Moorings on the River Exe

The River Exe rises high on Exmoor and flows roughly 88 kilometres south through Tiverton and the historic city of Exeter before broadening into the Exe Estuary between Exmouth and Dawlish Warren. The navigable waterway centres on the Exeter Ship Canal — the oldest still-operating ship canal in the UK, built in the 1560s and running from the Exeter Quay down to the Turf Lock at the head of the Exe Estuary — and the tidal estuary itself, a designated RSPB reserve and one of the south-west's premier sailing locations. For boat owners, this combination is unique: a beautifully preserved historic city quay with year-round moorings at Exeter, an inland canal connecting to the estuary, and proper sea-going cruising waters with marinas at Exmouth, Topsham and Lympstone. Long-stay moorings are available at Exeter Canal Basin, Topsham (a charming Dutch-influenced waterfront town), Exmouth Marina and Lympstone. The estuary is host to internationally important wildfowl populations — avocets, brent geese, oystercatchers — and the surrounding South West Coast Path makes for outstanding shoreside walking. Sea-going access via the bar at Exmouth allows onward cruising to Lyme Bay, Dartmouth, the South Hams and onward to Cornwall. Direct rail at Exeter and Exmouth (London Paddington and Waterloo) gives excellent liveaboard practicality.