Salmon Run

Why is Salmon Run important?

It is an epic species and a part of our culture: the subject of much folklore (e.g. Finn and the Salmon of Knowledge). Down by 75% since the 70s, it is now on the critically endangered list (as of 2023) and therefore potentially set to disappear from the Exe, as it has on quite a few European rivers already.

The salmon is a keystone species and a representative of all the diversity in the catchment. And its plight is, most importantly, a warning of ours. Salmon are us, we are salmon. Their story is our story. And their story helps us to talk about climate change and other challenges. The list of challenges for the salmon is long: rising sea temperature, rising river temperature,  huge fluctuations in river flow rates, invasive species (crayfish), pollution, run-off, human waste, over-fishing, fish farms (weakening through interbreeding) and weirs to mention a few.

To deal with the tragic depletion of numbers, we bring people's attention to this species to marvel at its story. We celebrate the incredible life cycle of the salmon, we respect it's massive part of our history and culture, partly by bringing it to light, taking it out of the water and travelling with it to understand its struggle upriver. When we run, we empathise through journeying alongside, upriver.

We connect runners to Friends of the River Exe's teams of volunteers who care for the river, Riverfly Survey and the Westcountry Rivers Trust, who are doing vital work to restore the river to health, removing weirs or freeing up movement for fish as well as highlighting individual actions we can take to reduce harm.

What's new this year

• Salmon Run is an intimate community ritual, focused on the lore of the salmon as part of our local cultural identity.
• Changeover points for the relay in more towns, city and villages to connect with more communities along the river.
• The first leg of the Salmon Run relay is a new collaboration with Exmouth Parkrun along the shoreline (Parkrun is the first 5k starting at 9am).
• Salmon Run: The Gathering festival of talks, creative workshops and games for all ages at Sideshore, Exmouth from 9.30-1pm.
• Salmon Run finish of relay and ultra run at Exmoor Fields by the river at Dulverton with events with Exmoor National Park and a closing ceremony.
• Salmon Runners can convert their care to action and come and plant trees this winter with Westcountry Rivers Trust to improve Salmon habitat on Exmoor.

Event HQ

Salmon Pool
Salmonpool Lane
Exeter
Devon
EX2 4SN
UK

Parking

 Parking at the Maer (6 mins walk) or Camperdown (also about 6 mins walk).

By rail

Trains every half hour from Exeter to Exmouth then 8 mins walk to start.

By bus

57 bus from central Exeter.