Exmoor National Park guided walking holidays

Exmoor may be the smallest of England’s National Parks, but its marvellous diversity of landscape makes it the equal of any other part of the British Isles. Straddling both West Somerset and North Devon, Exmoor encompasses the best that the West Country has to offer; colourful heather-clad hillsides, sun-dappled oak woodlands, quiet river valleys, a splendid coastline and a wealth of unspoilt villages.

Picture: Cottages at Selworthy Green - britainonview/Graham Gough

Exmoor is home to the last of England’s native red deer herds; its rivers are noted for their salmon and wild trout, and hawks soar above the hillsides. Otters, once persecuted almost to extinction, are making a welcome return to the rivers and native wild ponies still roam the moor.

Our guided walking holidays will take us to Dunkery Beacon and Selworthy Beacon, Exmoor’s finest viewpoints; along Badgworthy Water and through the Doone Valley; to the famous beauty spot of Watersmeet; and along the wooded valley of the river Barle to visit Tarr Steps, an ancient clapper bridge. We shall contour around Bossington Hill with its far reaching views along the coast and visit the moorland hamlet of Stoke Pero with its tiny church and a touching memorial to an uncomplaining donkey.

The villages of Exmoor stand comparison with any in the land and we shall visit a number of the most picturesque such as Bossington; Allerford, with its famous mediaeval packhorse bridge; Selworthy with its whitewashed church and beautiful thatched cottages clustered around a verdant village green; Horner with its welcome tea garden; and lonely Oare where the church provided the setting for the wedding of Lorna Doone and Jan Ridd in R.D. Blackmore’s classic tale of brigands and smugglers.

The mediaeval village of Dunster, where our Exmoor tours are based, has a splendid castle, original high street and 17th century yarnmarket.We stay at the 15th century Luttrell Arms [AA/RAC***] in the centre of Dunster. Originally built as a guest house for the monks of Cleeve Abbey, the Luttrell Arms is always a favourite with guests from abroad. The hotel has just undergone a major refurbishment but has lost none of its period charm, whilst enhancing its already excellent standard of comfort and cuisine. The restaurant holds an RAC dining award for its food. All bedrooms have ensuite facilities.

• Introduction
• Far West Cornwall
• South Devon Coast
• Exmoor National Park
• Dorset World Heritage Coast
• The Cotswolds
• Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
• Lake District National Park
• Yorkshire Dales
• North Yorkshire Moors
• Hadrian's Wall Country
• The Tweed Valley and Scottish Borders