Exmoor
Wooded coombes. Heather moors. Secluded
cliffs. Interesting people. Lorna Doone’s country.
National Trust estates. Thatched cottages. Fine
food. Exmoor combines the best of Devon and
Somerset.
The Exmoor National Park is astonishingly diverse from purple moors
to steep-sided river valleys.
This sparsely populated landscape gives a real sense of escape, with circling
buzzards and wild ponies for company. Summits such as Dunkery
Beacon rise high above the oak woods of the lower
slopes. Selworthy Beacon is a rewarding coastal hill
within walking distance of Holnicote House and linked
by paths to Allerford, with its ancient packhorse bridge.
- Explore the coast and moors of the Exmoor National Park
- Stay at attractive Holnicote House on a National Trust estate
- Great walking on your doorstep
Detailed information
| Classic Walking programme details |
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A typical Classic Walking day…
… will offer you a choice of 2 or 3 guided walks each,
of varying length and ascent. If you are new to walking, start
at the easier level, where the pace is the gentlest. We have
plenty of stops to enjoy the views and to rest. As your holiday
progresses you may feel confident to try a more challenging
level, or stick to the same level - it's entirely your choice.
More information on the type of footpaths you're likely to find on Exmoor.
On holidays before Easter and from 24 October, your daily choice of walks will
generally comprise a medium and a harder walk chosen to suit guest numbers and the cooler weather.
Itinerary One
The following walks will be offered for holidays commencing on these dates:
13, 20 March; 29 April; 9, 23, 27 May; 6, 10, 20, 24 June; 11, 15, 25, 29 July; 22 26 August; 5, 9, 19, 23 September; 12, 19 October 2009.
| Arrival day |
| Easier Walk: Prettiest villages in Somerset |
6¾ |
700 feet |
| Medium Walk: Selworthy and its Beacon, Bury Castle and the
memorial hut |
7½ |
1150 feet |
| Harder Walk: Selworthy Beacon via cliffs, combes and coastal path |
10 |
1300 feet |
| Easier Walk: Oare Church, Doone Valley and Watersmeet |
7½ |
750 feet |
| Medium Walk: Beautiful Badgworthy, moorland mystery and the East Lyn river |
9½ |
1000 feet |
| Harder Walk: Doone Valley, wild moorland and the Two Moors Way |
11¼ |
900 feet |
| Easier Walk: Withycombe
village and views to Dunster Castle |
7 |
900 feet |
| Medium Walk: Luccombe, Wootton Courtenay
and Dunster |
9½ |
1350 feet |
| Harder Walk: Luccombe, Dunkery Beacon, Wootton Courtenay and Dunster |
12¼ |
2150 feet |
| There are no organised walks today to allow you time to explore the area independently or just relax in Holnicote House and grounds. |
| Easier Walk: Through the Royal Forest of Exmoor |
6½ |
350 feet |
| Medium Walk: Exford to Simonsbath through the Royal Forest |
9 |
1200 feet |
| Harder Walk: Stone Cross to Simonsbath, via Landacre Bridge |
12½ |
1500 feet |
| Easier Walks; High downs and sea cliffs above Lynmouth |
6 |
650 feet |
| Medium Walk: Fantastic views, rhododendrons and Lynmouth |
8¼ |
800 feet |
| Harder Walk: Glenthorne estate, coast path and England's highest sea cliffs |
10½ |
900 feet |
| Departure day |
Itinerary Two
The following walks will be offered for holidays commencing on these dates:
9, 16, 23, 27 March; 10, 14 April; 2, 6, 16, 20 May; 13, 27 June; 1, 18 July; 1, 29 August; 2, 12, 16 September; 23 October 2009.
| Arrival day |
| Easier Walk: Hurlestone Point, Bossington and Selworthy
|
6 |
800 feet |
| Medium Walk: Selworthy Beacon, coast path,
views and village |
9 |
1300 feet |
| Harder Walk: Villages, beach, beacon and coast path |
11 |
1600 feet |
Easier Walk: Watersmeet, Lynmouth, Lynton and the Valley of Rocks
|
7 |
500 feet |
| Medium Walk: Watersmeet, the Cleaves, the Valley of Rocks and Lynmouth |
8½ |
1100 feet |
| Harder Walk: Lynmouth, the North Devon Coast, Lee Bay and Watersmeet |
11 |
2000 feet |
Easier Walk: Pittcombe Head, Lucott
and Halse Combe
|
7 |
350 feet |
| Medium Walk: Hills and woods around Lucott Farm |
9¼ |
1200 feet |
| Harder Walk: Three churches,
moor and coast |
12¼ |
1500 feet |
| There are no organised walks today to allow you time to explore the area independently or just relax in Holnicote House and grounds. |
| Easier Walk: Quantocks Ridge, Lady's Combe and Nether Stowey |
7 |
675 feet |
| Medium Walk: The Quantocks ridge from Crowcombe to the sea |
8¾ |
850 feet |
| Harder Walk: Cothelstone Hill and the top of the Quantocks to the sea |
12½ |
1325 feet |
Easier Walk: Over the top, oakwoods and mills
|
7½ |
400 feet |
| Medium Walk: Dunkery Beacon - tranquil valleys and memorable views |
9 |
1225 feet |
| Harder Walk: Over the top of Exmoor |
11½ |
1050 feet |
| Departure day |
[Back to the top]
| Footpath information |
|
On these holidays there is a choice of up to three walks for varying abilities each day. For maximum choice we offer two weekly itineraries -
ideal if you wish to book a 14-night holiday or return for a second visit.
 |
Easier Walks: 6 to 7½ miles with gentle gradients. 325ft to 900ft of ascent in a day. |
 |
Medium Walks: 7½ to 9½ miles on undulating paths. 750ft to 1,425ft of ascent in a day. |
 |
Harder Walks: 10 to 12½ miles on undulating paths with steep sections. 900ft to 2,275ft of ascent in a day. |
All levels of walk take in the coast, wooded valleys and moorland, usually on good paths.
[Back to the top]
| Average temperatures |
|
| March |
4°C |
10°C |
| April |
5°C |
12°C |
| May |
8°C |
15°C |
| June |
11°C |
18°C |
| July |
12°C |
20°C |
| Aug |
12°C |
19°C |
| Sept |
11°C |
17°C |
| Oct |
9°C |
14°C |
| Nov |
5°C |
11°C |
[Back to the top]
| Other walking holiday ideas |
|
We also offer the following holidays at Holnicote House, find out more below:
Alternatively, guided walking holidays in and around the Exmoor include:
For the independently minded we also offer a self-guided walking break along The
South West Coast Path.
[Back to the top]
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| Where you'll stay |
You'll be based in our fine Country House accommodation, Holnicote
House, which lies in a 12,500 acre estate in the Horner Valley in Selworthy
in Exmoor.
Once home to the distinguished Acland
family, Holnicote House lies at the heart of
a 12,500 acre estate in the Exmoor
National Park, with superb walks on the
doorstep. Leased from the National Trust,
this delightful historic building is set
amidst peaceful gardens with extensive
lawns and a heated outdoor pool - a
charming and relaxing base for a walking
holiday. There are 34 bedrooms,
mostly en-suite, located in the
main building and in the
attractive Butlers and Guns
cottages in the grounds. |
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