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Exe Estuary

Devon · Coastal · estuary mudflat and mussel beds

CRoW open access land - RSPB (Bowling Green Marsh and Exminster Marshes reserves), Crown Estate foreshore
Never eat anything you cannot identify with 100% certainty.

This is a guide, not a substitute for expert identification. Foraging guides - including this one - can contain errors. If you are not completely certain of an identification, do not eat it. Cross-check against at least two independent sources, and when in doubt, consult a local foraging expert or an experienced forager in person before eating anything wild.

The Exe Estuary runs about 10km from Exeter to the English Channel at Exmouth and Dawlish Warren, with extensive mudflats and sandflats that are a Special Protection Area, SSSI and Ramsar site. Wild blue mussel beds have supported a small local hand-gathering tradition alongside cockles and winkles.

Soil: estuarine mudflat and sandflat, silt and mud

Parking: RSPB car park at Bowling Green Marsh, Topsham, and public parking along the Exmouth and Starcross shorelines.

What you might find here

Based on habitat type - always identify what you actually see, don't assume it matches this list.

Mussels Cockles Sea Lettuce
Shellfish gathering: always check the current Cefas/FSA shellfish classification for this area and any local IFCA byelaws before gathering - do not assume this location is safe based on this listing alone. See https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/shellfish-classification for the official list.
Coastal foraging: check tide times before you go, be aware of cut-off routes across mudflats and salt marsh, and never gather shellfish without checking the current Cefas/FSA classification for that area - see the UK foraging law guide.

Source: Wikipedia - Exe Estuary