Wetland Weekender celebrates the renewed beauty of the Otter Estuary with a weekend full of activities that highlight the estuary’s vibrant ecology, rich history, and unique recreational opportunities. Wetland Weekender is a new event for the Pebblebed Heaths Conservation Trust that started in 2024 running under the Pebblebeds For All project.
Wetland Weekender 2025 was held from Friday 24th October to Sunday 26th October and was supported by a number of organisations, including:
- Clinton Devon Estates
- Devon Loves Dogs
- Otter Valley Association
- Budleigh Salterton Cricket Club
- Budleigh Salterton Lions Club
- Seachange
- South West Optics
- Devon Osprey Partnership
- Pawsitive Canine
- Get Guts
- Dartmoor Curlew Recovery Project
Throughout the weekend, attendees enjoyed walks, talks and activities for all ages and interests including live optics demonstrations, waggy walks, birding talks, ranger walks and volunteering.
Amongst a wide range of activities going on throughout the weekend, Saturday was supported by Budleigh Salterton Cricket Club who hosted our ‘Meet The Teams’ open day, where people were able to visit the Pebblebed Heaths Conservation Trust, Clinton Devon Estate’s ‘Heaths to Sea’ project team, the Otter Valley Association, and Devon Osprey Partnership. This event gave visitors the opportunity to talk to staff working across the estuary about the landscape and its wildlife to better understand the features and importance of the Otter Estuary Nature Reserve, to support visitors’ confidence and appropriate use of the estuary outside of the Wetland Weekender.
Many of the activities during the Wetland Weekender have been made possible using money raised by National Lottery players. The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage. The Pebblebeds For All Project is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, during Wetland Weekender 2025 we have been able to:
- Create and co-ordinate this new event with our Community Engagement Ranger.
- Create a new Otter Estuary Self-Guided Trail.
- Create new weekend volunteering opportunities through ‘Action For Nature’ and remove over 300 tree guards from the reserve.
- Host ‘Get Guts’ walks which provides wellbeing activities for ostomates in Exeter and East Devon who want to get outdoors together.
Thanks to National Lottery Players, over 300 people visited the Otter Estuary Nature Reserve during the Wetland Weekender 2025 and enjoyed the wide range of activities on offer.
Thanks to National Lottery Players
Thank you to everyone who attended Wetland Weekender 2025, and we look forward to seeing you again in 2026!
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