The vision for the Clyst Valley Trail is for a predominantly traffic-free route connecting the Exe Estuary Trail with Killerton House. The trail will be built as four sections, each of which will connect into the existing Rights of Way network. Working in partnership with Devon County Council, we consulted the public on sections 1 to 3 in 2022. Read more here. In 2023, a revised alignment for these sections will be taken to DCC's Cabinet and EDDC's Strategic Planning Committee. Negotiations with landowners for section 4 continue.
1 - Exe estuary link
This section will link Clyst St Mary to the Exe Estuary Trail. The 2022 consultation focused on an alignment west of the A376, following a ridge with wonderful views over the wild river valley towards Topsham. However, we are looking again at an east of A376 alignment which would be cheaper and more directly link the villages of Clyst St Mary and Clyst St George with each other and the Exe Estuary Trail.
2 - Sowton science link
At Clyst St Mary the trail links to the Exeter traffic-free network via the medieval bridge, a historic crossing over the river. The preferred alignment would cross floodplain meadows to the tranquil village of Sowton, passing the parish church of St Michael and All Angels. The church is built from ‘Heavitree Breccia’. At Blackhorse Inn, there are links west to the Science Park and east to the airport, Sky Park and onwards to Cranbrook.
3 - West Clyst workers way
From Blackhorse Inn, the trail will follow Mosshayne Lane, passing the new Pinnbrook Country Park and connecting to a new Cranbrook to Exeter trail which hugs the railway line and passes through land which EDDC has recently bought to create a beautiful new greenspace. Continuing north, over the Exeter-Waterloo railway bridge, the proposal is to follow a beautiful, wooded stream to West Clyst, creating a new picnic area as well. A new signalised crossing of the B3181 would be the link to the fourth section.
Broadclyst village
The precise line of the trail is yet to be determined, but the destination is Broadclyst village, where there is a local shop, the Red Lion Inn and the National Trust’s Clyston Mill, from where the existing trail can be joined all the way to Killerton House and Park.
From Killerton, we are exploring the potential to reach the Exe Valley Way. Wouldn't it be wonderful to create a superb coast-to-coast trail linking Exmoor with Exmouth?