The Exmoor National Park is a wonderfully scenic place to visit all year around but in the Spring, with the new flowers blooming and the new foals and kids being born, it is a whole different experience.
If you’re planning to visit Exmoor over the spring, here are a few suggestions of things you can do.
Climb the Valley of Rocks
Just outside the village of Lynton, the Valley of Rocks is one of the most scenic places on Exmoor and has level footpaths making it widely accessible. In the spring, you’ll be able to see new heather springing up around the rocks and a host of other spring flowers on your way around the track. The walk will also take you over the famous cliff railway, which is also well worth a visit.
Look out for the ponies
Exmoor is famous for its herds of wild ponies which have roamed the moor for hundreds of years. There are several individual herds that can be found around Exmoor, but we recommend heading towards Lynmouth. In the spring, you can spot the baby foals taking their first tentative steps around the moor, so it is definitely the best time to visit!
Speaking of cute babies…
Also, in the Lynmouth area, you’ll find herds of wild goats, particularly around Valley of Rocks. Again, the spring time is when you’ll find new kids hopping around the rocks.
Visit Dunkery Beacon
Dunkery Beacon is the highest point on Exmoor and is a great location for walks and hikes. Located across the border in Somerset, the summit is a whopping 519 meters and on a clear day, the views are nothing short of amazing.
The area is now a National Nature Reserve and parts of the walk are managed by the National Trust, who have provided a car park at Dunkery Gate. If you visit in the Spring months, you’ll find the surrounding landscape covered in a blanket of purple heather – which makes it an even more beautiful place to spend a few hours.
See the largest clapper bridge in England
Near Dulverton, you’ll find the medieval Tarr Steps, which is the largest clapper bridge in England. The Tarr Steps form part of a circular walk which takes in Withypool and some mythic trees, which are full of coins. Over the years, visitors have pushed coins into gaps in the tree trunk and made wishes, over time, the coins have become stuck, so take a closer look.
Go to the beach
Did you know that much of the National Park covers the North Devon coastline? Well, many of the famously beautiful beaches in the region fall within the Exmoor region, giving you a host of scenic seafronts to visit this spring.
Will you be visiting Exmoor this spring? Be sure to check out places to stay here and more things to do here.