Snowdrop Valley: railway excursions to see the snowdrops

Over the coming half term holiday, 11^th - 19^th February 2017, the West Somerset Railway is running a diesel service which includes a trip to Snowdrop Valley.

The train leaves Bishops Lydeard at 10.30, arriving in Williton at about 11.00. Included in the ticket price is a bus service to Wheddon Cross. You can then either catch the park and ride bus (the cost of this is not included in your West Somerset Railway ticket) down to the valley or make your way on foot. Your bus will collect you from Wheddon Cross at 14.00 to meet the return train from Williton back to Bishops Lydeard.

Find more information and make your train booking on the West Somerset Railway website

 While you are in Wheddon Cross, you can enjoy lunch (or maybe just coffee and cake, tea and scones or our lovely home-made teacakes) at Exmoor House – we run a pop-up Snowdrop Valley tearoom. Our food is something special: more details here.  And if you'd like to spend a few days on beautiful Exmoor and enjoy some of the other sights too, why not book a short break with us? We offer bed and breakfast, and dinner too.

More information about Snowdrop Valley, with regular updates, can be found on the Wheddon Cross website.

Snowdrop Valley 2017, Wheddon Cross, Exmoor, Somerset

Snowdrop Valley is exactly that: a valley with lots of snowdrops. Tucked away on Exmoor in Somerset, just a mile or so from our guest house in Wheddon Cross, it's special because you can see the snowdrops flowering in natural woodland (many snowdrops walks are in a more formal setting such as parkland).

February is generally peak snowdrop season, although of course it depends mainly on the weather as to when the blooms will be at their best. Access to Snowdrop Valley is by walking, or by minibus. The walk, which takes you down to the valley and back up again, is very pretty. As you might imagine, it can be very muddy, so you need to wear wellies or walking boots.

The minibuses are organised by our local parish council. They run from the village car park (across the road from our place and next to the pub). You'll also find an information point where you can get directions and advice and buy snowdrop-related souvenirs. If the village car park is full, there is generally overflow parking available at the cattle market just down the road (except on market days).

In 2017 the road to Snowdrop Valley is closed from 28th January to 26th February inclusive, hence the park & ride minibuses. The park & ride service runs from 4th to 19th February, so on the other dates you can only get to the valley if you walk.

The Wheddon Cross village website has regular updates. You can also download a bus timetable and an information leaflet.

If you fancy a few nights' break on Exmoor to see the snowdrops, you can enjoy a relaxing stay at Exmoor House and enjoy our great food.

Exmoor's variety, part 2: Plantlife

Because Exmoor has such a range of terrains (more in a later blog!) it has a big range of plantlife too. I'm going to concentrate here on some of my favourites, and haven't included trees because I'm also going to focus on them another time.

Daffodils in Stowey Wood near Wheddon Cross

Early in the year the snowdrops in Snowdrop Valley - where else? - show that the land is starting to wake up after winter. Slightly later signs of spring are daffodils, primroses, alexanders, wild garlic, bluebells. 

Gorse, with its sunny flowers and coconutty scent, can be in bloom at any time of year ('whenever kissing's in season' as the old saying goes) but is often at its best in late spring. Exmoor ponies love to nibble the flowers and stems.

Heather on Dunkery Hill

Summer brings out the bell heather and ling on the high moors, which are home to luscious whortleberries as well; also known as bilberries, if you're a northerner like me. And, following on from the foxgloves, rosebay willowherb is everywhere. On riverbanks I love to see meadowsweet, also – an invasive import, but so pretty – monbretia.

Gorse in bloom by the Porlock toll road

By the coast you'll see, at various times of the year, sea purslane, wild fennel, teasels, evening primroses, mallows...

And I'll just briefly mention marsh plants, grasses and sedges, ferns, lichens – the latter a telltale sign of Exmoor's unpolluted air – and fungi including brightly coloured waxcaps.

All in all, Exmoor is a botanist's paradise!

Snowdrops, steam trains and snacks

Combining a ride on a steam train with a visit to Exmoor’s beautiful Snowdrop Valley sounds like just the  ticket! This year’s Snowdrops and Steam days out on the West Somerset Railway are on February 16^th, 17^th, 18^th, 19^th and 20^th.

