Exmoor's variety, part 1: Water

Exmoor National Park is not only incredibly beautiful, but incredibly varied. Some people hear the word ‘moor’ and think ‘bleak’ – but I want to show you that on Exmoor this is very far from the full story.


I’d intended to make this post about scenery and landscape in general, but this is such a huge subject that it needs breaking down into several episodes. So this time I’m going to concentrate on one theme – water. Who doesn’t love picnicking by a river, or relaxing by the sea?
 

 The river Barle at Withypool

 The moorland is criss-crossed by many small rivers, e.g. the Barle...







...and there are areas of marshland, rich in wildlife.

Porlock Marsh

Wimbleball Lake at dusk

We’ve a lake (a man-made reservoir but none the less attractive for that) at Wimbleball.








And Exmoor National Park has an amazing coastline, from Minehead

View from the Valley of Rocks, Lynton

to Porlock, from Lynmouth to Heddon’s Mouth and many places in between. Beaches, high and rugged cliffs, dramatic ravines, charming harbour towns…
 

Walking to Heddon's Mouth

There are plenty of water-based activities to choose from on Exmoor, including coasteering, kayaking, fishing - and of course coastal walking or cycling.





Find some ideas at Visit Exmoor

Music and ponies - two festivals coming soon to Exmoor

Minehead & Exmoor Music Festival, Sunday 27 July – Saturday 2 August
The 51^st Minehead Music Festival includes (as ever) a good range of orchestral and chamber concerts. The programmes feature not only internationally-known soloists but up and coming stars including local young people. You can book tickets for all the concerts from the Regal Theatre Minehead. Here are the details:
http://www.mineheadmusicfestival.org/programme/


Exmoor Pony Festival, Saturday 9 – Sunday 17 August
There’s something different happening every day of this year’s Exmoor Pony Festival: for example rided, walks, special open days, safaris and pony shows. It’s a must for anybody who’d like to see these famous little horses in their native area – Exmoor’s wild moorland. Find all the information here:
https://exmoorponyfestival.wordpress.com/whats-on/

Exmoor: What's happening in August 2013?

In Exmoor National Park there is always plenty going on. Here are some Exmoor events coming up this August:

Minehead and Exmoor Music Festival 1st - 3rd
National Parks Week 1st - 4th
Cutcombe village fete 3rd -one of the prizes in the Grand Draw is dinner for two at Exmoor House
Exmoor Explorer off-road cycle trial from Wheddon Cross 4^th – if you're taking part, you could make a weekend of it and stay at Exmoor House and enjoy our fab food
Exford Show 14^th  
Porlock Country Fair 11th
Minehead Summer Festival 14^th -  includes a display by the Red Arrows and Red Devils, also an arts, crafts & produce market & various other stalls)
Dunster Show 16^th - a great day out  http://thedunstershow.co.uk/
Exmoor Pony Festival 24th - 31^st to 1^st Sept - more info at http://exmoorponyfestival.wordpress.com/

There will also be lots of things happening at the National Trust properties in the area (for example on the Holnicote Estate, at Dunster Castle and in the Heddon Valley). Visit http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/whats-on/events/ where you can look up specific areas.

Exmoor National Park’s events in August include woodland and moorland walks to learn more about the area’s wonderful range of wildlife as well as to discover some archaeological sites; seaside safaris; Big Adventure days.

For even more ideas, have a look at...

http://www.activeexmoor.com/home

http://www.visit-exmoor.co.uk/must-see-and-do/events

http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/visiting/events

http://www.exmoorsociety.org.uk/Events.htm

http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Somerset/Minehead/TA24

Inspired to pay a visit? Check out our dinner, bed and breakfast breaks at http://www.exmoorhotel.co.uk

Business networking opportunities in Exmoor and West Somerset

Running a small business can sometimes be rather isolating – especially for those who work from home. We are all so busy with our day to day work that we literally don’t get out much. However, it’s good to talk (as they say) with people in a similar situation – and that is not the only benefit of business networking. Through attending a few networking meetings, we have made some really good contacts, discovered new promotional channels for our guesthouse and got access to some very useful training. Here’s some information about two local networking groups of which we’re members.

