Exmoor’s Olympic Torch Relay Route

Let’s hope the sun is shining on Monday 21 May when the Olympic Torch passes through Exmoor on what must be one of the most beautiful sections of the route; okay I know I am a little biased!

Leaving behind the traditional seaside towns of Ilfracombe 12 noon and Combe Martin around 2pm, the route passes through the scenic, almost alpine, village of Lynton 3pm. Torchbearers then pick up the flame in Porlock, Somerset, around 3:45pm and then it meanders through family-friendly Minehead 4pmish, the medieval town of Dunster 4:40pm, and the pretty Somerset villages of Carhampton 5:10pm, Washford 5:20pm and Williton 5:30pm.

For more details of the relay routes, including where the torch bearers will be actually carrying the torch, go to the Events page and then to the relevant village event. For information on car parking click on the village pages.

Exploring Exmoor on two legs or four?
Walking and Horse riding on Exmoor
Although we are all looking forward to the upcoming North Devon & Exmoor Walking Festival happening soon (27 April – 6 May 2012: book now to reserve a space); exploring Exmoor on 4 legs certainly offers a different perspective. Horse riding over the moors is very popular, and there are upwards of 400 miles of bridleways here, with many more on the Quantocks. As a very belated beginner I really enjoyed the one hour introduction ride that I took recently, and can’t wait to get back in the saddle for a longer trek. The mix of adrenaline and yes – I admit – a little fear, definitely heightened my appreciation of the Exmoor countryside, and I now have a new respect for any riders daring to go faster than a trot!
For experienced riders wishing to explore the beautiful countryside on a longer ride there is so much choice that they could opt for a different route everyday and never get bored. Apparently you can even bring your own horse on holiday now too!
Keen riders will already know about The Golden Horseshoe (13-15 May) which is a unique horse riding event: the 100 mile ride takes place over 2 days on Exmoor and is the longest running endurance event in the UK. I think I’ll be spectating this time….

New Electric Bicycle Hire Scheme Launches Across Exmoor and the Quantocks

A new electric bicycle hire scheme across Exmoor and the Quantocks is being launched on Friday 20 April at 11.00am at Tarr Steps, near Dulverton, Exmoor. Getting up the stunningly beautiful Exmoor hills is now as easy as if you were an Olympic athlete.

The electric bicycles, or e-bikes as they are commonly known, are available to hire from the White Horse Inn, Exford; the Tarr Farm Inn, Dulverton; the Staghunters Inn, Brendon; the Yarn Market Hotel, Dunster; and Exmoor Mountain Bike Hire at Wimbleball Lake and Brushford. The project, supported by Exmoor National Park and the Quantocks AONB, is looking for one more hire agent in the Quantocks.

In addition, a network of around twenty pubs, cafes and restaurants across the region have signed up as charging points, where customers will be able to recharge their batteries in more ways than one.

Hilary Lester of Tarr Farm Inn said, ?E-bikes help you take on hills with ease, and since they are as silent as ordinary bikes hirers can get really close to the amazing wildlife of Exmoor. A fully charged battery will go for around twenty miles and by using the charging points visitors can make their journeys of discovery and exploration as long or as short as they wish.?

The e-bikes are Wisper 705SEs which are renowned for their hill-climbing prowess and which have been provided by Reaction Electric of Taunton.

More information is available at www.exmoorunplugged.co.uk.

Exmoor  – An active holiday for all the family

Whilst it is undoubtedly busy on the roads over the Easter Holidays, there are lots of places in Exmoor and the Quantocks to escape from the crowds and find an activity holiday for all the family. I still find it surprising that we can go for a long walk or cycle and see so few people. Coming back for a cosy lunch or supper is a different story, and I would really recommend reserving a table for a meal at this popular time of year.
The unseasonably hot weather from the last couple of weeks may have deserted us, but that is no excuse not to enjoy an outdoor holiday. If you are staying in the area, did you know about the Moor Rover? You can arrange to be dropped off and picked up at pre-arranged points all over Exmoor, meaning that you can actually get much further and see much more than on a circular route. Anyone can book (there is room for cycles and dogs as well as people). We have found it a very friendly service and a tick in the box for green, sustainable tourism too! If you have any tips for car free or care free holidays on Exmoor do let me know.

