Walking on Exmoor

Exmoor is a friendly place for the walker - if you stay on public rights of way it has few dangers and offers more rewards for less effort than is usually necessary in Britain's National Parks. Apart from the Chains (see article opposite) nowhere on Exmoor is far from a road or track.
The Two Moors Way and the South West Coast Path both pass through the Park. There are 680 miles of official footpaths and bridleways, across high wild moorland, steeply wooded combes, ancient oak forests and gentle hill country. There are long routes and short routes, for every ability.

Maps
There are several Ordnance Survey maps covering Exmoor - see map guide

Riverside walks
There are lots of beautiful rivers and valleys or "combes" on Exmoor and many have riverside paths. Here are just a few of the popular ones:-

1. Lynmouth-Hillsford Bridge via Watersmeet
2. Withypool-Dulverton via Tarr Steps.
3. Simonsbath-Withypool via Cow Castle
4. Along the River Exe south of Exford below Room Hill

Short Walks
There are a number of "Easy Access routes" around the moor. These paths have been specially surfaced so that buggies and wheelchairs can use them. They are all in very beautiful, picturesque settings. Click here for details.

Walking Holidays

Richard Medland at the South Molton Tourist Information Centre will take you on a days walk to see whatever countryside takes your fancy. He finds out what you want to see and what kind of day you prefer in advance, makes all the arrangements and takes you there. Accommodation and local transport can be arranged through his office. Half days, full days and more.
Contact him on (01769)574122 or email him: southmoltontic@visit.org.uk

Westcountry Walks provide tailor made, personalised walking breaks for individuals or groups: www.northdevon.co.uk/wcw

Guide Books, Leaflets etc.

The Chains

*The Chains is an area which contains some of the highest and loneliest moorland on Exmoor. Roughly within a triangle -Simonsbath/Challacombe/Lynton- the Chains can be quite dangerous: It has a massive annual rainfall and is always sodden. The bogs are numerous and famous. There are few paths, no roads and a complete absence of distinguishing features (beautiful on a cloudless summer day but potentially lethal when the cloud descends (as it often does)!). Most visitors satisfy themselves with the walk up to Pinkery Pond from the Simonsbath-Challacombe road (see Simonsbath Village guide page for the history of the 'Pond')

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Exmoor Walking Internet Links

Pictorial walk-River Barle
South West Coast Path
Two Moors Way
West Country Walks - Exmoor Pages
Some typical popular walks
Some more popular walks

Guided Walking on Exmoor

The Exmoor National Park Authority (ENPA) , the National Trust and the local Ramblers Groups all organise guided and themed walks throughout the year (mainly Apr-Oct).

ENPA guided walks diary

Ramblers Associations Local Groups:

North Devon Ramblers Group
West Somerset Ramblers Group Diary

ENPA Walking Leaflets
The National Park also publish Walking Leaflets which are available from the National Park Visitor Centre in Dulverton tel:(01398)323841.
(You will be able to pay with a credit card) :-

Dulverton
Dulverton Barle Valley
Dulverton Brushford
Doone Country
Combe Martin
Lynmouth
Simonsbath

Lynton
Exford
Dunster
Dunster Grabbist Hill
Dunster Gallox Hill
Parracombe
Porlock Bay

Winsford to Bridgetown
Haddon Hill
Watersmeet
Valley of the Rocks
North Hill Minehead

Guide Books
Almost every newsagent shop in the Exmoor area sells some of the many Exmoor walking guide books.
Here are some of the best which are available from the ENP Visitor Centre in Dulverton (01398)323841 by post using telephone credit card payment (most can also be sourced online from Amazon) ;

'A DOONE COUNTRY WALK'

'COASTAL WALKS (INCLUDES THE COAST PATH)'

'EXMOOR RANGER FAVOURITE WALKS'

'EXMOOR WALKS FROM MINEHEAD'
5 circular and 7 linear routes

'TWO MOORS WAY '(Dartmoor to Exmoor)

'OS SOUTH WEST COAST PATH' (Minehead to Padstow)

'EXMOOR AND THE QUANTOCKS'
Ordnance Survey Pathfinder Guide

Jarrold Publishing    ISBN 0-7117-0459-7

Features:

Coloured Ordnance Survey mapping
Colour photographs
28 walk routes, including places of interest
Walks colour coded in ascending order of difficulty
Information on local parking, refreshments and local contacts.

Walks listed:

Miles Walk (Start point)

5     Porlock Weir and Culbone (Porlock Weir)
6.5 Hurlstone and Selworthy Beacon (Bossington)
6     Exford and Room Hill (Exford)
6     Wills Neck and Triscombe Combe (Lydeard Hill, West Bagborough)
6     Lynmouth and Watersmeet (Lynmouth)
5.5 Brendon Forest (Luxborough)
5     Little and Great Hangman (Combe Martin)
4     Pittcombe Head and Robber's Bridge (Pittcombe Head ENP car park)
5     Roadwater and Nettlecombe (Roadwater)
5.5 Dunster Park and Withycombe Hill (Gallox Bridge car park, Dunster)
6     Hawkridge and Anstey Common (Hawkridge)
5.5 Lynton and Valley of Rocks (Lynton Church)
8.5 Quantock Combes and Ridge (Holford)
4     Dulverton (ENPA headquarters)
4.5 Hunter's Inn and Woody Bay (Hunter's Inn)
5     North Hill (Minehead Harbour)
9.5 Withypool and Tarr Steps (Withypool)
7.5 Simonsbath and the River Barle (Simonsbath)
9     County Gate, Brendon and Malmsmead Hill (County Gate)
7     The Foreland and Countisbury Common (Countisbury)
8     Lorna Doone Country (Malmsmead)
7.5 Dunkery Beacon (Webber's Post)
8.5 Parracombe and Challacombe Commons (St.Petrock's Church)
6.5 Haddon Hill and Wimbleball Lake (Haddon Hill)
3     East Quantoxhead and Kilve (Kilve Pill)
7     Winsford Hill (Winsford)
11   The Chains (Goat Hill Bridge, near the Pinkery Outdoor Centre)
7.5 Porlock, Horner Wood and Stoke Pero (Porlock)