  
The steam trains depart from Bishops Lydeard at 10.25 or Minehead at 10.15. You get off at Williton Station to join the special coach service to Wheddon Cross, arriving there around midday. To get to the valley itself, you can either walk (allow about 1 ½ to 2 hours; the paths are steep and can be very muddy) or travel on the snowdrop bus.

Your coach back to Williton leaves Wheddon Cross about 15.00, to catch the 16.45 trains to Bishops Lydeard and Minehead. Visit WSR for more information, prices and booking details (as I write this, some of the Snowdrops and Steam dates are selling very fast).


While you’re in Wheddon Cross, do call in to Exmoor House for some hot soup, home-made teacakes, a cream tea or a ploughman’s lunch…

And to see just why Snowdrop Valley is so special, take a look at these photos

On the Wheddon Cross village website you’ll find details of various walks to Snowdrop Valley; here are some examples.

Snowdrop Valley 2016 and our pop-up tea room

The official dates for Exmoor’s famous Snowdrop Valley this year are 30^th January to 28^th February. During this time the road to the valley is closed, but you can walk down to see the snowdrops via various routes from Wheddon Cross (the public footpaths are of course open all year round and it is always a nice walk, though you need to be reasonably fit as the way is steep). 

The snowdrops on 24th January - photo by Michael Edwards

 If you don’t want to walk, a park and ride bus service runs between Wheddon Cross and Snowdrop valley each day from 6^th to 21^st February. For more details, including the bus timetable, walking route maps, the Snowdrop Valley brochure and information about special arrangements for people who have disabilities, visit the  
Wheddon Cross village website


At Exmoor House guest house we are opening our annual pop-up tea room from 30^th January until 28^th February inclusive. Opening hours are generally from 11am until 3pm, although if we don’t have many dinners to do for our staying guests (our bed and breakfast breaks with dinner are very popular) then we may stay open a little longer in the afternoon.

Everything is made here by Frank the chef, for example bread, teacakes, cakes, scones, jams & pickles….Some of our tearoom specialities are soup, sandwiches, ploughman’s lunches - and not forgetting Somerset cream teas (including savoury cream teas for those who don’t have a sweet tooth).

Our dining room only holds about 14 people, so if you have a particular date in mind when you’d like to come for lunch, we’d advise you to book. Call Rosi & Frank on 01643 841432.

Snowdrop Valley 2015: another update

In my last blog post you will have seen the dates for this year’s park and ride buses between Wheddon Cross and Snowdrop Valley, along with some other information.

Steam train on the West Somerset Railway

There is more to tell! West Somerset Railway are again running their popular Snowdrops and Steam excursion (on various dates between 14^th and 22^nd February). You travel by train from Bishop’s Lydeard to Williton, where there will be a coach to take you to Wheddon Cross (with some lovely Exmoor scenery on the way).

Once you get here, you can choose whether to take the bus or walk to the valley; then after your visit the coach will collect you for the trip back to Williton to join the train once more. For further details, including the day’s timetable and how to book, visit the West Somerset Railway website.


And while you are at Wheddon Cross, do pop into our pop-up tearoom for lunch, or maybe just tea and cake…


Are you driving to our village for your Snowdrop Valley visit? Then you need to be aware that the road through Dunster is closed, so if coming from the Minehead or Bridgwater directions you will need to follow the diversion signs.

Snowdrop Valley on Exmoor in February 2015: update

This year the arrangements for Exmoor’s Snowdrop Valley are a little different. Here’s what you need to know.

Snowdrop Valley, Exmoor, Somerset

As usual the little road that leads to the valley will be closed to traffic for the snowdrops season. In 2015 the road closes from Saturday 31^st January to Sunday 1^st March inclusive.

The park and ride buses from Wheddon Cross to Snowdrop Valley will be running from 7^th – 22^nd February. The buses are accessible for people with limited mobility (and if you have a mobility issue and are unable to visit while the buses are running, please see the Wheddon Cross village website - link below - where you'll find details of what to do).