Clara Lawrie - who runs the very informative West Somerset and Exmoor news and events website http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Somerset/Minehead/TA24 - has been the driving force behind West Somerset Means Business, which started up in 2011 and is going from strength to strength. Local businesspeople meet once a month over breakfast at the Reading Room in Minehead. There is a visiting speaker and the opportunity for each person to briefly introduce themselves and their business to the rest of the group. For more details, and to book your place at the next breakfast meeting, email Maureen Smith: rismoch@hotmail.com

If you haven’t yet been to the Reading Room, then do give it a try. It’s a friendly café with a community ethos (e.g. books and crafts to buy, local information, internet access and a variety of events and courses): http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Somerset/Minehead/TA24/Businesses/Cafes-and-Coffee-Shops/The-Reading-Room

Earlier this year, Elke Koessling-Winzer of CultureLine set up Exmoor4all, which aims – through extensive use of social media - to promote Exmoor as a wonderful place to visit. Part of this project is a scheme called the Exmoor Club, offering discounts and special deals across Exmoor to visitors and local residents alike. More details, including information on how you can get involved, at http://culturelineuk.wordpress.com/projects/ 

There are now also regular informal Exmoor4all TweetUps (i.e. face-to-face meetings of people who have ‘met’ on twitter) for local businesses, over coffee and biscuits at The Culbone, near Porlock: http://www.theculbone.com/ (a very good place for a spot of lunch, by the way).

Exmoor has a vibrant business community, supplying a huge variety of products and services. These kinds of get-togethers (both on and offline) give us all the opportunity to learn more about what other businesses do and explore ways we can work together. They are a great way to bring in new custom for ourselves while supporting other local organisations and at the same time promoting this beautiful area where we live. Everybody wins!

Exmoor walks with a railway theme

We recommend two excellent little books of walks from stations along the West Somerset Railway (see details below). Most of the walks are not particularly long, so are ideal for us when we have an afternoon off! Here are some we’ve done recently.



Moorland path, Woodcombe, North Hill

Minehead
The South West Coastal Path begins at Minehead (marked by a sculpture of a giant pair of hands holding an equally gigantic map) and there are several other good walks from the town too. This is an easy one of about 5 miles which you can start from the railway station or the centre of town; it goes through The Parks area, up past the ancient farmstead at Bratton Court, via woods and moorland to Woodcombe and back down the hill from Higher Town to the town centre.

On the beach near Blue Anchor

Blue Anchor, Carhampton and Dunster
We combined two walks from the books, to make one of approximately 6 miles. Starting from the station end of Blue Anchor Bay, we walked parallel to the railway line for a short way before branching off through the fields to Carhampton. Then up to the top of the village and via the Deer Park to Dunster. Through Dunster, down the hill to Dunster Station and the beach; follow the seafront path all the way back to Blue Anchor.



Near Chapel Cleeve



Washford, Old Cleeve and Kentsford
This one is a little over 4 miles. Starting from Washford station, you follow the route of the old Monk’s Path for part of the walk; there is also an old sunken lane, some road and track walking and a woodland path. Take some time to look around the church at Old Cleeve, which is utterly charming. Eventually you’ll end up on the trackbed of the Old Mineral Line, from where you can walk back to Washford or, if you prefer, on to Watchet.



These walks are all taken from:
Country Walks from West Somerset Railway Stations
Some more Country Walks from West Somerset Railway Stations
By Audrey & Ron Short; updated by Malcolm & Natalie Short
Pub. West Somerset Railway Association
Available from the Buffer Stop shop at Minehead station
We have a copy here of both books here at Exmoor House; guests are welcome to borrow them during their stay with us.

