Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
path leads west towards Gore Point and the pint-sized church at Culbone, reputed to be
the smallest in England at just 7.6m long. The shingle beach at the weir's west end forms
part of the Porlock Ridge and Saltmarsh Site of Special Interest (SSSI), a popular spot for
local birdwatchers.
Exmoor Owl & Hawk Centre
( 01643-862816;
www.exmoorfalconry.co.uk
; Allerford, near Porlock; adult/child £9/6.50; 10.30am-4.30pm
Tue-Sun Feb-Oct, plus Mon in school holidays; )
Even with the best guide, you can't always bank
on catching sight of Exmoor's more elusive residents, unless you head for the Exmoor
Owl & Hawk Centre. From April to September it holds daily displays - catch the owl
show in the medieval barn (between 11.30am and 1pm) or the flying displays in the open
fields (2.30pm to 3.45pm). You can even book your own private flying session (from
£60), or the kids could hitch a ride on the farm's Shetland ponies, donkeys and alpacas.
WILDLIFE RESERVE
Holnicote Estate
(NT; 01823-451587;
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
; near Porlock; open access; )
The
5060-hectare Holnicote Estate is the largest NT-owned area of land on Exmoor and
sweeps south east out of Porlock, taking in a string of impossibly pretty, thatched villages.
First comes
Bossington
, where
Kitnors
(mains from £4; 11am-4.30pm Apr-Oct)
is
the
quintessential
tea room (thatched, of course). Charming
Allerford
boasts a photogenic ford and 15th-cen-
tury packhorse bridge.
Selworthy
offers striking Exmoor views and picturesque cob-and-
thatch cottages that cluster around the village green. The estate has some cracking walks,
including the steep, 3-mile circular hike from Webber's Post up the lower slopes of
Dunkery Beacon (Exmoor's highest point), and back along the East Water valley.
HISTORIC BUILDINGS
Sleeping
Sea View
( 01643-863456;
seaview.porlock@btconnect.com
; High Bank, Porlock; d £60-65; )
The furniture- and
picture-packed bedrooms of this charming B&B are full of thoughtful touches: muscle-
soak bath salts and blister bangages for walkers tackling Porlock's precipitous hills.
Bespoke breakfasts feature dry-cured bacon and vegan scones, while the front-facing win-
dows frame the sea by day, and the lights of South Wales by night.
B&B
£
Millers at the Anchor
BOUTIQUE HOTEL
££
