble Bed Heaths
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A fairly narrow area of land in the south west part of the AONB, stretching from Ottery St Mary to the coast between Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton. Key characteristic features are an extensive area of lowland heath and the distinctive geology of pebblebed influencing vegetation, land use and building materials. |
Exeter and Estuary Fringe
The south western tip of the AONB, encompassing the city of Exeter , its immediate surroundings and the Exe Estuary. Key characteristic features are an internationally important estuary for waders, wildfowl and sea birds and intensively farmed landscape with good quality soils.