Exmoor
About Exmoor National Park
Exmoor National Park stretches from West Somerset to North Devon. It is the smallest national park in the country and is famous for its deep secret and peaceful wooded combes, and the high stretches of heatherclad moorland amidst the steep fields of the hill farms. The extent of Exmoor National Park is quite small compared for example to Dartmoor, or the Yorkshire Moors. It is a more gentle landscape than these, less exposed to the weather and it has less scree and rocks on the slopes.
Exmoor remains unspoiled. You won’t find garish holiday towns here or horrible advertising or neon signs. It is quite populated on the fringes, but there are still some places where you can look all around 360 degrees, and not see a single house or building.
Come to see the wildlife, especially the wild ponies and the red deer. The heather is out now and the honey scent is intoxicating.
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Once the technique is mastered,
you can nordic walk most places |
The Wild Red Deer
The deer are really wild, although they will eat in the fields.
red deer calves in grass
The red deer are most easily seen in the dusk of evening, when the weather is calm, and when they venture out from the woods to graze. You won’t be able to walk right up and photograph them. It is not as easy as on a safari where the lions may walk right up to the jeeps. The deer have a healthy respect for the danger potential of men on two legs and dogs on four legs. No bored farm animals these. To get close, you must leave your dog at home, and creep up very stealthily, down wind, and be prepared for a long wait.
If you are interested in learning about the stags, when they drop their horns, the rut, when the deer calves are born, and about the ways the deer are managed, join Angela on her guided nordic walks.
You need to look up, behind you, above you, constantly, to catch sight of the deer.
Sometimes they see you first..
The Wild Exmoor Ponies ^top
There are only about 140 Exmoor ponies living free on the moor. This is our native breed. They have evolved over the centuries to survive during the wet and cold Exmoor winters.
If you join us on a guided nordic walk – Angela will tell you about the different herds, how they are managed, and how the ponies are adapted to the moor.
The Exmoor Beast
Make up your own mind on this one. Everyone you meet on Exmoor will have an opinion about it. If you have not heard about the Exmoor Beast, join Angela for one of her guided nordic walks and have your camera ready in case we are lucky enough to have a sighting. I have seen an Exmoor Beast in the Doone Valley this summer.
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Nordic walking on Exmoor
Nordic walking poles are a real boon for walkers on Exmoor. The poles are such a help up the hills. You can develop a springy rhythm as you walk, and your lengthened stride will eat up the miles. Please refer to each activity page, the diary page and the general description below on this page, to see where there is organised nordic walking on Exmoor. However you do not need to join other nordic walkers in order to use the technique, you can use it wherever and whenever you would normally go out walking..
Visitors from continental Europe
Visitors from continental Europe may find nordic walking on Exmoor rather different to what they are used to at home.
Nordic walking is still very new to this country, and we don’t yet have nordic walking trails, let alone nordic walking fitness parks. This means that nordic walkers have to share the footpaths, bridleways and other tracks with the other users of the moor: horseriders, mountain bikers, 4 wheel drive enthusiasts.
The paths can be rutted, boggy, narrow with bracken or heather pushing at your poles, or slippery and rocky. You will not find beautifully smooth and manicured woodland trails specially devoted for walking, but you can nordic walk almost everywhere although you may have to work slightly harder than if you were on a smooth path. It is great fun and very satisfying to power up the hills (especially if you can overtake other ordinary walkers).
The Exmoor countryside is managed by the landowners - its farmers and the National Park Authority, but this is the real and natural countryside, it is quite different to a groomed urban park. Revel in the unspoiled wildness.
Learning to Nordic Walk on Exmoor^top
For your first introduction to nordic walking, we will choose somewhere where the paths are relatively smooth and the grass is relatively short. This will help you when you are learning to control the poles. Once you have mastered the basics of the nordic walking technique, you will be able to cope with rougher ground and to go the places that any walker would choose to go.
The location we choose for an introductory session may vary depending on the time of year, the weather and the ground conditions, please scroll down this page for further details of special Exmoor locations (or for the cost and details of tuition, please go to the Activities page and click on the introductory page):
Winsford Hill near Dulverton – Haddon Hill – Wimbleball Lake –Tarr Steps
In spring, summer and early autumn we go nordic walking on Winsford Hill, around the top of the Punchbowl, and above the Halse Farm camping site. This area has lovely short grass on the tracks, which helps beginner nordic walkers, and has great views to Dunkery Beacon.
During the winter and whenever it rains hard, we are going up alongside the river Barle, either from the historic Tarr Steps clapper bridge, or from Marsh Bridge just outside Dulverton. The woods give shelter from the weather and the paths here are quite good even in the wettest conditions.
Haddon Hill above Wimbleball Lake is another choice and offers spectacular views on a lovely day. I will be going there on those fresh sparkling mornings after a hard frost. It's also a great area for dog walking with lots of interesting scents for any dog and a sociable meeting place for dogs and owners.
One of the Exmoor National Park Authority pony herds, on Haddon Hill, above Wimbleball Reservoir
During scorching hot weather, we go nordic walking along the Barle Valley above Dulverton, in the cool of the woods, and around the slopes above Lanacre Bridge and Brady Moor.
Dunster Park and North Hill are popular choices for nordic learners from Minehead and the Luxborough area.
I am very grateful to the National Trust management team at Dunster Castle, who have given me permission to take small parties of nordic walkers through the parkland around Dunster Castle. The Park at Dunster Castle is open to non-National Trust members, but please consider joining the National Trust if you are not a member already. If you join us for a nordic walk there, please visit the main entrance to Dunster Castle beforehand or afterwards, to register your membership card and to show your appreciation of the Trust’s hospitality. They get extra funding for each membership card produced. Please say you are a nordic walker.
Guided Nordic Walks over Exmoor
This is an opportunity to exercise, and to look for wildlife at the same time. When crossing Exmoor, it is best to constantly look around, as if you were in a woodland garden, that is – look behind you, above you, to the side, as well as a long way ahead. By doing this, you are more likely to see that herd of hinds looking down on you as you walk beneath them along the valley path, and you are more likely to see where the buzzard landed and to see him take off again. Please have a look at the diary page of this website.
Nordic walking on Winsford Hill above Tarr Steps and looking at the bluebells on Varle Hill
Sports relief on Exmoor - experienced nordic walkers can join us to nordic walk the Sports Relief Mile/3 miles/6 miles at Minehead. (see the diary page)
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