River Dart

TheRiver Dartis ariverinDevon,England, thatriseshigh onDartmoorand flows for 75 kilometres (47 mi) to the sea atDartmouth.

River Dart
Location
Country	England
County	Devon
Physical characteristics
Source	West Dart
• location	Lower White Tor
• elevation	450 m (1,480 ft)
2nd source	East Dart
• location	Kit Rock, Whinney's Down
• elevation	510 m (1,670 ft)
Source confluence
• location	Dartmeet
• elevation	210 m (690 ft)
Mouth	English Channel
• coordinates	50°20′33″N3°33′51″W
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	75 km
Discharge
• location	Austins Bridge,Buckfastleigh
• average	11.04 m3/s (390 cu ft/s)
• maximum	40 m3/s (1,400 cu ft/s)

Dartmouth and Kingswear Castles guard the mouth of the River Dart

Name

Mosthydronymsin England derive from theBrythonic language(from which the river's subsequent names ultimately derive from an originalCelticetymology. As the lower stretches of the river are still covered in ancientoakwoodlands, it is accepted that the first element derives from *Dar-, meaning oak (derow,Welshderw).However the second element (evident in the hard consonantal termination ofDar-t) is less certain, with postulated etymologies fromDarwent/Derventio(Sacred place of Oak) orDarnant/Darant(Oak stream).

TheRavenna Cosmographyrecords a number ofLatinisednames for the area,Devionisso StatioandDeventiastenomay represent corrupted doublets of aStatio(Station) on a river namedDerventio.Although the nameDerventiois otherwise unattested for the river, it is an established etymology throughout Britain, found at theRiver Darent,Derwentwater,and a number of rivers namedDerwent.Anna Eliza Brayrecorded that a version of the name,Darantwas still in common usage as late as 1832.

Watercourse

The river begins as two separate branches (theEast DartandWest Dart), which join atDartmeet.The paths along these rivers offer very attractive walking, and there are several smallwaterfalls.The rivers are crossed by a number ofclapper bridges,notably at thehamletofPostbridge.

After leaving the moor, the Dart flows southwards pastBuckfast Abbeyand through the towns ofBuckfastleigh,DartingtonandTotnes.At Totnes, where there is a seventeenth-centuryweir(rebuilt in the 1960s),it becomestidal,and there are no bridges below the town.

The River Dart showing the lower part of thefish laddernearBuckfastleigh

A passenger ferry operates across the river from the village ofDittishamto a point adjacent to theGreenway Estate.Formerly the home of the crime writerAgatha Christie,this has views across the river, and the house and gardens are now owned by theNational Trustand are open to the public.

The entrance to the river from the sea is a rocky entrance with cliffs either side. On the East sideKingswear Castlesits very close to the water's edge, and on the west sideDartmouth Castleis built on a rockypromontoryat sea level. The castles once operated adefensive chainacross the estuary, which was raised at dusk to destroy enemy ships attempting to attack the harbour.

Crossings

The River Dart facing upstream at Totnes, with Totnes Bridge in the background

The flooded ria that forms the lower reaches of the Dart, with its deep water and steeply sloping valley sides, is a considerable barrier to crossing traffic. There are no bridges belowTotnes.

At the mouth of the river, it separates the communities ofDartmouthandKingswear.There have been proposals to bridge the river here, but these have come to nothing. Instead the two places are linked by, in order going upstream, theLower Ferry,Passenger FerryandHigher Ferry.The Lower and Higher ferries both carry vehicles, the Higher one linking theA379 road.

Some 2.5 miles (4.0 km) upstream of Dartmouth, theGreenway Ferrycarries pedestrians across the river from the village ofDittishamto Greenway Quay.

A further 5 miles (8.0 km) upstream is Totnes, where the river is spanned by two road bridges, a railway bridge and a footbridge over. Totnes Bridge is the nearest bridge to the sea and is a road bridge built in 1826–1828 by Charles Fowler. Some 1,000 feet (300 m) upstream is Brutus Bridge, constructed in 1982 as part of a road traffic-relief scheme and carrying the concurrentA385andA381 roads.A further 0.5 miles (0.80 km) upstream, the railway bridge carries theNational RailExeter to Plymouth lineover the river. Immediately upstream of the railway bridge is a footbridge, built in 1993 to provide access to theTotnes (Riverside)terminus of theSouth Devon Railway.

Navigation

Dartmouth Harbour,with Kingswear in the background, and river cruise boats alongside Dartmouth Town Jetty

The lower section of the River Dart forms Dartmouth Harbour, a deep water natural harbour with a long history of maritime usage. In modern times, the port's commercial activity has declined, but it is still a busy port for localfishing vesselsand a wide variety ofyachtsand other private boats. Several local companies specialise in shipbuilding and repairs to small tonnage craft.

Dartmouthis also the home of theBritannia Royal Naval Collegeand as a result is routinely visited by sizeablenaval ships.Smaller naval tenders are often seen carrying out training exercises in the harbour and river. Largecruise shipsare occasional visitors, with the largest visitor to date being theMVRoyal Princess(30,277GT).

Upstream, the Dart is navigable to seagoing vessels as far as the weir inTotnes.The river almost dries out for 2 miles (3.2 km) below Totnes atspring tidelow water, but vessels drawing up to 3 foot (0.91 m) can proceed to Totnes from one and a half hours after low water. Above the weir, the river is navigable only to small craft such askayaksandcanoes.

Aerial view of the Dart estuary.

Several companies operate trips on the river, includingDart Pleasure Craft Limited,who also trade asRiver Linkand operate thepassenger ferrybetween Dartmouth andKingswear.These include cruises from Dartmouth to Totnes, which can be combined with journeys on thePaignton and Dartmouth Steam Railwayand anopen-top busbetween the towns of Totnes andPaigntonto create a circular trip.

The harbour and port are both leisure boating locations, and severalmarinasandboat yardsare located on the river. ThePort of Dartmouth Royal Regattatakes place annually over three days at the end of August.

Canoeing and kayaking

Kayakers playing on a wave under Newbridge

The upper reaches ofDartmoor,especially those on the Dart, are a focal point forwhitewater kayakersandcanoeists.The best known sections of the river are:

• Upper DartfromDartmeettoNewbridge(Grade3/4 (higher in high water), advanced run).
• The Loopfrom Newbridge toHolne Bridge(Grade 2/3, beginner/intermediate run).
• The Lowerfrom Holne Bridge toBuckfastleigh(Grade 2, beginner section).

Sections of the East and West Dart above Dartmeet, as well as theWebburnare also paddled when conditions permit. This is somewhat controversial, as riparian landowners and those responsible for local fisheries maintain that the East and West Dart should not be paddled.

The lower reaches of the Dart, including the estuary are suitable for flat water touring.

The weir at Totnes

See also

• Rivers of the United Kingdom
• Rolls-Royce Dart,a turboprop engine named after the river

External links

• Devon Wildlife Trust's Dart Catchment Project