Another day out on Exmoor: Allerford, Bossington, Selworthy

Following on from my last post, here’s another idea for exploring Exmoor: a day out in Allerford, Bossington and Selworthy, on foot, by bicycle, using public transport and/or by car…

This trio of villages on the National Trust-owned Holnicote Estate are (as you would expect) lovingly preserved and maintained. They’re also chocolate-box pretty and each has interesting corners to explore. Start at any of the villages and you can walk or cycle to any of the others via various routes (some quite challenging) or drive via typically winding Somerset lanes.

At Allerford, the famous packhorse bridge (one of Exmoor’s iconic images) dates from the 15th century. Some of the cottages have round chimneys, very characteristic of this area. In the old school building you’ll find the West Somerset Rural Life Museum, which includes the Victorian Schoolroom and the West Somerset Photographic Archive. There’s an impressive collection of artefacts, mostly dating from the 1800s to the 1950s. Also at Allerford is a forge where Kyle Roberts and his team produce an amazing variety of ironwork. At Lynch, just a short walk (or drive) from Allerford, the Exmoor Owl & Hawk Centre offers flying displays and many other activities.

Many of the houses and cottages in Bossington have tall round chimneys, and bread ovens that bulge from the walls. Kitnors Tea Room and Garden (near the village car park) is a lovely place to stop for lunch or a snack. Take a wander round the village and if you can, walk down to the sea shore: you’ll see some spectacular hilly views and the famous pebble ridge, which sometimes gets breached if Horner Water is in spate (it’s happened twice so far this year!). The ridge mends soon mends itself though.

Selworthy’s attractive limewashed church has an almost Mediterranean look about it. Set above the rest of the village, it’s visible for miles. The view from the church is beautiful and the inside of the building is very interesting, with some spectacular ceiling bosses among much else to see. The village itself, clustered around the green, is full of almost impossibly picturesque thatched cottages. Whatever you do, don’t forget to bring your camera. There’s a National Trust shop here, also the charmingly traditional Periwinkle Tea Room (which usually has a fabulous range of cakes, as well as other delicious things).

Public transport
Bus 39 runs between Minehead and Porlock (all year round)
Bus 300 runs between Minehead and Lynmouth (April – October only)
They both stop at Allerford Turn and Selworthy Turn. Bus 39 makes very occasional stops at Bossington Green (check timetables for latest information).

Useful links
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/things-to-see-and-do/page-1/item254184/
http://www.allerfordmuseum.org.uk/
http://www.allerfordforge.co.uk/
http://www.exmoorfalconry.co.uk/

Book
Shortish Walks on Exmoor by Robert Hesketh (Bossiney Books) has two walks that can be done separately or joined together: Allerford, Bossington and Hurlstone Combe plus Allerford and Selworthy Beacon. Each walk is about 4½ miles.

Maps
Explorer OL9 (Ordnance Survey) 
Exmoor for Off-Road Cyclists (Exmoor National Park Authority)

What's happening on Exmoor in March and April

In my last blog post I mentioned some of the Exmoor events coming up in February, March and April. There’s still time to catch some March events if you hurry… and check out our website at http://www.exmoorhotel.co.uk/  for details of some great special offers we’re running this month.


Thursday 22nd March: Take Advantage of Your Future (the software programme for the brain). This seminar, run by Rollo Clifford, is at the recently-reopened Hobby Horse in Minehead. We were lucky enough to participate in one of Rollo’s seminars last December, and found it a fascinating and enlightening day. Book a place if you can! More details at http://www.theknowledgecloud.info/

Thursday 22nd – Sunday 25th March: The West Somerset Railway Spring Steam Gala continues, with a whole host of things happening. You can see when particular locomotives are appearing, download the brochure and book tickets online at
http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/section.php/4/1/spring_steam_gala

Going into April, we’ve still some rooms left at Exmoor House over the Easter weekend, 6th – 9th: we recommend that you book soon though! You can reserve rooms online or direct with us by phone.

