Exmoor is the smaller of Devon’s two National Parks, and we first toured there when our daughter was just six months old. We stayed near Combe Martin, at the superb Stowford Farm Meadows campsite, enjoying a magical fortnight, which we remember with great fondness. 

Danielle is 24 now and we are still taking trips to Exmoor on a regular basis – although she rarely comes with us these days! 

Even though it can be a five-hour drive from our Cheshire home if the traffic is bad, it’s such a lovely area for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy that we don’t mind the travelling. 

It’s mostly motorway for us – we live close to J18 of the M6 so it’s a simple matter to follow it to Birmingham, then take the M5 to Taunton or Tiverton, before heading to the areas of the moor that most interest us.

Rocky ramblings

We are very keen hikers and the rolling moorland of Exmoor offers visitors endless opportunities to lace up their walking boots and head off for a glorious day in the outdoors. 

Walkers coming to Exmoor can make the routes they follow as easy or as difficult as they like, and this fine National Park encompasses both pretty moorland and a long rugged stretch of North Devon coastline, so there is plenty to enjoy. 

It’s not just hikers who are catered for here – mountain bikers, birdwatchers and those who simply love dramatic scenery will find themselves returning to Exmoor again and again.

As a location, Exmoor is not as rugged as nearby Dartmoor National Park, further south, and it is busier, but there are remote spots to be visited and it can be very challenging when the mist begins to roll in off the sea.

Our most recent visit to Exmoor found us snatching a few days in August and heading south. The weather was settled and the forecast was good, and we hadn’t been to Exmoor for
well over a year. We were missing the place! 

We decided to stay at Lynton Camping and Caravanning Club Site – we’d not used it before and hadn’t pitched in the north part of the National Park for some years. 

Lynton C&CC site
Lynton C&CC site is well placed for exploring the area’s many highlights

We had a bit of a ‘down memory lane’ visit planned this time, with trips to some favourite destinations and one or two new ones thrown in for good measure. 

Lynton Camping and Caravanning Club Site is located down tight back lanes in a hillside setting, with sea views from many of the pitches. This is a laidback sort of site, and being high summer, the place was fairly busy. 

The traffic had been bad on the way down and once we had settled in, we chilled out with a bottle of wine as we enjoyed the sunshine and the gorgeous scenery.

Our first destination the next day was the spectacular (and very famous) Valley of Rocks, which is located within easy walking distance almost directly below the campsite, although
not in view from it.

A narrow lane (mostly unsuitable for traffic) rises from the site entrance to drop steeply to the pretty village of Lynton, with its numerous cafés and famous cliff railway, linking it with Lynmouth, over 850ft below. 

Opened in 1890, the railway’s water-operated funicular line, where one car descends as the other ascends, saves visitors the long, steep walk down to the seashore. 

The famous funicular line links Lynton and Lynmouth
The famous funicular line links Lynton and Lynmouth

Of the two villages, Lynmouth was the original settlement, but when living space ran out, the builders simply decided to move further up the hill and began to develop Lynton.  

We had plans to see Lynmouth later, so we left Lynton on the signposted path for the Valley of Rocks and headed along the side of Hollerday Hill, to descend in rather spectacular style to this truly awesome place. The Valley of Rocks is a dramatic U-shaped valley running parallel to the coastline. It is well known for its unusual rock formations and caves, and the feral goats that often appear in the most precarious situations on narrow ledges along the jagged cliffs. 

The seaside village of Lynmouth
The seaside village of Lynmouth expanded up the hill to Lynton

Literary inspiration

The valley was visited by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge in 1797, and they based their (unfinished) prose composition, The Wanderings of Cain, there. Many decades later, RD Blackmore set part of his classic 1869 Exmoor novel, Lorna Doone, in the valley. 

We decided to stop for coffee and a snack at Mother Meldrum’s Tea Gardens, which is deep in the heart of this magical place. Then, suitably refreshed, we continued out of the valley to reach lovely Lee Abbey, now a Christian retreat, hotel and conference centre. From here, a steep but wonderful path took us through a coniferous forest and up the hillside beyond to Six Acre Cross, next to Lynton C&CC Site.

After a brief rest back at the campsite, we then headed off to visit Lynmouth. 

We parked up (motorhome bays are available in the town’s Lower Lyndale car park) and went for a pleasant walk along the seafront. Lynmouth is understandably very popular with tourists, but even on a crowded day, it’s a lovely place to spend some time.  

However, this hasn’t always been the case. On 15-16 August 1952, a huge storm broke over south-west England, dropping nine inches of rain on waterlogged Exmoor. The heavy floodwater, loaded with debris, cascaded down the northern slopes of the moor and converged on Lynmouth. 

A massive wave carried the debris down the River Lyn and through the village. The river was quickly blocked and the town flooded. More than 100 buildings and 28 bridges were destroyed or damaged in the disaster, and 38 cars were washed out to sea. Tragically, 34 people died and 420 were made homeless. 

The coast at Lynmouth
Lynmouth was rebuilt after the disastrous floods of 1952

Lynmouth was eventually rebuilt and the river diverted. These days there is little to remind you of the flood, and a trip here is recommended.

Top of the world

The forecast for the next day was good and we breakfasted early, before heading out on a sunny morning with clear skies and rising temperatures. 

