Why visit Exmoor?
Exmoor is Britain's most underrated national park. Established in 1954 across 692 km² of west Somerset and north Devon, it packs red deer moorland, England's highest sea cliffs, medieval villages and Europe's first International Dark Sky Reserve into one compact, drivable area. Unlike the crowds of the Lake District or Dartmoor's busy honeypots, Exmoor still feels genuinely wild — you can walk for an hour and meet more ponies than people.
This guide is written and updated by editors who walk these paths year-round. Pair it with our where-to-stay guide and the individual attraction guides listed below.
Best time to visit Exmoor, season by season
| Season | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Spring (Mar-May) | Bluebells, lambs, waterfalls at full flow, empty paths | Changeable weather — pack layers |
| Summer (Jun-Aug) | Coastal walks, heather in bloom (Aug), long evenings | Busiest season; book stays early |
| Autumn (Sep-Nov) | The red deer rut, golden bracken, fungi, star parties | Shorter days; mist on the moor |
| Winter (Dec-Feb) | Darkest skies, dramatic seas, cosy inn stays | Limited daylight; check road closures |
Local tip: the third week of September combines the start of the deer rut with still-warm weather and the return of truly dark skies — arguably the single best week of the Exmoor year.
Exmoor itineraries: 1, 3 and 7 days
1 day — the essential loop
- Morning: Dunster Castle & village (2 h — arrive before 10:00).
- Midday: drive the scenic A396 to Dunkery Beacon for the 519 m panorama.
- Afternoon: Valley of the Rocks and Lynton's cliff railway.
- Evening: dinner in Lynmouth, watching the sea from the harbour wall.
3 days — highlights + wildlife
Add a full moorland day: Exford → Simonsbath → the Empty moor, tracking Exmoor ponies and red deer, and finish with a dark-sky stargazing session at Holdstone Down or Wimbleball Lake.
7 days — the full immersion
- Walk 2-3 stages of the South West Coast Path (Minehead → Combe Martin is the crown jewel).
- Explore Tarr Steps, the medieval clapper bridge in the Barle Valley.
- Ride the Lynton & Lynmouth funicular — the world's highest water-powered cliff railway.
- Take one free day for the beaches of Woolacombe and Saunton Sands just over the Devon border.
Getting there & getting around
By car: Exmoor sits between the M5 (junction 27 via the A361/North Devon Link Road) and the A39 Atlantic Highway. From London, allow 4.5 hours; from Bristol, 2 hours. Single-track lanes with passing places are normal — the max practical speed on the moor is 30 mph.
By train: the nearest stations are Taunton (35 min drive to Minehead) and Barnstaple. The heritage West Somerset Railway runs steam services from Bishops Lydeard to Minehead in season.
On the ground: there is no substitute for a car in Exmoor. In summer, the Exmoor Coaster open-top bus links Minehead, Lynmouth, Ilfracombe and Woolacombe. For walkers, the volunteer-run MoorRover service can drop you at remote trailheads.
Budget & practical tips
- Park entry: Exmoor has no entry fee — it is open-access land.
- Parking: National Park car parks are free; council car parks (Lynton, Minehead) cost £1-4/day.
- Attractions: Dunster Castle is the main ticket (~£20/adult, National Trust members free).
- Food: village pubs serve mains for £14-18; book Sunday roasts in advance.
- Weather: it changes in minutes on the moor — waterproofs even in August.
- Mobile signal: patchy at best; download offline maps before you arrive.
FAQ — Exmoor travel
How many days do you need in Exmoor?
2-3 days for the highlights, 5-7 days for the full experience including coastal walking, the deer rut and stargazing nights.
Is Exmoor suitable for families with children?
Yes — rock pool hunting at Combe Martin, pony spotting near Exford, the Lynton cliff railway and Dunster's castle make it one of the UK's most family-friendly parks.
Do you need a car in Exmoor?
Strongly recommended. Buses exist but are infrequent; trailheads and villages are spread out.
Can you see the Milky Way from Exmoor?
Yes — Exmoor was Europe's first International Dark Sky Reserve. On clear new-moon nights the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye from several official dark-sky sites.
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After Exmoor, many of our readers continue to bigger wildernesses. Explore conservation-led journeys to Madagascar's rainforests, lemur reserves and marine parks with Travel to Madagascar, or start with our Madagascar eco-tourism guide on where and when to go.
Sources and further reading
Facts on this page are checked against the following authoritative sources. Where we state a figure, a designation or a protected status, it comes from the body named here rather than from a secondary summary.
- Exmoor National Park mapping and rights of way — Ordnance Survey
- Scheduled monuments across Exmoor — Historic England
Corrections to any claim on this page are welcome and are actioned: tell us.