Exmoor – TRAVEL WORDS

During this year I shall be posting photographs from places around the UK, many of which have not been published before. Where I have previously blogged about a location I will provide a link to the post, though you won’t be able to comment on it as I restrict comments to six months.

X is for EXmoor (I know, a bit of a cheat, but I don’t think there are any places in the UK beginning with X – maybe Cross could be used? I have been to Cross Houses near Shrewsbury, but it’s not a very interesting place and I certainly haven’t got any photos!)

EXmoor is a National Park in the south-west of England covering both parts of Somerset and Devon. A beautiful landscape of moorland, woodland, coast and rivers. We’ve had a couple of holidays around this region, once staying in the pretty medieval town of Dunster (Somerset) which we used as a base to explore the moor, its towns and villages and the north coast.

Dunster itself is well worth visiting with a lovely castle and a working Water Mill and a pretty 15th-century stone Gallox bridge as well as unique shops, a Yarn Market and a hidden secret garden.

Gallox Bridge. This ancient stone bridge – originally ‘gallows bridge’ – once carried packhorses bringing fleeces to Dunster market.

A view towards the Valley of the Rocks on the North Devon coast.

A walk to the Dunkery Beacon at the summit of Dunkery Hill which is the highest point on Exmoor and in Somerset, England is a must from where you have views over the Bristol Channel to south Wales. Just make sure you use the correct track unlike us (we had to double back when we couldn’t find a route through the thick gorse and bracken).

Make your way to the village of Winsford which might be the prettiest in Exmoor Park and does indeed have a ford. With its thatched cottages, two medieval packhorse bridges, a Grade II listed telephone kiosk, a medieval parish church and a picturesque thatched country pub it is a village well worth stopping off in to explore. West of the village is The Punchbowl, a geological hollow created by glaciation during the last Ice Age.

Tarr Steps is another great place to go when looking to explore Exmoor National Park. You can head straight there, utilising the on site car park and toilet facilities, with just a gentle walk down to the ancient clapper bridge.