Haldon Hills

In addition six bird of prey species breed here: the nationally rare European honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus), the nationally scarce goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), the Eurasian hobby (Falco subbuteo), Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), common buzzard (Buteo buteo) and common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus).

[11] On Little Haldon, Castle Dyke, a probable Iron Age square enclosure about 100 metres (330 ft) on each side occupies a good defensive position.

There is some evidence of a Roman road leading from Exeter over Haldon towards Newton Abbot, and possibly on to Totnes,[14][15] but current opinion is that it was never fully developed, being little more than a track.

There are a number of small disused quarries and pits, mostly now overgrown, which were used to provide gravel for road surfacing in Victorian times.

With the operational costs of maintaining the South Devon Railway sea wall, construction of the tunnelled Dawlish Avoiding Line was approved in 1936 but was abandoned with the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939.

[22] During the 1930s, unemployed men were set to work in Haldon Forest, breaking ground, building tracks, and undertaking other heavy labour.

The standard reference work on the place-names of Devon says that this appears to be derived from Old English hagol meaning hail, and the hill may have been named from a famous storm.

Apart from those discussed in greater depth below, Oxton House, which lies in a secluded valley on the eastern side, was owned by the Earl of Listowel in the early 20th century.

[33] Right on the southern edge of Little Haldon, on the outskirts of Dawlish, is Luscombe Castle which was built in 1800 by John Nash for Charles Hoare, a banker.

[34] Haldon Belvedere (also known as Lawrence Castle), a Grade II* triangular tower, stands at a prominent position of the hills overlooking the Exe Estuary.

The tower, which was erected by Robert Palk in memory of his friend Major-General Stringer Lawrence, is a prominent local landmark and can be seen from a considerable distance.

It is now open to the public having been renovated by Devon Historic Buildings Trust in 1994; it is also a venue for civil ceremonies, and the top floor is available for renting.

It was bought by Sir Robert Palk in around 1770 and was visited by many great people, including King George IV and Guglielmo Marconi, who performed some of his early experiments in radio transmission from the hills.

[37] Just beyond this is the small scatter of dwellings known as Dunchideock, a supposed site of fictitious treacle mines, and further north, on a continuation of the Haldon ridge is Cotley Castle, an Iron Age hill fort.

As a result, it is popular with local people for walks, running (it is the venue for the weekly Haldon Forest parkrun), orienteering and off-road cycling.

[38] At the highest point on the A38 is the Exeter Racecourse, a National Hunt course that holds the Haldon Gold Cup event every November.