Exeter Quay & River Walk

[Dave]

Exeter Quay & River Walk

Carol and I wanted to make sure we enjoyed our Sunday and I was mindful that her back was causing her real pain as the nasty drugs she has to have, takes their toll on her bone density, something that is going to need some unpleasant treatment to try and help, the order of the day was a nice flat walk. She wanted to go out, she said the pain is worse just sitting still, so off we went to a place that is now so popular and thriving with activity, Exeter Quay.

Drive into the Exeter from the A30 way and just before the big roundabout at the bottom of Exeter, turn right at the lights into Haven road and follow the signs for the car park. It’s no wonder we never want to pay and park in Torbay, on Sundays the Haven rd car park is 90p for four hours, yes I said four hours. From the car park it’s just a short walk to the quay and once you get there you walk around to the left and over the new footbridge.

Once over the bridge stop and feed the swans and walk toward the many pubs with outdoor seating and then walk on and find an eclectic mix of antiques, and crafts from workshops located in historic cellars

Now just carry on walking alongside the river until you come to a sign that points the way to the double locks. You walk over a suspension Bridge and boy does it move, I was trying to take a nice river shot and some big footed giant stamped across the bridge.

Over the bridge and turn left, I did find this bit boring as it’s nowhere near the river and the sign now said it was 20 mins to the locks. Yes it might have been for giant feet from the bridge, but it must have taken us that long before another sign pointed to take the right-hand path and it was half a mile to go.

We decided to take a smaller path that was more sort of straight on and soon were walking over another bridge and back on the other side of the river. We came into a nice park (may have been called Samon Leap Park?) and here we found another weir and boy are some people so lucky to have their homes at such wonderful locations.

You have to walk around the back of those houses as their gardens come right down to the waters edge, soon you come onto a small road and just walk across it down a narrow fenced path between the houses. Soon you are by the river again, but look out for a wooden gate on your left that takes you into another lovely park.

At the end of this park is a gate you open and you will see you are back by the suspension bridge, just make sure you turn right and then you will be heading back toward the quay. A lovely afternoon and the sun was shinning bright, as it will very soon over Plainmoor


A little history of the quay

Exeter Quay was once an international port thriving through mainly in the export of woollen cloth, but by the 13th century sea craft could no longer reach Exeter by river, so a canal was constructed around 1563. This canal linked the city to the estuary again and the port trade began to prosper once more


There has been a quay in Exeter since Roman times. However, by the 14th century boats could not get up the river to unload, because of weirs built across the river, so in the 1560s John Trew built a canal to provide access to the Quayside
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Exeter became a wealthy city because of the woollen cloth industry. Cloth produced in the local area was finished at Cricklepit Mill on Exe Island and loaded onto ships at the quay. In 1680 the Custom House was built to house the officials who collected taxes on traded goods.

By the 19th century, the woollen trade had seriously declined. However other goods were still traded, new warehouses were built, the canal basin was constructed and the canal was deepened and widened. Finally the arrival of the railway in the 1840s spelled the end for the canal trade as this was a much more efficient way of transporting goods.