River darts
River darts | ||
The darts at Totnes |
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Data | ||
location | Devon ( England ) | |
River system | River darts | |
River basin district | South west | |
origin | East Dart and West Dart confluence 50 ° 32 ′ 33 ″ N , 3 ° 52 ′ 32 ″ W |
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Source height | approx. 225 m ASL | |
muzzle | at Dartmouth in the English Channel Coordinates: 50 ° 20 ′ 33 ″ N , 3 ° 33 ′ 51 ″ W 50 ° 20 ′ 33 ″ N , 3 ° 33 ′ 51 ″ W |
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Mouth height | 0 m ASL | |
Height difference | approx. 225 m
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Drain at Austins Bridge level, (Buckfastleigh) |
MQ MHQ |
11.04 m³ / s 40 m³ / s |
Small towns | Buckfastleigh , Totnes , Dartmouth |
The River Dart is a river in the county of Devon in south-west England . It rises high in Dartmoor and flows into the English Channel at Dartmouth . The river valley and its surroundings are of great natural beauty. Queen Victoria called it the English Rhine .
Source and history
The River Dart has two headwaters: East Dart River and West Dart River - they meet at the village of Dartmeet . Its course is occasionally interrupted by smaller cascades , and there are some clapper bridges , especially near the hamlet of Postbridge .
After the dart leaves the moor, it flows south, past Buckfast Abbey and through the towns of Buckfastleigh , Dartington and Totnes . In Totnes , where a 17th-century weir that was restored in the 1960s stands, the tides are beginning to take effect and there are no bridges downriver. Instead, there is a ferry between Dittisham and Greenway. Greenway Estate was the home of the writer Agatha Christie , from which she enjoyed a magnificent view over the river. The house and gardens are now owned by the National Trust and open to the public.
muzzle
The Dart Estuary is a sea bay ( ria ) that penetrates deep into the country and is a popular destination for sailing enthusiasts. On the east side of the estuary is the town of Kingswear and on the west side the town of Dartmouth ; A car ferry runs between the two villages. Rocky cliffs on either side of the estuary form the entrance to Dartmouth's deep water harbor . On the east side, close to the water, Kingswear Castle watches over ; on the west side stands Dartmouth Castle on a rocky headland at sea level . A chain was once stretched between the two castles at dusk to prevent enemy ships from entering the harbor. Remnants of the mechanism can still be seen at Dartmouth Castle .
shipping
Passenger boats operate between Dartmouth and Totnes in summer.
Literary reception
Alice Oswald made a literary appraisal of the river with the book of the same name.
Web links
- Website of the BBC about "The Dart" (English)