Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) have been described as the jewels of the English landscape. There are 37 in all, covering about 15% of England. To find out more about AONBs visit induction.aonb.org.uk/index.htm
The Countryside Agency is responsible for designating AONBs and advising the Government and others on how they should be protected and managed.
There are two AONBs within East Devon: East Devon AONB and Blackdown Hills AONB which together occupy some 66% of the district.
East Devon AONB
This AONB protects some of the most popular holiday coast in Britain and a surprisingly untouched rural hinterland. The area's population is spread between small towns and villages with the AONB boundary skirting the resorts of Lyme Regis, Exmouth, Sidmouth and Seaton.
The coastal landscapes, stretching from Lyme Regis to Exmouth, show the lush, colourful scenery of classic 'picture-postcard Devon'. For generations this coast has been a traditional family holiday destination, and it continues to receive seasonal visitor pressure.
The AONB's estuaries, heaths and cliff top grasslands are important natural habitats and the 'Undercliffs', the spectacular 8 km landslip near Axmouth, are a National Nature Reserve of great geological and wildlife interest. The AONB's headlands and hilltops show many traces of prehistoric settlement.
The AONB is also increasingly important for informal outdoor recreation, particularly walking, and the South West Coast Path, a National Trail, follows the line of the cliff tops.
The East Devon AONB Partnership is a joint initiative funded by East Devon District Council, Devon County Council and the Countryside Agency, working to help conserve and manage the East Devon AONB. The Partnership has produced a Management Strategy and Action Plan for East Devon AONB for 2004 - 2009. The East Devon AONB Steering Group guides the work of the AONB Team and holds responsibility for the financial accountability of the AONB Partnership.
Contact the East Devon AONB team by email: aonb@eastdevon.gov.uk
For further information about the work of the Partnership and details of current projects, visit the East Devon AONB website at www.eastdevonaonb.org.uk
Blackdown Hills
The Blackdown Hills are a little-known group of hills lying on the border of Devon and Somerset. Broadly, the area extends from Wellington in the north to Honiton in the south and from Cullompton in the west to Chard in the east.
The Blackdown Hills are best known for the dramatic, steep, wooded scarp face they present to the north. To the south the land dips away gently as a plateau, deeply dissected by valleys. On top of the plateau there are wide-open windswept spaces; in the valleys nestle villages and hamlets surrounded by ancient and intricate patterns of small, enclosed fields and a maze of winding high-hedged lanes.
The isolated villages and farmsteads retain a quiet rustic charm. Using local building material - chertstone, cob and thatch - many of the buildings have appeal in their mix of styles. A number of important archaeological sites add richness to the landscape, from high wooded promontories such as the great earthworks of Iron Age Hembury Fort to the recently discovered evidence of Roman iron smelting.
Above all, what makes the Blackdown Hills special is the unspoilt rural character of the "ordinary" landscape. Farming, largely dairy, has retained many traditional practices. The area remains sparsely populated and there are no towns within the AONB.
Email the Blackdown Hills Partnership at: blackdownhills@devon.gov.uk
Visit the Blackdown Hills Partnership website at: www.blackdown-hills.net