From 31^st January to 6th February and from 23^rd February until 1^st March, walkers will be able to get to the valley but there is no access by car and no buses will be running.

You can walk down and back up again the same way, using the footpath that starts near the Exmoor Farmers Market at Wheddon Cross (where there is also a car park); alternatively you could make it a longer circular walk by taking other local paths. Whichever way you go, it is very steep in places (Exmoor’s hills are part of its charm) and it is likely to be muddy, so do remember your walking boots or wellies.

The Snowdrop Information Point, in the village car park next to the pub, will be staffed during each day while the park and ride is running and also on the weekends of 31^st January and 28^th February. As well as getting help and advice there, you can also buy various souvenirs.

For regular updates and maps of some suggested walk routes, as well as details about places to eat and stay near Snowdrop Valley (including our place) visit the Wheddon Cross website: http://www.wheddoncross.org.uk/snowdropvalley.htm

Exmoor events: Snowdrop Valley, Golden Horseshoe, Walking Festival, Ironman

Exmoor National Park really is a place for all seasons and all reasons. Partly this is because the ever-changing scenery is beautiful all year round, and partly it is because there is a huge range of events, to suit everybody. For example:

Snowdrop Valley, Wheddon Cross (February and early March): hosts of snowdrops in a

Snowdrop Valley, near Exmoor House

wonderful woodland setting. It is a very special place to visit; many people come back year after year. Read more about it on our website and the Wheddon Cross website

The Golden Horseshoe Ride (May) is based at Exford, about 5 miles from Exmoor House, This famous endurance ride attracts competitors and spectators from far and wide. There is also a sponsored pleasure ride. Exmoor ponies and their riders compete in some of the classes.

Exmoor Walking Festival logo

Enjoy walking? Have a look at the North Devon and Exmoor Walking Festival (normally in late April and early May). It covers many areas of Exmoor, giving a good flavour of the amazing variety of landscapes here in Somerset and Devon. There are guided walks for all ages and abilities. At Exmoor House we are almost in the centre of the National Park, so you could take a break here and book several of the walks to do during your stay.



Ironman 70.3 UK takes place in and around Wimbleball Lake

Wimbleball Lake

(about 8 miles from Exmoor House) in mid June. Again, people come to Exmoor from all over the world to take part and to support the competitors. It is a ‘half Ironman’ because it involves running 13.1 miles (as well as jumping into the lake for a swim of 1.2 miles at a very early hour of the morning, also cycling 56 miles). In the full Ironman triathlon, the distances are twice the above. We take our hats off to all the Ironmen and Ironwomen for their focus and dedication, which we’ve observed first hand as quite a few of them have stayed with us over the years.

Exmoor accommodation for Snowdrop Valley: dinner bed and breakfast breaks

Exmoor’s valley of snowdrops, once a well-kept secret, is becoming more well known. About a mile fromWheddon Cross, this beautiful wooded Somerset river valley is a wonderfully natural setting for drifts of snowdrops and perfect for a February visit.

If you want to celebrate these early signs of spring with a few days away, why not book a short break at Exmoor House? We’re within walking distance of the snowdrops (but if you’re not a walker there is a special bus service that will take you down to the valley and back).

We have a special offer for the snowdrop season: £10 off the normal price of our three night Exmoor dinner bed and breakfast breaks (making the cost from just £164 per person) plus a free cream tea and a free bottle of house wine during your stay. Find more information here:

exmoorhotel.co.uk/whyvisitnow.htm

If you are local to Wheddon Cross you might like to visit our February tearoom… proper home-made food,expertly cooked using good local ingredients. Here are some details:

exmoorhotel.co.uk/specialevents.htm

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Snowdrop Valley 2013, Wheddon Cross, Exmoor, Somerset

Would you like to do something really special in February? How about a visit to Snowdrop Valley? It’s about a mile and a half from where we are and – as the name might suggest – is a place to see a host of snowdrops in a natural setting.
The snowdrops carpet the woodland floor and cover the banks of the river Avill, which flows through the valley. It’s a lovely, magical place at any time of year, whether or not it is the snowdrop season. You can walk from our place via a number of different routes, the quickest being straight down the winding path to the valley and back up again (aerobic exercise guaranteed; sensible footwear essential).

