- Dramatic towering coastline
- Great walking and riding
- Unique towns and villages
Exmoor straddles the Devon and Somerset border along the Atlantic coast and contains one of the most dramatic stretches of coastline in the country. The South West Coast Path provides a challenging hike along the hogback cliffs, but the views across the water to the Welsh coast more than compensate for any burning thighs. The coast is not the only walking on offer. The moor itself is largely uninhabited and is riddled with footpaths and bridleways allowing visitors to explore the unique landscape.
Most visitors stay in one of the many towns and villages around the edge of the moor and can choose between small coastal resorts, such as Lynton and Lynmouth, enjoying precarious locations nestled along the cliffs, or quaint inland villages like Winsford, Dulverton or Exford.
Food and Drink
There are a number of good restaurants in the region. The finest restaurant in the area is Lynton’s St Vincent Hotel whose menu reflects the Belgian origin of its co-owner and chef. Another good restaurant is Woods in Dulverton, although the best meal of all is probably a picnic eaten whilst enjoying one of the wonderful views on offer across Exmoor or the sea.
Family Attractions
It is outdoor pursuits, such as hiking, pony trekking and cycling that attract most families to Exmoor. Other attractions include:
- Exmoor Zoological Park has historically specialised in providing naturalistic habitats for small animals. Today, it also houses larger creatures such as cheetahs, blackbuck, maned wolves and the "Exmoor beast".
- Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park is both home to some of the most endangered species on the planet, such as snow leopards and timber wolves, and a huge dinosaur park including the only full-sized animatronic T-Rex in the country.
Shopping
The shopping opportunities on Exmoor are modest. Minehead is the largest town in the region with the biggest selection of shops.
History and Heritage
The landscape of Exmoor has been inspiring visitors and artists for hundreds of years. The Valley of the Rock to the West of Lynton became the Devil’s Cheeswring in Lorna Doone. Coleridge, Wordsworth and Shelley all visited Lynmouth on walking tours around the turn of the nineteenth century.
The Pack o’ Cards Inn in Combe Martin is worth a visit. It is an eccentric building representing a pack of cards with four decks (or floors), 13 doors on each and 52 windows, supposedly built by a gambler with the proceeds from a card game in the eighteenth century.
Dunster Castle is owned by the National Trust. Predominantly Jacobean, the site has a longer history and was once a Saxon frontier post against the Celts.
The Victorian cliff railway that connects Lynton and Lynmouth is a fascinating construction and well worth a visit.
The Tarr Steps, five miles northwest of Dulverton is a huge trapper bridge over 55m long built of huge gritstone slabs. It is the finest of its type in the country.
Beach Guide
The dramatic coastline of Exmoor doesn’t leave much room for beaches which tend to be narrow stony strips. It is not far to the great surf beaches of North Devon, such as Woolacombe to the West of the National Park.
Events and Entertainment
There are various events that take place on Exmoor each year including the Exmoor Food Festival, Endurance Rally and Bike Marathon.
There is a cinema at Lynton.
Activities
Walking is the main leisure activity on Exmoor, although there are also great opportunities for cycling and horse riding.
Minehead Golf Club founded in 1882 is one of the oldest in the South West and is open to players of any level.
Travel
Barnstaple is the main train station to the west of the moor. It is reached by changing at Exeter. There are buses that run in the region, although the services vary according to the time of year. The West Somerset Railway operates trains from Lydeard (just outside Taunton) to Dunster and Minehead, but again the service varies according to the time of year.