Exmoor National Park

Exmoor National Park covers 693 square kilometres of hilly moorland and coastal hills in west Somerset and north Devon. The park includes the Brendon Hills, the East Lyn Valley, the Vale of Porlock and 55 kilometres of Bristol Channel coast. Seventy-one per cent of the park lies in Somerset and twenty-nine per cent in Devon. The highest point is Dunkery Beacon at 519 metres, the highest point in Somerset. The moorland supports lowland heath, ancient woodland and blanket mire, habitats for scarce plants and animals. The coast is recognised as a heritage coast and has cliffs, ravines and waterfalls. Exmoor has been occupied since Mesolithic times. Standing stones, cairns and bridges from later ages remain visible across the landscape. In the Middle Ages sheep farming spread under licence, and the royal forest was granted a charter in the 13th century. The park was designated a National Park in 1954 and is known for stargazing. In 2011 it became Europe’s first International Dark Sky Reserve. Several areas are Sites of Special Scientific Interest, protecting rare flora and fauna. Visitors find small villages and hamlets scattered across the uplands, with Porlock, Dulverton, Lynton and Lynmouth containing nearly forty per cent of the park’s population. Lynton and Lynmouth are linked by the Cliff Railway. The South West Coast Path runs the full 55-kilometre length of the coast, passing harbours at Lynmouth, Porlock Weir and Combe Martin. Inland, the Valley of Rocks near Lynton is a deep dry valley with large seaward rocks. The rivers Barle, Haddeo, Heddon, East Lyn, West Lyn and Horner offer quiet walks beside clear streams.