At snowdrops time, there is a park & ride bus service from Wheddon Cross, organised by our Parish Council. Parking is in the village car park (next to the pub), where there’s also a special information point with people to give directions and advice. The narrow road to Snowdrop Valley is closed during this time (otherwise there might be traffic problems as it’s single track and there are no passing places). So, you need to either walk or get the bus in order to see the snowdrops (people with disabilities can make special arrangements). In 2013 the park & ride operates from 2nd to 24th February and the road remains closed for an extra week after this.

For more details, including a bus timetable, an information leaflet to download and regular updates, visit the Wheddon Cross snowdrops page:
http://www.wheddoncross.org.uk/snowdropvalley.htm
Book dinner, bed and breakfast at Exmoor House and make a few days of it. You could stay over Valentine’s Day for a really romantic break (we’ll even order champagne and local chocolates for you if you like!).

As usual, we’ll be opening our lovely guest dining room (which has a great view of Dunkery Beacon, and by the way was once the village tailor’s shop) as a tea room for the whole of Snowdrop Valley season. Frank’s scones have become legendary and there’s a good choice of more substantial food too (e.g. mega ploughman’s lunches, hot soup, sandwiches. Everything is of course home-made, including all our bread. Home-smoked chicken and real corned beef are two popular sandwich fillings…

The West Somerset Railway’s Snowdrops and Steam excursion was such a success last year that they’re running it on more dates this time. Find more information at
http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/section.php?xSec=58&xPage=1
If you are doing the train trip and would like to have lunch here at Exmoor House, it may be advisable to book, especially if there are four or more of you.

I was going to include some of my Snowdrop Valley photos in this post, but can't get them to upload: so here's a link so you can see them on our facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.224561347555559.66267.221803897831304&type=3

Spring 2012 events on Exmoor

What’s happening on Exmoor? Quite a lot, as ever! I keep saying this, but it does bear repeating: there is always something going on here, but the area remains peaceful and unspoilt. Here’s some information about things happening over the next few months, takuing us through the rest of winter and into spring.


The big event, from now until early March, is Snowdrop Valley, here at Wheddon Cross. Beautiful and unique – don’t miss it! More information on our website, in my blog post of 12th January and at http://www.wheddoncross.org.uk/ Our dining room opens each day as a tearoom from 4th February until 4th March, so you can enjoy our great food before or after your visit to the valley.

On 14th – 16th February, the West Somerset Railway is running a special Snowdrops & Steam service: combine a scenic ride on a steam train with your snowdrops viewing. For details of this and other railway events, visit http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/section.php?xSec=2&xPage=1&jssCart=e278a8fbb51ca16b9c3636d860c4b1c3

March 16th – 18th sees the 4 x 4 on Exmoor Jaunt & Challenge, in aid of Wooden Spoon children’s charity. The teams start and finish at Wheddon Cross and enjoy an active weekend while raising funds for a very good cause http://www.4x4onexmoor.co.uk/
Also in March is the West Somerset Railway Spring Steam Gala (17th – 18th and 22nd – 25th)

Easter weekend falls on 6th-9th April this year – book your break at Exmoor House now! Later in the month – on the 21st - there’s the Somerset Stages rally, which is always interesting to watch. More info here: http://www.btrdarally.com/2012-Somerset-Stages.asp And, new for this year, there’s the Exmoor Beauty Cycle Challenge on the 22nd (sister event of the infamous Exmoor Beast): http://exmoorbeauty.org/

The North Devon and Exmoor Walking Festival starts on 27th April and continues until 6th May. A guided walk is a fantastic way of getting to know the countryside better, and on Exmoor we are extremely lucky to have an amazing choice of walks. Find details and updates at http://www.exmoorwalkingfestival.co.uk/

There’s an active theme to these events, which is fitting as Exmoor is such a wonderful area for getting out and about. Later in the year, however, there’ll also be arts and cultural festivals – I’ll cover these in another blog post. In the meantime, for those of you with a taste for outdoor adventures, here are two more websites to check out:
http://www.activeexmoor.com/
http://www.exmooradventures.co.uk/

Snowdrop Valley: February 2012, Wheddon Cross, Exmoor National Park

Snowdrops make everyone smile – they’re such a welcome sign of Spring. Exmoor’s Snowdrop Valley in Somerset, once a well-kept secret, is becoming more well known, and deservedly so.