The North Devon and Exmoor Walking Festival (27th April – 6th May) is operating in a slightly different way this year, giving a flavour of some of the very diverse places within the National Park (both in Somerset and Devon) and slightly further afield. For the first two days, the walks are based around the Ilfracombe area. From the 29th until 1st May there are walks in the Lynton area. May 2nd, 3rd and 4th have walks around the Porlock area, and on May 5th and 6th the focus is on the Dunster area. So if you wanted to make a holiday of it, you could base yourself in Ilfracombe or Lynton for a few days, then move on to Wheddon Cross for the rest of the time! On the festival website at http://www.exmoorwalkingfestival.co.uk/  you can search the walks by area, date and several other criteria (e.g. linear/circular; on bus routes).

We hope to see you soon!

Dunster: more than tea and fudge

The other week I talked about Minehead; this time I’m going to focus on Dunster, about six miles down the road from Wheddon Cross. If you’re staying with us, there’s a bus service several times a day and the bus stop is only a few yards away, so you don’t need to take the car.


Dunster deserves a good mooch around. It does indeed have many teashops (and several pubs), as well as shops selling fudge, chocolate, jewellery, clothes, books, crafts and souvenirs. We’ve had some great lunches in Dunster and have bought plenty of Christmas and birthday presents here, too.

Did I mention chocolate? If you’re a chocoholic, you need to visit The Chocolate House. More details at http://www.nutcombe-chocs.co.uk/ - and still on a confectionery theme: there’s a handily-placed weighing machine outside the fudge shop (check your weight before and after you’ve eaten the fudge?).

As with Minehead, though, look beyond the shops and eating places, and there’s much else to discover. The main streets of the village can get quite crowded with both people and traffic, but go just a little further and you’ll get an entirely different perspective and a real sense of the place’s history. A big attraction is of course the National Trust-owned castle - http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunstercastle - perched above the village and looking out towards the coast. I recommend taking the time to look round the gardens as well as the castle itself. If you feel like a slightly longer walk, there’s a path to the watermill, with the old packhorse bridge (Gallox Bridge) and some real chocolate-box cottages nearby.

Another footpath near Gallox Bridge will take you round the back of the castle, through fields behind the High Street, to Dunster Steep (where you’ll find the Exmoor National Park information office and the main car park). Dunster’s historic Yarn Market is on the High Street at this end of the village; you can’t miss it.

With the Yarn Market Hotel on your left and the Luttrell Arms on your right, take the narrow street that leads up to The Ball (some handsome houses, and photo-perfect views of the village and castle) then from The Ball turn left along Priory Green. This will bring you to the Tithe Barn, recently restored and now used for community events, and the ancient dovecote. The church has plenty of interest, and there’s also a series of walled gardens, providing a peaceful respite.

Now, how about a cup of tea?

Minehead grows on us!

When we first moved to West Somerset, the main attraction was Exmoor itself; we’d lived in cities all our lives and were ready for a change. Moving to a tiny village was certainly that! We enjoy village life: the sense of community, people looking out for one another, stopping for a chat with neighbours…


Minehead is our nearest biggish settlement; our first impressions were not that positive (OK to do a top-up shop, but rather resort-y). We now know that this was rather unfair. Scratch the surface and there’s a lot more to the place; you have to explore a bit to discover its character.

Yes, there are the chain shops you might expect to find in a town of this size, and the normal satellite retail estates with supermarkets and DIY-type stores. On the seafront (again, as you might expect) are amusement arcades, bucket-and-spade shops and all the ice cream, candy floss and chips you can eat.

Go further into town and you’ll also discover interesting, thriving independent shops among the usual suspects (if you’re staying at Exmoor House you can pick up a Minehead Shoppers Guide from us). On Friday mornings there’s a local farmer’s market.

