My encounters with flora at the tide’s reach. Part 2.
Exton to the Mouth of the Clyst
We parked bikes at Exton Station, and walked back under the railway line which is passable at most times of the tide other than high tide, out northwards onto the Estuary. The walled railway embankment exhibited some typical estuarine flora: Sea Beet, Sea Plantain and Biting Stonecrop.
Biting Stonecrop
Sea Beet: This is edible- the smaller leaves are best. It has red-striped stems and slender flower spikes. ( Flowers: Jun-Sep)
Sea Plantain: Has narrow fleshy leaves with flower spikes similar to its meadow cousin- Ribwort Plantain. Edible ( Flowers: Jun-Sep)
Biting Stonecrop: Low growing,with green succulent leaves bearing star shaped yellow flowers. ( Flowers: May-Jul)
The reed beds ahead revealed a pathway, near to the embankment. The grasses here are of at least two types;
Sedge: This species has a triangular stem and grows to about a metre tall
Common Reed grass: Very tall hollow, golden stems. It has large, feathery, flower spikes appearing dark purple, fading to brown as the spikelets (containing the flowers) grow bristles.
Making our way along, we started to notice the plastic flotsam and jetsam, washed up and trapped at the high tide line. We saw some very large pieces including two very large “bread” trays, impossible to move.
On our right, the luxurious estuary-facing properties come to an end and here we found examples of Yellow Iris and swathes of Orache species.
Orache with Shield bug eggs
Orache: Spear-Leaved Orache has so-called mealy leaves and has small red flowers on spikes in mid-summer ( Flowers: Jul-Oct)
Further on, we reached a stopping point where a bench provided a perch to contemplate the mudflats stretching out before us and great views down the river.
Just near here, we found examples of Greater Sea Spurrey– a delicate five- petalled plant with fleshy leaves, typical of salt tolerant flora. Nearby there was the equally delicate Sea Milkwort.
Greater Sea Spurrey
Greater Sea Spurrey: Flowers are tinged with pink and white in the centre. The leaves are fleshy. ( Flowers: May-Sep)
Sea Milkwort: Small pink-centred flowers with fleshy leaves. It can exude a milky sap and that is possibly the origin of the common name. ( Flowers: May-Aug)
Setting off northwards, we crossed a wooden footbridge and continued following the wavy path through the tall reeds. There are number of different options here, a bit like a maze, but eventually we got to the end of the trek. There, boats are moored (some abandoned) and with care ( wellingtons essential) we reached the edge of the reeds, just where the River Clyst exits onto the main body of the Estuary.
There are other examples of estuarine plants as you explore around the estuary including Samphire, Sea Purslane, tidal grasses, and Scurvygrass.
Nearer to Exmouth there is evidence of our changing climate evidenced by the estuary wall which looks as though it has been breached by winter storms. This is only a small stretch, but at Exmouth itself, there are extensive works to raise the level of the coastal defences. Rising sea levels and the greater incidence of damaging storms are predicted to increase the flooding potential in and around the estuary and seafront.
Recent works on Dawlish Warren have also been completed to attempt to shore up the beach and dune systems. However, recent winter weather has exposed the engineered “sausage” that was embedded at the head of the beach. Does this highlight a worrying trend? Will Dawlish Warren succumb to rising sea levels and more intense storms?
Will the river eventually head straight to sea through the breached Warren, and, if so, how will that alter the ecology and geography of the Exe Estuary?
Heath Nickels

The Incredible Salmon
The Amazing Exe Salmon Salmon mean a lot to people for their amazing journeys, their waterfall leaping skills, their size and their appearance in our iconic rivers. They have a place in the mythology of our culture as heroic creatures and sources of wisdom. And they...

To find the Exe tides reach
Finding Tides Reach Exeter (by canoe, paddle board and motor vessel) Where does the tide reach in Exeter on a high tide? How does this affect Exeter, its inhabitants and the creatures that live in and move through these waters now, in the past and what about the...

Where Has Our Sand Gone?
Where has our sand gone? The short answer is in the above illustration. But it is a bit more complicated! RED is Loss, BLUE is Gain. First a big thank you to The Plymouth Coastal Observatory who have provided these images and recorded this data. We have been in...

Body of Water: water quality creative lab
Body of Water: a water quality workshop day Fish, amphibian, and reptile, warm-blooded bird and mammal-each of us carries in our veins a salty stream in which the elements sodium, potassium, and calcium are combined in almost the same proportions as in sea water.―...

Wider Than The Sea
What if the locals advised the visitors about their estuary? How to enjoy the place from an insiders view? And how to respect it in order to preserve it? ‘Wider than a river’ is a collection of generously shared thoughts and reflections from people who live...

Pop Up: Starcross and Topsham
Pop Up Exhibition at Starcross and Topsham We had a great two days sharing ideas, thoughts and artworks from the Exe Box and online activities in Starcross and Topsham over the weekend. Participation and interest exceeded our expectations and we enjoyed hearing...

Galleries for Exe Box and online activities
Tidelines Community Online GalleriesMaps, thoughts, diary entries and photos submitted as part of the ExeEstuary Box and online. Mapping the Exe Personal maps of the estuary Questions from the Exe Estuary Things we would like to know Exe Home Screen Phone framed...

Lympstone to Exmouth Part 7 of Jon Seal’s 7 part film.
Film 7 of 7: Lympstone to Exmouth https://youtu.be/eosDNNUuc2o Jon's 7th film completes the circle almost to it's starting point. For the final part of the journey, the stone makes its way from Lympstone to Orcombe Point. It passes through the estuary on to the wide...

Illustration students and the estuary
Two groups of Illustration students from Pymouth University have been working with Tidelines on a project exploring how to draw greater attention to the diversity of life in the Exe estuary and the estuary as a living system. We had a series of online...

High Water: Tides, Climate, Oceans and The Exe estuary
HIGH WATER EVENT: 30 March 2021 Sarah Cameron Sunde Tidelines partnered with Art-earth and Low Carbon Devon to run the High Water event where 60 artists and scientists and others from all round the Uk and the world talked about their work and relation to the oceans,...