Dunkery Beacon

Dunkery Beacon stands at the top of Dunkery Hill on Exmoor in Somerset. It is the highest point in both Exmoor and the county, and the tallest hill in southern England outside Dartmoor. The hill rises from moorland that stretches towards the Bristol Channel, offering wide views across the landscape. Bronze Age people left burial mounds and cairns near the summit, some of which still stand today. Sweetworthy, lower down, holds remains of Iron Age forts and a deserted medieval village. The hill became part of Exmoor’s Royal Forest in the 13th century under Henry II. The site’s height and clear air allow views up to 86 miles, taking in the Brecon Beacons, Bodmin Moor and Dartmoor. It is ranked among the country’s Marilyn peaks, with a relative height of over 150 metres. The ridge along the top measures 4.5 kilometres long, and the shortest walk from Dunkery Gate car park is just 0.75 miles. The hill was once private land before being given to the National Trust in stages during the early 20th century. A stone cairn at the summit marks the donations by Sir Thomas Acland, Colonel Wiggin and Mrs Hughes. Visitors find a windswept summit with a memorial cairn and sweeping views of coast and hills. Heather and gorse colour the slopes purple in summer, while oak and ash grow in nearby woods. Exmoor ponies graze the open ground alongside red deer. Birdlife includes pied flycatchers, wood warblers and kestrels, and Horner Woods shelter rare bats. Bronze Age mounds such as Joaney How and Robin How dot the slopes, and Iron Age ramparts can still be traced at Sweetworthy. The site is protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve.