The South Devon Area of Outstanding National Beauty Unit has secured an £8000 National Lottery grant for a project called ‘What Makes South Devon Special?’

Made possible by money raised by National Lottery Players, the project focuses on the distinctive character of the natural heritage that makes up the landscape.

The AONB has teamed up with the community, volunteers, schools and local organisers to provide activities that will explore hidden places and discover what has shaped the landscape over time.

The project includes a series of guided walks showcasing the 10 special qualities of the AONB, 10 new temporary geocaches (digital treasure hunts), bringing in artists to work with primary and secondary schools in the area, a natural nightscapes programme including dawn and dusk walks, a visit from a mobile planetarium and a photography competition.

The project will conclude with a photography and artwork exhibition and a presentation event at the Flavel Centre in Dartmouth in October.

The first event will be a free guided walk to discover the Erme Estuary and Flete Estate on Saturday, April 21 from 10am - 4pm. The walk, led by former AONB Manager Robin Toogood, will offer a rare opportunity to explore South Devon’s most secretive estuary with special permission to use routes not normally open to the public. The walk will start at Mothecombe, and will take a seven mile route exploring the quiet creeks, woodland and a wealth of historic features.

AONB Communities Officer, Nicky Bailey said: “We are thrilled to be granted this funding thanks to National Lottery players. The project will explore the special qualities of the AONB in a range of fascinating ways.

“Together they make the area nationally important and give it a strong sense of place. We look forward to a busy summer of events linked to the campaign and hope everyone will join in”

A full list of events can be found on the South Devon AONB website: www.southdevonaonb.org.uk/explore/events/