Best Waterfalls Near Exeter
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The best waterfalls near Exeter are Canonteign Falls, Lady Exmouth Falls, Becky Falls, Venford Falls, Trull Waterfall, Shavercombe Falls, Lydford Gorge and Burrator Waterfall.
Exeter is a fine base for waterfall hunting, with Dartmoor rising to the west and the Somerset hills away to the north. Closest of all, just a short drive out toward Christow on the moor's eastern edge, stand the tall man-made falls of Canonteign and Lady Exmouth, ribbons of water dropping some seventy metres down the rock.
A little deeper onto the moor near Manaton, Becka Brook spills through boulders at Becky Falls. Head further west and the drives grow longer: Venford Falls below its reservoir, the hidden Shavercombe Falls out on the southern moor, dramatic Lydford Gorge on the western edge, and little Burrator Waterfall below its dam.
Northeast, toward Taunton, the modest Trull Waterfall rounds things off. Some sit close to the city, others need a proper run into the hills, so pack boots and a map.
Here are eight waterfalls to seek out near Exeter.
Canonteign Falls
Photo: Lewis Clarke via Geograph.org.uk
Visit the tall falls at Canonteign Only a short drive west of Exeter, on the eastern edge of Dartmoor near Christow, Canonteign Falls is a tall man-made waterfall in a wooded valley. Rather than a natural fall, it was created in the late Victorian era when the lady of the Canonteign estate had water from a leat diverted over a high crag, giving work to miners left idle when the local mines closed.
The result is a slender ribbon dropping some seventy metres down the rock face, among the tallest waterfalls in England, if a made one.
Lady Exmouth Falls
Photo: Lewis Clarke via Geograph.org.uk
See Lady Exmouth Falls in the Teign valley Lady Exmouth Falls is the main fall at Canonteign, set in the wooded Teign valley near Christow and, like the wider attraction, close enough to Exeter for an easy outing. It too was made by hand rather than by nature, created in 1890 by leading water over a cliff, work done by miners left idle when the estate's silver mines closed, and named for the lady of the estate.
It drops around seventy metres and is often described as the highest man-made waterfall in England. Woodland trails lead up to it from the visitor attraction below, climbing through shady, damp woods loud with running water.
Becky Falls
Photo: Martin Bodman via Geograph.org.uk
Becky Falls Gentle in dry weather and thunderous once the brook fills after rain, Becka Brook drops around twenty metres down a chaos of huge granite boulders near Manaton on Dartmoor. The water threads and spills between the rocks in stage after stage, with ferns, moss and ancient oaks crowding the sides of the little gorge and paths climbing beside it over roots and stone.
It all sits within a gated woodland park, its trails laid out through the trees, the brook running on afterwards toward the River Bovey below. This is classic Dartmoor of granite and green shade; the name was once written Becka, softening to Becky as visitors came.
Venford Falls
Photo: Guy Wareham via Geograph.org.uk
Scramble to Venford Falls below the dam Out on southern Dartmoor, Venford Falls drops down a wooded valley on Venford Brook just below the dam of Venford Reservoir. Reaching it means an unsigned, steep and often slippery scramble from the reservoir road, which is why it stays mostly the preserve of photographers.
The reservoir above offers an easier circular walk of about a mile if you would rather keep to firm ground. It is a fair drive west into the moor from Exeter, and best treated as a bonus for anyone already exploring this quiet corner rather than a destination in its own right.
Trull Waterfall
Photo: Shazz via Geograph.org.uk
Find Trull Waterfall near Taunton Trull Waterfall is a small fall on the Sherford Brook, just east of the village of Trull a couple of miles south of Taunton in Somerset. This is a modest local feature rather than a big natural cascade, appearing on a short circular walk with a viewing bridge over the stream.
The Winchester Arms pub stands nearby on Church Road, handy for afterwards. Some accounts suggest the fall began as a weir built to feed a mill, though that is not firmly confirmed.
It lies a good drive northeast of Exeter, so it suits a day out toward the Somerset countryside rather than a quick trip.
Shavercombe Falls
Photo: Tony Atkin via Geograph.org.uk
Seek out remote Shavercombe Falls Hidden in a tiny sheltered valley on the southern moors of Dartmoor, Shavercombe Falls drops into a deep pool on the Shavercombe Brook, near where it feeds toward the River Plym. The water falls in a narrow, ferny gorge, a green and half-hidden spot amid the open moor.
It is deliberately remote, reached only by a long walk in over rough ground past old warren and tor country, so it is a place for hardy walkers rather than a set attraction. It runs at its fullest after heavy rain.
Save it for a clear day when you can navigate the moor and drive west from Exeter with time to spare.
Lydford Gorge
Photo: Michael Dibb via Geograph.org.uk
Descend into dramatic Lydford Gorge On the western edge of Dartmoor, Lydford Gorge is a deep, wooded river gorge cut by the River Lyd and cared for by the National Trust. Its two great sights are the Whitelady Waterfall, a thin thirty-metre fall at the lower end, and the Devil's Cauldron, a churning pothole reached down narrow steps to a platform where the river seems to boil through the rock.
Trails run along the gorge, steep and slippery in places, with a tea room and bookshop near the entrance. Often called the deepest river gorge in the south-west, it charges for entry and rewards the drive west from Exeter with genuine drama.
Burrator Waterfall
Photo: Guy Wareham via Geograph.org.uk
Discover Burrator Waterfall in the woods The furthest of the set, Burrator Waterfall is a small cascade tucked into the woods just below the dam of Burrator Reservoir, on the south-western edge of Dartmoor. A moorland brook drops down a boulder-strewn gully among the trees, threading between great granite blocks in a run of little falls and chutes.
It is a modest, pretty fall in a green, mossy cleft rather than a grand one, with old relics of a small hydro-electric plant lying beside it. Reaching it is a short walk from the dam through Burrator Wood over rough ground beside the stream.
It makes a quiet reward at the end of a long drive southwest into the moor.
FAQs
Which waterfall is closest to Exeter?
Canonteign Falls and its Lady Exmouth Falls are the nearest, only about 13 kilometres west of Exeter near Christow on the eastern edge of Dartmoor, both easily reached within the visitor attraction there.
Are any of these waterfalls free to visit?
Several charge admission, including Canonteign, Becky Falls and Lydford Gorge, as they sit in managed parks. Wilder Dartmoor falls such as Venford, Shavercombe and Burrator are free but need rougher walks out from Exeter across the moor.
When do the Dartmoor waterfalls look their best?
After heavy rain, when brooks like Becka Brook and Shavercombe Brook run full and thunderous. A wet spell followed by a clear day is ideal for the drive west from Exeter onto the moor.
Conclusion
From the tall Victorian ribbon of Canonteign close to the city to the wild, hidden pool of Shavercombe far out on the southern moor, the falls near Exeter cover a good deal of ground. Some, like Canonteign and Becky Falls, sit in laid-out woodland parks with paths and admission, ideal for an easy afternoon; others, such as Venford and Shavercombe, ask for a scramble or a long walk over rough Dartmoor ground.
Lydford Gorge offers the most drama of all, with its churning Devil's Cauldron. Choose a day after rain, when the brooks run full, carry sturdy footwear, and check the moorland weather before you set out.
Easy park or wild moor, these are the waterfalls to seek out near Exeter.
