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Exmoor Exmoor National Park is one of England's great scenic treasures. |
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Exmoor National Park
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Basically a huge sandstone plateau split by deep coombes, or wooded valleys, Exmoor is home to some of the most varied and beautiful scenery in England. The moors contain large deposits of peat, which form bogs due to the high rainfall. Mist and fog can descend very quickly in Exmoor, so a compass is a must for walkers. The peat moors give way to heather uplands, replete with a variety of grasses and plants, such as gorse and whortleberry.
Wild Exmoor ponies still graze here side by side with red deer, the largest of England's native animals.The lush green coombes, dominated by oak woods, are home to a variety of bird life, such as grey wagtails, kestrels, buzzards and ring ouzels.
The National Trust owns large portions of Exmoor, notably the Holnicote estate, containing Dunkerry Beacon, the highest point in Exmoor. There are over 100 miles of walking paths within the vast (12, 500 acres) estate. The Trust publishes a leaflet detailing 14 walks around Dunkerry. Pretty villages dot the Park, such as Dunster and Selworthy, a favourite of postcard and calendar photographers.
 Selworthy |
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Exmoor is also home to Lorna Doone, fictional heroine of Victorian
author R.D.Blackmore. Blackmore's descriptions of the scenery are so
precise that even today it is easy to recognise many of the sites described
in his book. The village of Malmstead is a good jumping-off place for
visiting "Doone country", and Oare contains the church where
Blackmore had Lorna and hero John Ridd marry.
What you'll see:
Densely wooded valleys, heather-covered uplands, steep coombes, wild
ponies and red deer, lovely villages.
Badgeworthy Water
(Lorna Doone country)
Bronze Age barrows at The
Chains (near Simonsbath)
Dunkerry Beacon (great views)
Dunster Castle
Holnicote
Ordnance Survey maps covering Exmoor:
Explorer OS maps (Scale: 4cm = 1
km / 1: 25000) - best for walking
EX009
Exmoor
Landranger OS maps (Scale: 2cm
= 1km / 1: 50000)
LR180
BARNSTAPLE/ILFRACOMBE - LR181
MINEHEAD & BRENDON HILLS
Contact
Exmoor National Park
Exmoor House
Dulverton
Somerset
TA22 9H
Phone +44 (0) 1398 323665
National Trust Wessex office
Eastleigh Court
Bishopstrow
Warminster
Wiltshire
BA12 9HW
Phone +44 (01985)843600
photos of Exmoor are © David Ross and Britain Express
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