The narrow road to Snowdrop Valley will be closed to traffic during snowdrop time, but there is a park and ride service from Wheddon Cross village down to the valley and back. This year’s dates for the park and ride buses are 4th to 26th February, with the road remaining closed for a week after that. Of course, you don’t have to get the bus – it’s a beautiful hilly walk (walking boots or wellies essential!).

You can find more information at

http://snowdropvalleyupdate.blogspot.com/

http://www.wheddoncross.org.uk/snowdropvalley.htm

To get to Wheddon Cross, why not use the West Somerset Railway Snowdrops & Steam service? It runs on February 14th 15th and 16th and will be a great day out! For more details and bookings information, visit
http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/section.php?xSec=58&xPage=1

And while you’re here, you could have morning coffee, lunch or afternoon tea at Exmoor House. We’ll be opening our lovely dining room as a tearoom and serving delicious food, all home-made with care and local ingredients. If there are going to be four or more of you, we recommend that you book in advance. Exmoor House is also open for dinner most evenings – booking is essential for this. Find more information about our food at http://www.exmoorhotel.co.uk/food.htm

Looking for somewhere to stay for a few nights for your Snowdrop Valley visit? Do check out our place: comfy accommodation, great value dinner bed & breakfast packages: http://www.exmoorhotel.co.uk/

No need to just take our word for it, though: here’s a link to What’s on Somerset magazine, where there is a review about us on page 6. http://www.whatsonsomerset.com/WOS%20ISSUE%2018.pdf

Hope to see you soon!

Spring is on the way on Exmoor

After a long cold winter, it seems spring is definitely on the way (or maybe I'm tempting fate by writing that!). These last few days have been much milder, and the daffodils are coming along well in our garden. The herbs are starting to wake up from their hibernation too, and soon we'll have beautiful fresh lovage, marjoram, chives and fennel (to name a few).

The snowdrops in Snowdrop Valley are still looking wonderful. Park & ride buses from Wheddon Cross continue for the rest of this week; the last day is this Sunday, February 27th. Do remember though that the road down to the valley will remain closed to traffic until March 6th - so between Feb 27th and Mar 6th, the only way to the valley will be on foot. Our dining room at Exmoor House will be open as a tearoom on most days until March 6th, serving cream teas (of course!), homemade rolls with a choice of fillings, hot soup, a selection of cakes, and more. Everything's homemade, including our delicious teacakes. Do remember too that you can book lunch at Exmoor House at any time of year (subject to availability) for groups of 4 or more people; we'll plan the menu to suit you.

In my last post I mentioned the Exmoor 4 x 4 Jaunt and Challenge, which is centred on Wheddon Cross during the weekend of March 19th and 20th. This popular event raises funds for the rugby charity Wooden Spoon. The off-road vehicles follow carefully planned routes, where the landowners have given them permission to go. You can see more detail about the event at  http://www.4x4onexmoor.co.uk/

Also on March 19th and 20th, as well as March 24th - 27th, is the West Somerset Railway Spring Steam Gala. This year the Gala celebrates 35 years of the West Somerset Railway running along the former Taunton to Minehead Branch of British Rail. There'll be many visiting locomotives (including new types not seen before on this line), and plenty of attraction around railway to visit, including sheds and workshops. You'll find updates about the gala at http://www.west-somerset-railway.co.uk/ssg.html
Whether you're a rail enthusiast or not, a trip on the railway is highly recommended. It's a scenic, tranquil journey between Minehead and Bishops Lydeard. Each station has something interesting to look at, and there are some good walks from the stations also.

At Exmoor House we have a special offer during the rest of February, and March: weekend dinner, bed & breakfast breaks are the same price as midweek breaks. Currently there are some rooms available for most dates, including during the events mentioned here. There's more detail on our website. Why not treat yourselves to a spring getaway?  To make a booking, just give us a call!