Attractions and things to do include a long-established links golf course, the Regal Theatre and the West Somerset Railway. Butlins (you can’t miss it, with its millennium dome-type structure!) now has the only swimming pool in Minehead. Off The Avenue (the main street that goes down towards the sea) are the Blenheim Gardens, a pleasant place to mooch around, with a café in summer.

Along the promenade towards the harbour, passing old coastguard’s and fisherman’s cottages, you’ll find the start of the South West Coast Path, marked by a sculpture of hands holding a map. Past the harbour is a small nature reserve, leading on to hill and coastal walks. Go up to the old town and North Hill and you’ll get another perspective, with stunning sea views, more pretty old houses and cottages and the famous Church Steps. While you’re there, do visit the church itself.

For me, the main shopping streets, the beach area, the harbour and the old town all have completely different atmospheres; to get a true picture of Minehead you need to take the time to visit them all.

Exmoor in July: National Park celebrations, Minehead Festival, Dunster Fair - and a special offer from Exmoor House

National Parks Week, 25 – 31 July


Exmoor is contributing a series of great events to National Parks Week. You can discover more about local history on a stroll around the fascinating village of Dunster or a tour of the water-powered sawmill at Simonsbath. Take a minibus tour to some of Exmoor’s archaeological sites or a guided walk to learn some of the secrets of the Old Mineral Line. Join an Exmoor ranger to search for red deer, or find out about the creatures lurking in seaside rockpools.

You can find more details at
http://www.nationalparks.gov.uk/visiting/nationalparksweek/npwevents-exmoor.htm


Minehead and Exmoor Festival, 24 – 30 July

A varied programme of music by composers from Arensky to Verdi, at venues in Minehead, Dunster and Dulverton. The festival has been described as ‘an extraordinary achievement of wonderful music making’. Richard Dickins (from Imperial College and Royal College of Music) conducts.

The full programme is at
http://www.mineheadfestival.com/

Dunster Country Fair, 27th July

Held on the lawns of Dunster Castle, this is West Somerset’s biggest country fair. With displays of falconry, stunt motorcycles, horse and dog shows, laser clay pigeon shooting and archery, plus a funfair and children’s entertainment, food and drink – and not forgetting some retail therapy, with trade stands and a craft tent - there’s something for everybody.

More information at
http://www.dunstercountryfair.co.uk/wordpress/

Exmoor House July offer
 
At Exmoor House we're offering weekend dinner, bed & breakfast breaks (3 or more nights) for the same price as our midweek specials; that's from £174 per person for a 3-night stay. This offer applies to the last weekend in June and every weekend in July. See our website at http://www.exmoorhouse.com/ or call us on 01643 841432 for more information. Hope to see you soon!

A grand day out

A favourite day out of ours is a trip on the West Somerset Railway. Riding the steam trains is like going back in time and gives a very different perspective on the countryside between Minehead and Bishops Lydeard. Watch out for Dunster Castle, nestled among the trees; further on the line hugs the coast for a while; there are also wonderful views of the Brendons and the Quantocks.




If you have the time, it’s definitely worth changing trains at least once to have a mooch around. All the stations are interesting in their own right; some have second hand bookstalls, gift shops, museums or cafés. However, there is a lot more to see beyond the stations themselves. For example, Watchet is a fascinating little town, there are beaches at Blue Anchor and Doniford (the latter with fossil formations), and medieval Cleeve Abbey is within walking distance of Washford station.



Last time we travelled on the railway we took with us the two little books of ‘Country Walks from West Somerset Railway Stations’ (by Audrey & Ron Short, updated by Malcolm & Natalie Short, published by WSRA – we bought our copies from the gift shop at Minehead station). We walked from Crowcombe Heathfield to Bishops Lydeard, stopping for a very good lunch at the Farmers Arms, Combe Florey. At Bishops Lydeard there was time for a circular walk around the village and tea at the station before getting our train back to Minehead.



You can now buy West Somerset Railway Day Rover tickets from us at a discounted rate when you stay at Exmoor House. There’ll be details on our website soon, or contact us for more information.