The Exmoor coastal link 300 bus has been saved by Exmoor National Park Authority who stepped in with an offer of £20,000 from its Partnership Fund. This will help ensure that the iconic Exmoor coastal link 300 bus provides the same service for the 2012 season as was available last year.

The action follows the announcement by Somerset County Council of routes across the county which were due to lose funding, including withdrawal of all funding for the 300, in a bid to save £1.5 million.  The Council subsequently agreed to a maintain 50 per cent of the previous year’s subsidy for the Minehead to Lynmouth via Porlock service.. The Partnership Fund contribution of £20,000 will provide additional funding towards operating a full service this year with the shortfall being met by the operator Quantock Motor Services.

Commenting on the decision, Exmoor National Park Authority chief executive Dr Nigel Stone said: “The 300 bus runs through some of the most beautiful parts of the National Park and we felt it was important for both residents and visitors alike that this important service continues.

“We would like to thank Somerset County Council for their support for the service against difficult funding constraints and we hope that keeping the service in operation for this year will allow time for other options to allow it to continue into the future.”

ENDS

Clare O’Connor

Exmoor National Park Authority

Exmoor House

Dulverton, Somerset

TA22 9HL

Tel: 01398 323665

Direct Line: 01398 322244

Mobile: 07772 092128

Visit Our Website at http://www..exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk

Good news this week when we heard that Somerset County Council have agreed to fund 50% of the costs of the 300 bus route, enabling this important bus journey to keep running all year. Operating from Minehead to Lynmouth, this is an iconic ride and a true highlight of any visit to the area.
In the summer the route becomes topless and there is no better way to appreciate the rolling heather moorlands, hills and valleys, deep-sided combes and spectacular coastal views than on this open-top bus. High above the road you can see for miles into the heart of Exmoor and across the ocean to South Wales, deep into Lorna Doone country and out across the Vale of Porlock. The exhilarating ride down Countisbury Hill (one of the steepest in the country) into Lynmouth is just spectacular. See Dan James from Exmoor National Park taking a bus trip here – Exmoor 300 Bus Service.
Visitors can hop on and off the bus and there are plenty of great walks to explore along the way. Tell us about your favourite part of the 300 bus route.

The sunny weather had lots of people out walking in and around Exmoor last weekend, us included. We really enjoyed our walk from Lee Bay along the coast to Lynton, the Victorian lift down to Lynmouth and welcome refreshments in the pub. Our guests were knocked out by their first view of Valley of the Rocks; a truly dramatic and breathtakingly unexpected landscape on the North Devon coast. Apparently legend has it that the valley was home to the devil’s castle and one day he came back to find that his wives had been ‘partying’ energetically – and drunkenly – with the neighbours. He was in such a rage (whether from the fact that his wives had been misbehaving, or that he had missed the party I am not sure) that he turned the women into turrets of rock.
The guides taking part in this spring’s North Devon and Exmoor Walking Festival (27 April – 6 May 2012) have many more myths and legends to relate, as well as expert knowledge on the geography and flora and fauna of the area. The festival covers parts of the Exmoor National Park with Park, Crown Estate and National Trust Rangers guiding several of the walks. The walks range from a short half-day up to a full day’s hike, so there is something for most abilities. Several walks include food along the way, lunch at a delightful pub or a cream tea at a farm or guest house.

Let us know your favourite Exmoor walks.

For places to stay while you enjoy the activities below see our Accommodation pages

To find out what’s on throughout the year see our Events pages

The quest for the Dragon’s lair sees a treasure trail through the grounds of the National Trust’s Dunster Castle in Somerset between11 – 19 Feb 2012. The trail starts from the 17^th century stables and will allow visitors to enjoy breathtaking views over the sea to towards Wales, as well as overlooking the beautiful medieval village of Dunster and up to Exmoor National Park. Dragon prizes go to all participants that complete the trail (£2 per trail plus normal garden admission: £4.70 per adult and £2.20 per child).

The Culbone Inn  is offering a family Dark Skies Safari during the February half term week. Available every evening, would-be astronomers will be picked up at the Inn – the highest on Exmoor – by a knowledgeable guide and taken to the best places to see the clearest skies that night (Exmoor National Park was recently awarded Dark Sky Reserve accreditation, the first place in Europe to receive this award). The trip costs £70 (2 adults and 2 children under 13years) and will last 2 ½ hours.  24 hours before the tour, guests will have their tour confirmed based on the weather forecast. Tours need to be booked in advance but there is no payment up front. Delicious dinners available too. www.TheCulbone.com 01643 862259.

The Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton, Somerset represents the flying arm of the Royal Navy. With four exhibition halls, over ninety aircraft and 30 thousand artefacts the Museum is the world’s second largest naval aviation Museum. This half term the pirates are coming. Every day from 13 – 17 Feb there will be some fearsome family activities, including drawing pirate maps, making eye patches, learning to speak like a pirate and other scurvy going-ons.  The Royal Marines will open their climbing wall for the public to have a go, and  representatives from the Royal Navy’s 815 Squadron who will give a talk on the problem of modern day piracy. Normal admission prices apply (adults £13, children 5 – 16 years £9: family ticket £38). Visit www.fleetairarm.com or call 01935 840565 for more details.

North Devon Hawk Walks are offering a one hour introduction to falconry on Exmoor this February.  This practical, hands-on introduction to falconry is great for all ages and children,  in particular, get a great deal out of it. Costs £10 per person. For more details visit  www.NorthDevonHawkWalks.co.uk or call 01598n740114.

Children can get outdoors and active at Hestercombe Gardens, near Taunton in Somerset this half term. Kids aged 8 – 16 can take part in a whole host of activities including mountain biking over the Quantocks, rafting, den building, bush craft, team games and survival skill on the Outdoor Adventure Days (£23 per day) . For more information visit www.hestercombe.com or call  01823 410236.

Not so much an event but certainly somewhere to take the kids is Dunster Estate’s tall trees trail, where there is a lovely easy going route (suitable for buggies and wheelchairs) amongst the tallest trees in England, as well as other way-marked trails for the more adventurous family. Located at the northern tip of Exmoor National Park and close to the medieval town of Dunster, the trails are all Free to use (Just £1 car park charge for up to 2 hrs, £2 all day). www.DunsterEstate.co.uk

We were all delighted to read Brian Jackman’s piece “Exmoor: Into the wild, with stags and stars” in the Telegraph this Saturday and available on line here: http://tgr.ph/wpbAB8 . Brian visited us in November, just as winter snuck in, and he was thrilled with this small part of the UK that he hadn’t really explored before. Being an Africa man he is often sent by the Telegraph and other newspapers to warmer climes but, well-wrapped up, he enjoyed exploring our misty moors, valleys and coastline. (He kindly didn’t mention the fact that it was so misty one day that our guide had us completely bogged down in unexpectedly marshy ground! ) Used to spotting big game he was just as thrilled to spy his first red stag standing proudly on the Exmoor hills.
Luckily on the night we had arranged for him to go stargazing it was really clear: “From end to end the heavens are ablaze with their cold fire”.
Less fortuitously it was rather cloudy when all of Dulverton switched off its lights for the BBC’s Stargazing Live (http://bbc.in/yP1AVt ) but although there weren’t many stars to be seen that night, it was still a unique event which brought the whole town together.
I think Brian’s spot on descriptions really summed up the essence of Exmoor in the winter. Do let us know what you think.

Whoever said ‘there’s no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing’ wasn’t out on the moors last Thursday. The wind was really wild and the safest place to be was tucked inside beside a roaring fire reading a good book. If you haven’t read it yet, Lorna Doone by R D Blackmore would be a good literary choice when in Exmoor, as it offers a real sense of place. Set in the Badgworthy or ‘Lorna Doone’ Valley this well-loved story is a fictional ‘romance’, however the detailed descriptions of real events and places paints a colourful picture of the people and the area in the late 17th century.
When the weather calms down all the landmarks of the story can still be explored. There is a lovely gentle walk alongside the river from Malmshead to the tiny Oare Church where Lorna Doone married (and Blackmore’s grandfather was once the rector), and at Badgworthy Water the scattered ruins of a long-abandoned village is famous as the Doone’s home. Visitors can stay nearby and explore all the local Exmoor paths and bridleways. The countryside remains almost the same as it was in Blackmore’s time. Maybe Mr Stephen Spielberg should do a remake??
If you know of more Lorna Doone stories do let me know.