Exmoor, England

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Why go?
Greener and gentler than many of Britain’s wild
moors, Exmoor straddles the Somerset-Devon border
along a coast lined with hidden coves and steep river
valleys. It’s among the less visited national parks –
perfect for those who like their walking trails tranquil.
When to go?
The southwest has the warmest weather in the
country – and wettest. The most reliable
months are April to May, and September
to October. Room prices don’t
vary much between high and
low seasons.
MINI GUIDE
How to go?
Exmoor,
England
To get there by public transport
take a bus (nationalexpress.com) or
train (nationalrail.co.uk) to Tiverton,
Taunton or Barnstaple, outside the
park, then a connecting bus
(exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk).
LEFT Cottongrass at Dunkery
Hill, Exmoor National Park.
RIGHT Ditch the car and
stride out on a scenic walk
See
Eat & drink
BEST FOR WALKING 1
A lovely, 12-mile, circular walk
goes from Dulverton to Tarr Steps,
an ancient stone clapper bridge
across the River Barle. Shaded by
gnarled old trees, it was allegedly
built by the devil for sunbathing.
It’s a four- to five-hour walk – or
a few minutes from the car park.
BEST FOR HISTORY
Dunster Castle’s 1,000-year-old
site is a mix of fanciful Victorian
remodelling, Tudor furnishings,
17th-century plaster and a
13th-century gateway. The garden
has fine views across Exmoor
and the coast.
BEST FOR ATMOSPHERE 3
Known to Victorians as Little
Switzerland for its steep slopes,
the harbour town of Lynmouth
has one of the prettiest locations
on north Devon’s coast.
BEST FOR SCENERY 4
The five-mile stretch of coast
west of Lynmouth is ideal to
explore by road or foot. The Valley
of Rocks is a mass of stone
formations inhabited by goats,
while further west lie the
beautiful rocky cove of Woody
Tear out page here then fold along the dotted lines
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Pretty Lynmouth is twinned with
Lynton on the cliff above
Bay and the Heddon Valley.
BEST FOR VIEWS 5
There are 360-degree views from
the top of Dunkery Beacon (519m),
Exmoor’s highest point. An
eight-mile round-trip walk starts
at Wheddon Cross car park, and
follows back roads to Dunkery
Gate before making the, at times,
steep climb to the Beacon. Wear
good shoes and pack a picnic.
Once a haunt of smugglers and
the poet Coleridge, the 13thcentury, thatched Ship Inn 6 is
still a snug spot for a pint. Food
includes fish of the day and
honey-roast lamb shank. Rooms
cost £60 for a double if you
decide to stay (01643 862507;
shipinnporlock.co.uk; High Street,
Porlock; mains £7.75-£12.95).
Tongdam 7 does the best
Thai food on Exmoor – pad Thai
noodles and great mains, such as
deep-fried red snapper and black
tiger prawns. There’s a good
choice for vegetarians too (01398
323397; tongdamthai.co.uk; 26
High St, Dulverton; lunch and
dinner; mains £8.50-£14.50).
Cole Porter tunes, log-burning
stove and conservatory dining
lend charm to Greenhouse 8 .
Evenings see a smooth segue
from café food (paninis, pasties,
wraps and cream teas) to evening
dishes such as pan-fried salmon,
and crab with new potatoes
(01598 753358; 6 Lee Road,
Lynton; 9am-9.30pm; mains £9).
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The Ship Inn, a former favourite of
smugglers on the Somerset coast
At Reeve’s 9 cosy bistro, food
reflects the local moor and shores.
Chargrilled venison escalope sits
alongside poached lemon sole
(01643 821414; reevesrestaurant
dunster.co.uk; 20-22 High Street,
Dunster; lunch Sat-Sun, dinner
Tue-Sat; mains £12-£21).
