Exhibition tells fascinating story of River Dart’s anglers

The stories of the River Dart’s angling community are being shared for the first time in a new exhibition.

Dartmoor’s National Park Visitor Centre at Princetown is hosting the exhibition focusing on stories, histories, memories and archival material from the Dart Angling Association (DAA).

A Portrait of Place: The River Dart Anglers is a collaborative research project between the University of Plymouth and the DAA.

The exhibition highlights the anglers’ longstanding relationship with the Dart, their unique cultural heritage and how they are helping to protect the iconic river’s wildlife and habitats.

It runs from Wednesday 20 March until Wednesday 24 July during centre opening hours. It is free to attend.

Claire Partridge, Dartmoor National Park’s Visitor Centre and Outreach Officer, said: “We are delighted to host this exhibition, and share the stories of the people and places that give Dartmoor its unique cultural identity. Many people will have enjoyed the Dart for recreation and, like the angling community, will have their own special relationship with the river. We’re pleased to share the anglers’ fascinating stories in our Princetown visitor centre.”

Rising on the high moor north of Postbridge, the Dart is a crucial part of the moor’s identity. The East and West Dart join at Dartmeet to flow between steep gorges, wooded valleys and lush meadows. It meets the tidal estuary at Totnes and flows into the sea at Start Bay.

The River Dart supports wildlife including populations of trout and salmon; birds including kingfishers and dippers; and signs of otters can be seen on its banks.

Since the formation of the association in 1895, association members have worked with the wider riparian community to protect and conserve the natural environment and fish populations.

Through this exhibition, University of Plymouth researchers (Dr Zoe Latham, Dr Sally Sutton and Linda Ward) and the DAA have sought to show why places matter to people and to articulate possibilities beyond the present to those who have the power to make change happen.

Dartmoor National Park Authority runs three National Park centres at Princetown, Haytor and Postbridge. Staffed by friendly, knowledgeable information advisers, the centres stock a range of gifts and guides alongside nature-inspired activity books for children and toys to encourage a love for the outdoors.