The River Tavy
one of Devon's wildest rivers...The River Tavy, Devon
Rising high on Dartmoor near Devil’s Tor, this ancient river winds its way down through Tavistock where it joins the River Tamar and forms the Bere peninsula.
The River Tavy provides opportunities for all types of recreational activities from kayaking and swimming to bird watching and fishing. This wild river is fantastic to place to walk, eat and unwind.
The Tavy feeds Tavistock Canal, which was once an important trading route connecting Morwellham quay to Tavistock
Situated on the banks of the Tavy, Tavistock Abbey is thought to be the birthplace of the iconic Cream tea!
Get involved on the River Tavy
If you love your local river, understand how vital it is to you in your life and share our passion for keeping it healthy for you and your community, then there are many ways for you to get involved. Whether it’s helping on a river clean-up day, becoming a river scientist, going on a river walk or simply making a donation, working together we can help your river bring water to life for many years and generations to come. You can share your stories of this river with us too – we’d love to hear them.
Lopwell Dam
As well as marking the upper tidal limit of the Tavy estuary, Lopwell dam provides everything a river explorer could want. Due to the unique habitats found here, Lopwell Dam is both a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) as well as a local nature Reserve. the unique mix of Saltmarsh, ancient semi – natural woodland, mud flats and marshes means that there will always be a wealth of wildlife on view.
For something more active, the woodland surrounding the dam offers numerous walking opportunities whilst the estuary provides a haven for kayakers and windsurfers, just mind out for the seals that are occasionally spotted there!
Explore other rivers of the Westcountry...
From Roman times to the present day, Westcountry rivers have been an ever-present thread running through our communities, our culture and our heritage. Ever increasingly, we have come to realise how wonderful it is to spend time on, in or near a river and they are so often the backdrop to our fondest memories of days spent outdoors, being active and spending time with nature.
