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  • Darts Farm

Darts Farm

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Address
RSPB, Darts Farm, Topsham Rd, Exeter EX3 0QH
Grid ref
SX977883
What3Words
bystander.lions.spilling

Located on the outskirts of Exeter, our shop at Darts Farm is part of a larger lifestyle shopping destination. We have everything you need to help give nature a home - from premium bird food and feeders, nestboxes, nature-inspired gifts for adults and children alike, and a wide range of binoculars and telescopes to try before you buy. 

From here you can also easily access our nature reserves at Bowling Green Marsh and Goosemoor.

Darts Farm itself, though not an RSPB nature reserve, is home to a large variety of wildlife. These include flocks of linnets, fieldfares and redwings during the winter, dragonflies, skylarks and kingfishers in summer. 

Plan your visit

Opening times

Darts Farm is a lifestyle shopping destination with our RSPB shop located inside. We are open as follows:

  • Monday-Saturday: 9am-5.30pm.
  • Sunday: 10am-4pm.
  • Bank Holidays: 9am-5pm.

Festive opening times

  • Christmas Eve: open 10am-4pm.
  • Christmas Day: closed.
  • Boxing Day: closed.
  • New Year's Eve: open 10am-4pm.
  • New Year's Day: closed.
  • All other days in the festive period are open our usual opening hours as above.

Entrance charges

Free entrance to RSPB members
Yes
Adults
Free
Children
Free

Facilities

  • Car park
  • Toilets
  • Accessible toilets
  • Baby changing
  • Pushchair friendly
  • Picnic area
  • Binocular hire
  • Guided walks
  • Viewing point
  • Nature trails
  • Shop
  • Play area

Accessibility

How to get here

By train

Topsham. 20-minute walk, following signs to Exmouth.

By bus

The number 57 Exeter to Exmouth bus stops opposite Darts Farm.

By bike

Cycle Path Exeter to Topsham continues to Darts Farm.

By road

From M5 Motorway: Leave motorway at Junction 30 and follow signs to Exmouth. Once on the dual carriageway, 'Darts Farm Shopping Village' is signposted on a tourist brown sign. Go past the first entrance and enter the car park in through the second. The RSPB Shop is above the Cotswold Outdoor shop.

Sat nav POI file: If you have a satellite navigation system that can accept POI files, please see our POI page for a download link and instructions.

Get directions from Google Maps
View on What3Words
RSPB reserves on Google Earth

Contact Darts Farm

  • RSPB, Darts Farm, Topsham Rd, Exeter EX3 0QH
  • 01392 879438
  • @RSPBExeEstuary
  • Find us on facebook

What will you see?

Our star species

    Dark-bellied brent goose

    Brent goose

    Flocks of brent geese come to feed on the fields and saltmarsh from October and stay until spring.

    Perched Buzzard illustration

    Buzzard

    The buzzard is now the UK's most numerous bird of prey.

    House sparrow adult male

    House sparrow

    Watch our local house sparrows from our Darts Farm shop.

    Little Egret

    Little egret

    These dainty little white herons can be seen throughout the year at Darts Farm.

    Adult pied wagtail

    Pied wagtail

    Pied wagtails are charming little birds, with black, grey and white feathers and a long tail.

Seasonal highlights

  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Autumn
  • Winter

On the farm and ponds you'll see skylarks, fieldfares, linnets, goldfinches, greenfinches and chaffinches, mute swans, great spotted woodpeckers, sand martins, chiffchaffs, buzzards, swallows, kestrels, peregrines, sparrowhawks and kingfishers.

Around the farm and ponds, look for reed warblers, reed buntings, great and blue tits, greenfinches, pied wagtails, skylarks, buzzards, moorhens, whitethroats, kingfishers, willow and sedge warblers. On the wetlands, you might see lapwings and Canada geese.

Keep an eye out for buzzards, hobbies, wheatears, tits and finches, meadow pipits, stonechats, little grebes, brent geese and common sandpiper on the farmland and pond. Wigeons, teals, snipe, curlews, barnacle geese and green sandpipers feed in the wetlands.

Around the farm and ponds, you'll see flocks of finches, tits, fieldfares, song thrushes, blackbirds and redwings. Watch the wetlands for brent and Canada geese, teals, wigeons, black-tailed godwits, snipe, curlews and lapwings.

About Darts Farm

Habitat

On the outskirts of Exeter, Darts Farm is home to a large variety of birds, insects and other wildlife. Our shop here is part of a large shopping complex in beautiful farmland, with ponds and wetland areas.

Conservation

Our shop at Darts Farm overlooks the Clyst Valley towards RSPB Goosemoor, where we have recreated valuable saltmarsh and mudflat for waterbirds. 

Just beyond lies RSPB Bowling Green Marsh, which we manage as a vital roosting place for waterbirds such as avocets and black-tailed godwits around high tide.

Site information

On the outskirts of Exeter, Darts Farm is situated on farmland but surrounded by wetlands.

Latest blog posts

  • Crisp wintery mornings, peregrine falcon aerial acrobatics, work party antics and Avocet Cruises

    With the marshes filling up, and the winter species moving in, these cold crisp mornings provide fantastic conditions to be out on the marshes. After desert like conditions all summer long, with cracked mud and yellow grass, the last week’s rain has ...

    Posted 19/10/2018 by Tom A
  • Autumns in the air and were getting ready for the exciting arrivals

    With the evening light shortening and the mornings feeling a little chillier, signs that autumn is approaching are beginning. We are eagerly anticipating the autumn/winter migrants; over the next few weeks and months the marsh should regain its marsh...

    Posted 07/09/2018 by Tom A
  • John O’Groats to Land’s End, Over 900 miles in 10 days, for the RSPB and Ecosystem Impact’s Salur Valley Bird Conservation Programme

    On September the 17th my mum and I are cycling over 900 miles, from John O’Groats to Land’s End, in just 10 days. By doing this cycle ride, we aim to raise money for two incredible causes: the RSPB (UK) and Ecosystem Impact’s Salur Valley Bird Conser...

    Posted 21/08/2018 by Tom A
  • Marsh harriers on the marshes, and why not come play in our discovery area!

    Differing greatly from the high speed predation techniques of hobby’s, peregrines and sparrow hawks, marsh harriers are often seen gently soaring across the skyline and can appear to be flying in slow motion. We have had a marsh harrier hanging aroun...

    Posted 11/08/2018 by Tom A
read our blog

Activities and events

Activities for children and families

For more information on events and to book tickets, please visit events.rspb.org.uk/dartsfarm

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