Sports:
Tennis in town
Watersports
Horse Riding
Golf within 30 mins drive
Fishing
Great for:
Walking holidays
Rural / countryside retreats
Cycling holidays
The West Country / Devon region
On Exmoor whatever time of year you visit you are sure to experience the full extent of Exmoor’s beauty, from early spring with its snowdrops and the bluebell carpeted woods and primrose covered hedgerows of late spring through to summer when
Exmoor’s moorlands are a vibrant sea of purples, lilacs and yellows, alive with the sound of birds and insects. Autumn brings a wonderful golden colour and rustic charm to Exmoor’s oak woodlands, and there’s always the chance to hear the sound of rutting stags locking antlers. Winter is also a magical time on Exmoor. When it snows the landscape takes on a whole new beauty and snow covered Exmoor ponies are a sight to remember.
Steeped in history Exmoor area covers a wide range of places to visit from Combe Martin in North Devon along the spectacular coastline of Exmoor National Park, across the Quantock Hills to the tip of West Somerset and inland to rural villages and acres of open space, from rugged moorland to wooded valleys. It’s all dotted with pretty villages where you’ll find a friendly welcome.
Exmoor National Park covers 267 square miles of the beautiful rolling Devon and Somerset countryside. The Visit Exmoor area, which you will find on this website, stretches well beyond the boundary of the National Park, to include a variety of rural and coastal towns and villages and the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The Lynton / Lynmouth area
The spectacular combination of sweeping moorland with high, rugged, tree-clad cliffs and enticing sheltered bays make Lynton and Lynmouth almost unique.
Lynton and Lynmouth grew up slowly around two splendid deep and wooded river valleys, those of the East and West Lyn which have their origins in a maze of tiny streams high up on Exmoor and meet as they reach the sea at Lynmouth.
It was the Victorians who made these twin towns holiday centres, the quiet charm of which led them to name it the “Little Switzerland of England”.
About a mile from the centre of Lynton is the famed Valley of Rocks. It can be reached easily by car but is much more rewarding to approach on foot via North Walk or Hollerday Hill. Dominating the valley is Castle Rock, while other strangely weathered formations bear names such as Ragged Jack and the Devil”s Cheesewring. The valley is populated by wild mountain goats – the only surviving group south of the Scottish borders.
The famous Cliff Railway operates at a gradient of 1:1¾ covering a vertical height of approximately 500 feet. The gauge is 45 inches and each car has a 700 gallon water tank which is filled at the top and emptied at the bottom, thus causing the lower car to be pulled up to Lynton, while the heavier car from the top descends to Lynmouth. The Cliff Railway was officially opened in 1890 and is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular rides of its kind offering an unusual trip with fantastic views.
