|
Exmoor National Park is a protected area in Somerset and Devon, England which was designated as an Environmentally Sensitive Area in 1993. It borders on the Bristol Channel coast meaning it has a great mixture of coastal views and inland scenery.
The park mainly lies within the boundaries of Somerset, but a part of it does fall into the territory of Devon. It covers the Brendon Hills, East Lyn Valley and Vale of Porlock whilst over half of the urban population can be found in the settlements of Dulverton, Lynmouth, Lynton and Porlock.
A number of spots across Exmoor have been allocated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to its high concentration of rare flowers and animal population. It became a National Park in 1954 having been a Royal Forest and hunting ground before. It acquired its name after the River Exe which flows through the park.
Exmoor was a popular destination for hunting but this was abolished in the 2004 Hunting Act. Hunting meets still gather in protest. Climbers and Walkers flock to Exmoor to experience the landscape. Coleridge Way footpath, a route made famous by the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge is popular with walkers as it winds its way through the park and The Two Moors Way touches the border of Dartmoor which makes it a very haunting path to follow.
Other places of interest in Exmoor include the moor itself which offers hundreds of ancient earthwork monuments. Woody Bay lies on the coast and possesses a stone beach. The quaint coastal town of Porlock and the nearby Porlock Weir are also lovely towns with the historic harbour town on Watchet also worth a visit.
Holnicote Estate is just one of many National Trust properties in the region and Robber's Bridge is a fantastic place to have a picnic and get away from the hustle and bustle of life. It is a stark contrast to its former times when it was considered to be a thriving place for bandits and highwaymen to carry out their crimes. Exmoor has also inspired some great literature in the form of 'Lorna Doone' by Richard Blackmore and 'The Witch of Exmoor' by Margaret Drabble.
| 