Places to visit

Dunster – Medieval Dunster with its castle, famous yarn market, working mill, old tithe buildings, cobbled pavements, cafes, shops, bars and restaurants.  We particularly like the Luttrell Arms for a bar lunch – taken in the beautiful garden on sunny days.   Reeves is our favourite restaurant.  Dunster beach is a short drive away, on the other side of the A39.  There is a good Exmoor National Park information centre by the main car park as you drive into Dunster from the A39.

Porlock –relaxed small town by the coast and nestling against the moor rising steeply up behind, with a selection of shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs.  Birdwatching on Porlock marshes towards beach.

Porlock Weir – pretty harbour and beach with pub and restaurants.  Walk from here to tiny Culbone church and cemetery a steep but pretty and rewarding walk on a stretch of the South-West coastal path.

Horner – Tiny village.  2 cafes.  Walks in Horner Wood.  Horse-riding.

Bossington – very pretty, typical Exmoor village.  Excellent tea room (Kitnors). Animal Farm and falconry centre.  Walk to impressive Bossington Beach, up Selworthy Beacon or through woods to Allerford and Selworthy Village.

Selworthy – National Trust owned perfectly preserved Exmoor thatched cottages around a peaceful village green.  Excellent teashop.  Walks to Selworthy Beacon or through woods to Allerford and Bossington.

Lynmouth & Lynton – one at the top of the cliffs and one below, these were popular holiday resorts at the turn of the Century, joined by funicular railway which still operates today.  It is a wonderful drive there from Porlock, on the most beautiful stretch of the A39 with expansive views over the moor on one side and the sea on the other (on a good day you can see Wales).  Visit the memorial to the Lynmouth floods of 1952. Shops, cafes in both Lynmouth and Lynton and The Rising Sun pub and fish and chips in Lynmouth.  Walk from here on the coastal path in either direction, or to the Valley of the Rocks from Lynton or from Lynmouth along the river Lyn valley to Watersmeet.

Watersmeet – magnificent waterfalls – with an excellent tea-shop in a clearing in the woods beside them.   Access them from the A39 (between Lynmouth and Lynton) or walk there from Lynmouth along the pretty and wooded Lyn river valley.

Valley of the Rocks – a dramatic outcrop by the lovely cliff-top coastal path just out side Lynton

Tarr Steps – famous stone bridge across the river Barle in the middle of Exmoor.  Cafes nearby and walks along the river.

Withypool – Pretty village nestled in the middle of Exmoor.  Royal Oak pub – booking advisable.  Walks along the river.

Exford – sizeable village with old coaching inn (The White Horse) and large village green in middle of Exmoor.  Good lunchtime destination if you fancy a full day’s walk over Dunkery Beacon and back.

Luxborough – tiny village on the edge of Exmoor.  The excellent Royal Oak is well worth a visit for lunch or dinner.  Booking recommended.
Lorna Doone Valley – drive over Robbers Bridge, visit the church where Lorna Doone was married (and shot..) and have tea in the farmhouse at [              ] where girt Jan Ridd lived.  Lovely walks along the river, first through fields and then lovely Exmoor woods.

The A39 between Porlock & Lynmouth – spectacular views over the moor and the Bristol Channel to Wales. Plenty of places where you can stop off and enjoy the views and picnic.  Blue Boar pub at Countisbury is good.  Many points for starting walks – either cliff-top walks on the coastal path or inland across the moors or down through the woods to Brendon, Rock or Watersmeet.

Minehead – a town with attractive market place and many useful shops including WH Smith, Boots, an excellent health food shop (Toucan), an excellent butchers (Gerald Davey) and a deli (Jenny’s).  It has many café’s – our favourites are Cream and Toucan, both in the market place.  There is an excellent farmers market, selling exclusively local produce, on Friday mornings.  On the outskirts of Minehead (Dunster side) are a Tesco’s and a Morrisons.

Minehead has a sandy beach.  By the beach are the facilities of Somerwest World, amusement arcades, gift shops and cafes.

Minehead is also the starting point for trips on the highly recommened West Somerset Steam Railway to Watchet and beyond.  It is also the starting point of the South West Coastal path.

Watchet – an ancient port in the Quantocks.  Walk here along the coast from Minehead (check the tides first) or get the steam train from Minehead.