Walking on Exmoor: some winter walks

We've had some lovely clear, crisp weather on Exmoor this last week or so, and we've taken advantage of it to do some of our favourite walks:

- Down to Snowdrop Valley and back via a circular walk that takes us through farmland as well as woods and lanes. I can report that the snowdrops are coming along; there were a few splashes of white last Sunday, so should be looking good for the park & ride from Wheddon Cross (5th - 27th February).

- To Dunkery Hill, up to the top of Dunkery Beacon via the longer route, then heading continuing on towards the coast for some spectacular views (and often sightings of Exmoor ponies, though there weren't any around the other day)

- Along the shores of Wimbleball Lake. We walked up to the dam and back, from the car park, then the other day towards the nature trail. The full circuit of the lake (about 9 miles) is well worth doing too

- From Exford up to Room Hill and back; again, some amazing countryside views.

Heading into spring and early summer, this year's North Devon and Exmoor Walking Festival runs from 29th April to 8th May and includes  a range of fantastic walks for all abilities. More about this soon; you also see full details, and book walks, at http://www.exmoorwalkingfestival.co.uk/

Snowdrop Valley 2011: stay at Exmoor House and see the snowdrops

Snowdrop Valley, near Wheddon Cross, used to be one of Exmoor's best-kept secrets. Now the secret is out, and many people come back year after year to see the spectacular display of snowdrops, normally at its best in February. It's a welcome sign that Spring is on the way...

Here at Exmoor House, right in the centre of Wheddon Cross village, our dining room will be open as a tea room most days during Snowdrop Valley time (5th February to 6th March). We'll be serving hot drinks, cold drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), soup, light lunches, home-made cakes and scones, and more - hope to see you. 

If you'd like to make a booking for a group, please contact us to discuss your requirements. Remember, too, that Exmoor House is open most nights for dinner (booking essential).

And why not stay on for a few days to explore this beautiful area further? Check out our website at http://www.exmoorhouse.com/ for details of our accommodation and special dinner, bed & breakfast packages.
The walk down to the valley and back is extremely pretty, but it is steep and can get very muddy. Allow at least 1.5 hours for the return trip and wear appropriate winter clothing and footwear.



There's a park and ride scheme for Snowdrop Valley, run by Cutcombe Parish Council with support from Exmoor National Park, the Badgworthy Land Company and Exmoor Farmers. Buses leave regularly from the village car park (by the Rest & Be Thankful pub); last bus back from the valley is at 4.35pm. This year the park and ride runs every day from Saturday 5th February until Sunday 27th February. Tickets cost £4 for adults, with concessions for senior citizens and children aged from 5 to 15 (under 5s travel free).

The bus route will be closed to all motor traffic except residents, and disabled drivers, who need to obtain a permit before entering the valley. For more details, visit the Wheddon Cross website  at http://www.wheddoncross.org.uk/ or contact the Snowdrop Valley organiser on snowdropvalley@googlemail.com

Note that the road will stay closed for a week after the park and ride finishes, so from 28th February to 6th March you'll still be able to walk to see the snowdrops but there will be no buses running. Snowdrop Valley is privately owned and access is kindly granted by the Badgworthy Land Company.

Donations are always very welcome to help in the running of Snowdrop Valley, so that the village can continue to operate the park and ride in future years.

January special offer on Exmoor dinner, bed and breakfast breaks

Happy new year! We decided to take a break ourselves over the festive season, and went visiting family and friends. Now we're back, refreshed and ready to welcome our guests to Exmoor.

To start off 2011, we've a special offer on dinner, bed & breakfast packages. It runs for stays starting from now until 24th January, and you can save up to £50 on our normal prices.

For example:

The special offer price for a 3-night break, with 3-course dinner, bed & breakfast, is £169.50 per person (normally up to £193.50). For a 4-night break on the same basis, it's £208 per person (normally up to £258).

All prices are based on two people sharing a double or twin-bedded room.

To take advantage of this special deal, you need to book with us direct; the offer's not available to book via our website. Just give us a call...

Look forward to hearing from you!

Winter on Exmoor

It's pleasing to see that there's been quite a lot of media coverage about Exmoor recently. Johnny Kingdom's series about birds makes charming viewing (I particularly liked the shots of the wren colony that were apparently trying to break the record for the most birds to fit into one nesting box).

The November issue of Country Walking magazine carried an article on the Exmoor deer rutting season, as well as details of one of our favourite walks (from Simonsbath along the Barle Valley, via Cow Castle & Pickedstones) - where you can see deer if you're lucky.

BBC Countryfile magazine (December) has a comprehensive feature about Exmoor in winter, with a number of suggested walks and other things to do and see.

And Exmoor the Country Magazine's latest edition, as ever, includes some wonderful seasonal pieces, pictures and recipes. This time they also included a free supplement, Winter Wonderland, giving details of things happening soon (including Snowdrop Valley, in February) and Christmas gift ideas.

As I write this, there's a beautiful silvery dusting of snow on the fields, under a clear blue sky...

Why not pay us a visit?

Snowdrops at Wheddon Cross

Snowdrop Valley, near Wheddon Cross, is always a wonderful sight. The snowdrops are normally at their best in February (though obviously this depends on the weather!). It's about a mile and a half to Snowdrop Valley from the village and is a lovely - though quite steep and sometimes very muddy - walk.

If you don't fancy the walk, you can take the bus. Each year a park & ride service runs between Wheddon Cross car park and the valley; in 2011 the dates for this are Saturday 5th February to Sunday 27th February inclusive. Please note, though, that the road down to the valley willl stay closed until 6th March (so from 28th Feb-6th March you'll be able to walk down to the valley to see the snowdrops but the valley won't be accessible by motor transport).

For latest news about Snowdrop Valley, visit http://snowdropvalleyupdate.blogspot.com/ or the village website at http://www.wheddoncross.org.uk/

As usual, at Exmoor House Wheddon Cross we'll be opening our dining room as a tea room (or tearoom!) during the day at Snowdrop Valley time. We serve home-made cakes, scones and teacakes, lunches (e.g. ploughman's, filled home-made rolls, soup) and you can also enjoy Somerset ciders, local beers and a good choice of wines with your meal - as well as coffee & tea of course.

If you like the idea of a short break on Exmoor to see the snowdrops and explore the area, at Exmoor House we do special dinner, bed & breakfast packages. Lots more details on our website at http://www.exmoorhouse.com/  - we are also open to non-residents for dinner in the evening: come and try our fabulous food, all home-made using lovely local ingredients. Advance booking is essential!

Update on Snowdrop Valley

The snowdrops are looking better every day just now! The Park & Ride from Wheddon Cross ends in a week's time but the road closure stays in place until the end of February and the information point in the village car park will still be open too.

It's a lovely walk down to the valley (and back up again!) but it can be quite muddy - so good, strong, non-slip footwear is essential.

Our tearoom at Exmoor House will be open most days, so do come in and try some of our lovely scones, teacakes, ploughman's lunches, soup, rolls - everything home-made.

Snowdrop Valley, Wheddon Cross

The Exmoor snowdrops season is here! The Wheddon Cross park & ride service to the famous Snowdrop Valley runs from 30th January to 21st February. The narrow road that goes to the valley will remain closed for ordinary traffic until the end of February, but the snowdrop walk from Wheddon Cross will still be open and signposted.



At Exmoor House we still have rooms available for most days in February - just contact us.



We're also opening our tearoom again, just for Snowdrop Valley. It'll be open most days, from 11am to 3pm. We'll be serving homemade soup, delicious homemade rolls, cakes, scones, teacakes, as well as Exmoor House ploughman's lunches - and teas, coffees, soft drinks and alcoholic drinks of course.



Looking for somewhere for dinner? Try Exmoor House. We combine lovely local ingredients with expert cooking. The daily-changing menu, from £20.50 for 2 courses + coffee/tea, is great value. Booking is essential. Come and find out why we've twice been nominated for the UKTV Food Local Hero Awards...