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| Exhilarating Exmoor |
It is difficult to know where to begin in Exmoor – on the coast or in the country? Although
some holiday areas claim they combine the best of both, most are not as fortunate as Exmoor,
where the facts do the talking!
A large part of the Exmoor area is designated as a National
Park, which extends for nearly 270 square miles. What is more, further huge stretches are owned by the National
Trust or protected as Nature Reserves and Heritage Coasts, so there’s a four-fold guarantee that these landscapes
and seascapes really are of a truly exceptional quality.
One of the greatest thrills of Exmoor is that
moment when you arrive at the crest of
Dunkery Beacon, having climbed the stony
track way from Dunkery Gate. Sheer and complete
exhilaration bursts on you as the stunning view,
hidden up to now, suddenly opens out in all its
glory. You gaze around, lord of a vast circle of
heather moor and farmland, smoothly rolling
hilltops and tree-lined combes, long runs of coast
and glimpses of the far hills of Wales rising thirty
miles to the north beyond the glinting waters of
the Bristol Channel.
It is this amazing scenic variety – combined with a
comfortable size – that sets Exmoor apart. You will
not have to travel great distances to appreciate
Exmoor’s many faces. In the morning, you can walk
the coast path. By lunchtime you will be enjoying a
crab sandwich at a harbour side Inn. In the
afternoon? The choice is yours. There is so much to
explore – characterful villages and country towns
like Dulverton and Dunster, thickly wooded beauty
spots like Watersmeet and the Glen Lyn Gorge,
hidden combes and historic sites.
As you will discover from these pages, it is all
accompanied by a great range of outdoor activities
and things to do. You can pack so much into a
holiday or short break in Exmoor.
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Explore your Five Senses!
Sight – A great view to exhilarate you: the vast patchwork
circle of Exmoor from its highest point, the summit of
Dunkery Beacon at 1,704 ft
Sound – The mighty, grunting roar of a stag in the
autumnal rutting season of the moor’s wild red deer
Touch – The smooth weight of a nice 5-lb trout in your hand
as you slip it back into the waters of Wimbleball Lake
Taste – A cool draught of tangy farmhouse cider, essence of
apples and sunshine, on a hot afternoon beside the shallow
River Exe
Smell – Southern Wood on the East Lyn River after a
springtime rain shower: a heavenly savour of wet earth
and leaves, pine sap and primroses |
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