Field Studies in North Devon

From seaside towns to fishing villages to the high street, North Devon has a charming collection of towns and villages nestled in the hills, valleys and even teetering on the sea cliffs. Students can experience the communities at Clovelly, regeneration at Bideford and Barnstaple, and tourism at Westward Ho!.

This extensive estuary is a large, flat area which reveals salty mudflats and sandbanks at low tide. Together with the saltmarsh, these habitats are intriguing to observe. Field Studies students can experience the river’s characteristics and processes first-hand whilst kayaking down these beautiful waterways.

Westward Ho! is known for its golden sand and the unique Pebble Ridge; a natural sea defence protecting the Northam Burrows. This large depositional landform consists of thousands of sandstone pebbles, some as big as rugby balls. Where it meets the estuary the pebble ridge forms a coastal spit, formed over hundreds of years from coastal processes such as longshore drift and sediment deposition.

Northam Burrows forms an integral part of North Devon’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and also sits within an area of outstanding natural beauty. The area is home to an abundance of wildlife and is made up of grassy coastal plains with salt marshes, sand dunes, grasslands and the Country Park is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

The Burrows is the largest sand dune system in the UK. The area is at the heart of the North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) it is a UNESCO designated Biosphere reserve. Known for its rich diversity of plant and animal life, Braunton Burrows hosts an impressive 470 species of flowering plant and this includes the internationally rare flora and fauna. Studies can focus on the theory of sand dune succession; looking at both biotic and abiotic factors and how they may affect each other.

This long rugged coastline boasts spectacular views, and wherever you look there are miles of jagged cliffs, secluded beaches and marine wildlife. The Hartland Heritage coast offers ample opportunity to be at one with nature and explore a wild and diverse landscape. During fieldwork activity students can observe the landscape’s significant erosion, geological features and coastal landforms including arches, caves, headlands and bays.