In Porlock, Andrews on the
Weir 10 is a sophisticated treat
– cuisine is classic British with
a dash of Gallic panache. Typical
dishes include eight-hour braised
lamb. Double rooms from £100
(01643 863300; andrewsonthe
weir.co.uk; Porlock Weir;
Wed-Sun; mains £14-£22).
Turn over for map and number locations
mini guide
Exmoor, England
Getting around
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Eat & drink
Sleep
Find your way
Buses are limited outside key
towns and summer months – the
Coastal Link 300 route and circular
Exmoor Explorer 400 route (round
trip £6) may help. Find details at
exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk.
Many park roads have tolls (£2).
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Climate
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typical Costs
l Pony trek £25 per hour
l Mid-range meal £15-£30
l Mid-range hotel from £60
l High-end hotel from £120
Your recommendations
Sleep
At Sea View 11 you can lie in bed
and gaze across Porlock Bay to
the cliffs of Wales, in a delightful,
village-centre b&b. It’s full of
charm, from art-deco bathroom
furniture to an attic room that
looks onto the tree-covered
Porlock Hill behind.
There may be no sea view at
smart St Vincent House 12 but
it’s our favourite base in Lynton.
The house belonged to a mariner
who fought alongside Nelson and
the décor is suitably classic, with
modern twists such as free wi-fi.
There’s a sophisticated bistro
where Somerset ingredients are
served with a French twist.
Beam enthusiasts will be in
heaven in Spears Cross 13 , with
its burnished old-English planking
and lattice-works of ancient
wood. This 15th-century b&b has
a smorgasbord of local delights
for breakfast such as rare-breed
pork sausages.
For a taste of traditional Exmoor,
try the Crown Hotel 14 , where
stags’ heads preside over leather
armchairs. The restaurant packs a
few surprises: poached brill with
violet potatoes, or fillet of beef
Essentials
wildlife walk
From Lynmouth, it’s a lazy
45-minute (ish) walk over easy
terrain, following the East Lyn
River through a wooded valley
abundant with wildlife, to
Watersmeet. Here you can
enjoy a Devon cream tea at
Watersmeet House, a 19thcentury fishing lodge turned
National Trust tea room. Special
sightings along the way might
include otters in the more
secluded parts of the river, or red
deer grazing among the trees.
Kathleen Rougier
16
All the rooms at the Crown Hotel
are individually styled
with banana shallot purée.
In a beguiling wooded valley
next to the Tarr Steps, Tarr Farm
15 is an old farmhouse turned
smart retreat. Nine rooms are
classically decorated in rich
creams, with power-showers and
organic bath products. The
restaurant favours local produce
such as Exmoor lamb and Devon
red ruby beef.
17 dulverton dining
We were warmly welcomed
at Woods – a small homely
restaurant and bar in Dulverton
with a fire in winter. The lady who
served us was lovely and couldn’t
have done more. Most of the
food was locally sourced and
there appeared to be quite a few
locals dining there as well, which
I think always recommends a
place (01398 324007; 4 Bank
Square, Dulverton; lunch and
dinner; mains £11-£17).
Heather Johnson
friendly fodder
The Quarryman’s Rest
has a really local feel and is
a comfortable and friendly place.
The pub food is high quality – a
mix of traditional and imaginative
dishes, with generous portions.
Each time I’ve eaten there, the
chef has appeared at the end to
chat and ask how the food was
– I’ve never had any complaints
(01398 331480; thequarrymans
rest.co.uk; Bampton; daily, no
food Sun evening; mains £9-£15).
Sandra Kirby
18
Find out more
Lonely Planet’s Devon,
Cornwall & Southwest England
(£10.99) covers Exmoor in its
chapter on Bristol, Bath and
Somerset, which you can also
download from lonelyplanet.
com (£4.20). Find more info at
exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk,
exmoor.com. Exmoor inspired
Samuel Taylor Coleridge to
write Kubla Khan and the area
is also associated with Tarka
the Otter and Lorna Doone.
photographs: alamy, photolibrary.com
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See