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Salmon Run 2025
Hundreds of people will get involved in a 43 mile run from Exmouth along the River Exe on Saturday 20 September to highlight the migratory journey of the endangered Atlantic salmon from sea to spawning ground.
Join in this celebration of the amazing salmon and Exe river. Take part as a runner or help out as a steward; Be part of the celebration and learn more about this remarkable species which is an integral part of river and ocean ecology and culture. Atlantic Salmon numbers are are down by 75% since the 70s and salmon are now critically endangered and potentially set to disappear from the Exe. The salmon, as a keystone species, is a representative for the diversity in the river catchment. The salmon faces many serious challenges, mostly man-made and many exacerbated by climate change. Tidelines works with Westcountry Rivers Trust to improve the river habitat to help give salmon a fighting chance. In Salmon Run we bring this extraordinary species to light, highlight their incredible life cycle and migration and show our love for the river and our community! Run wild with the Salmon!
Anne-Marie Culhane from Tidelines said: “In the past, thousands of salmon completed an epic trans-Atlantic journey up the Exe to spawn, with the river’s original name Isca meaning ‘river of fish’. Now numbers of returning fish are in the hundreds or less and the species, Atlantic Salmon, are on the Red List of endangered British species, facing possible extinction in our river. We are calling for runners, ultra runners, joggers, walkers and people who care for nature to take part and share their love for the river, their community and this amazing species to celebrate its life cycle journey and its ecological and deep cultural significance for UK rivers.”
Ultra runners will travel 43 miles upriver from Exmouth to Dulverton, Exmoor, passing through Exeter and Tiverton on the Exe Valley Way. Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive of The Rivers Trust will be running his first Ultra with us in support of this unique project and to raise funds for The Rivers Trust along with Team GB Olympic Rower Graeme Thomas. Westcountry Rivers Trust’s Senior Fisheries Scientist, Dan Osmond will also be taking on the challenge (Sign up for the Ultra).
Relay teams will run the same route in eleven sections, passing a symbolic hand-crafted salmon baton from team to team with changeovers at different towns and villages along the river. This year Annabel and James will be flying the flag for Westcountry Rivers Trust and running the relay. Friends of the River Exe will pop up at the changeover points to invite people to become part of their citizen science network where people monitor water quality and test for pollutants in the river (Sign up for the relay here).
This year Tidelines is working with new partners – Sideshore Community in Exmouth to create Salmon Run: The Gathering – a festival for all ages combining talks, creative and music workshops, a bouncy castle in the shape of a river, a restored salmon boat, games and information exploring the significance of Atlantic Salmon. ParkRun Exmouth are supporting the first part of the relay to coincide with their 5km Exmouth run and Exmoor National Park Authority are supporting the event at Dulverton with activities for families.
Nicky Ni
cholls from Sideshore Community said, “We want more people to know and love this extraordinary creature and its story in our river. The partnership with Sideshore Community through the Gathering and joining up with ParkRun Exmouth gives us the chance to connect with many more people. Atlantic Salmon have so much to teach us about climate change and what we can do to support nature to thrive.’
Westcountry Rivers Trust Strategic Exe Weirs project manager Tom Watts said: “As runners make their way from sea to source, they will witness some of the challenges these amazing fish face.
Barriers in the river hinder this iconic species. We are working towards a free-flowing river Exe to make the journey easier for adult salmon to successfully spawn in the upper reaches. Likewise we are working to improve conditions for young salmon at the start of their lives. This year Tidelines is working with us to provide opportunities volunteers to engage with river restoration and conservation.”
The Exe is an incredible river, rising high on Exmoor it travels 60 miles through Somerset and Devon providing a lifeline for a host of wildlife, notably the iconic Atlantic salmon. Barriers in the river hinder this iconic species. We are working towards a free-flowing river Exe to make the journey easier for adult salmon to successfully spawn in the upper reaches. Likewise we are working to improve conditions for young salmon at the start of their lives. This year Tidelines is working with us to provide opportunities for people to come up to Exmoor in Winter to plant trees by the river to create important shade and habitat for Salmon and other river species ”
We urge anyone who can to get involved with the Salmon Run to do so. Follow the links above to sign up for the Relay or Ultra, or pop down to Sideshore, Exmouth on the 20th September to say hello to the Westcountry Rivers Trust Engagement Team and fisheries scientists to learn more about Salmon, rivers and how you can do your part.
Salmon Run is funded by the Devon Environment Foundation, Sideshore Community and an Aviva Crowdfunder.
The relay run starts in Exmouth at 9am, passing through Exeter Quay/Riverside Valley Park between 11.30am and 12.30am (approx.) and arriving at Dulverton around 6pm. The Ultra run leaves Exmouth at 8am. The Gathering at Sideshore will take place from 9.30am to 1pm. People can track the runners and the relay team as they pass up the river.
To sign up to run: https://tidelines.uk/blog/salmon-run-2025/
Photos Vanessa Miles and Jenny Steer