Our destination was Dunkery Beacon, which at 1705ft/519m is the highest point on Exmoor. It had been a few years since we last walked to its summit and we were looking forward to a day out on the moor in the sunshine.  

We drove south from Lynton and Lynmouth on the spectacular moorland road that is the B3223, across Brendon Common and into the heart of the moor. You get a real appreciation of what Exmoor is all about as you travel this road, and it’s well worth stopping at one of the pull-in areas or car parks to soak up the views. During August and September, the bright heather-covered moors stretch away as far as the eye can see in a blaze of purple. Backed by a blue sky, the scenery allows for some spectacular photographs. 

We probably lingered for longer than we should have on the drive to Dunkery Beacon and by the time we reached the pretty village of Simonsbath, the day had really begun to heat up.  

So from Simonsbath, we followed the B3224 through lovely Exford, before travelling on to reach the parking area at Dunkery Bridge (this is a narrow road, and this route is only recommended if you have a small motorhome or campervan – if you’re looking for such a ‘van, our guide to the best motorhomes under 6m is worth a look). 

There are three car parks for visitors climbing to Dunkery Beacon, with the one on Dunkery Hill giving you the shortest ascent to the top and the one at Webber’s Post providing the longest. 

Dunkery Bridge suited us on such a hot day, and we quickly filled our rucksacks and donned our boots. Sunscreen and plenty of water were the order of the day, and we decided to avoid the crowds heading up the main path from the car park to the summit, by taking an alternative track north-west to climb to Great Rowbarrow. 

Heading for the summit

Dunkery Beacon, owned by the National Trust, has a chain of summits capped with Bronze Age burial mounds, set in remote and spectacular locations. We lunched in the sunshine at Great Rowbarrow and headed east on a good track towards the unmistakable summit of Dunkery Beacon. It’s always busy at the top, because you get such amazing views of North Devon, Somerset, the Bristol Channel and South Wales. 

People walking towards Dunkery Beacon
Dunkery Beacon is the highest point on Exmoor

The summit has a large cairn, where people pose for photographs – and sometimes sit to eat their butties! There was no way we could avoid the crowds on the descent, but our path south soon brought us back to the car park.

Back at the site, it was too hot to cook and we idled on loungers outside the ’van. We soon decided to eat out. We had heard a lot about the Fox & Goose in nearby Parracombe (less than 10 minutes in a cab), so we booked a table there. Parracombe is deep in the Heddon Valley and a lovely place to have a meal. 

The excellent, varied menu at the Fox & Goose is displayed on chalkboards in the dining room and we enjoyed a superb meal before heading back for an early night. 

Seaside tourist town

The forecast was good for the following day and we wanted to make the most of the excellent weather. It had been our intention to use the final day of our trip for a visit to picturesque Ilfracombe, reliving memories we had made there over the years. 

However, we decided on a whim to follow the A39 along the north coast of Exmoor instead, and spend some time exploring Minehead. 

This is a town we have passed by many times on the road, but never visited, so we decided to put matters right and take a look. 

Minehead is an ever-popular seaside resort, famed for its imposing North Hill, which is the starting point of the 630-mile South West Coast Path, and its large Butlin’s Holiday Camp.

Our plans were flexible, but we decided to stop in the Quay West car park, where there is space for motorhomes, and explore North Hill on foot, before spending some time on the seafront.

We climbed through Culver Cliff Wood to wend our way to the upper slopes of North Hill, before continuing high above the sea to reach Hill Road, which runs along the hill’s higher reaches. There are some impressive views to be enjoyed from here.

Our return walk to Minehead took us down some pleasant tracks and through pretty parts of the town. The sun was shining off a sparkling sea and we finished the day with coffee and cake at Echo Beach Café – a lovely way to end a stunning visit.  

We took a brief detour on the way back to Lynton, to visit the charming village of Dunster. Thought to be the most intact medieval village in the UK, it is well worth making time to explore this lovely place.

Happy memories

Despite only having a short break, we still managed to pack in a lot of activity and spent many hours sauntering along memory lane and reliving our past experiences on Exmoor. 

We’ll be going back again – after all, we have been doing so for more than two decades now

If you’re thinking of exploring the beautiful county, be sure to take a look at our guide to the best motorhome sites in Devon.

Tour essentials

When to go 

August and September are especially good, although high summer can be very busy here. Any time from mid-spring to mid-autumn is excellent.

Way to go 

Lynton Camping and Caravanning Club Site should be approached carefully – the roads are narrow and can be twisty. Don’t use the A39 from Minehead or come via Lynton or Lynmouth; instead approach the site via Blackmoor Gate. Avoid using sat nav. From M5 J27, take the A361 past Tiverton and continue on to the A399 to Blackmoor Gate. The A39 can then be followed towards Lynton; the site is signposted left at Caffyns Cross. 

Where we stayed 

Lynton Camping and Caravanning Club Site

Caffyns Cross, Lynton, Devon EX35 6JS

Open: Late March to late September

Charges (pitch+2+hook-up): £14.60-£24.80

Find out more: 

You can also get more great travel inspiration by taking a look at our round-up of the best road trips in the UK.


If you’ve enjoyed reading this article, why not get the latest news, reviews and features delivered direct to your door or inbox every month. Take advantage of our brilliant Practical Motorhome magazine SUBSCRIBERS’ OFFER and SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER for regular weekly updates on all things motorhome related.