Up on the Down
Somerset Life|November 2020
Try this easy-to-follow Exmoor walk with SIMONE STANBROOK-BYRNE
SIMONE STANBROOK-BYRNE
Up on the Down

Right in the heart of Exmoor, Exford is surrounded by fields tamed from moorland and is a good point from which to access the higher parts of the moor. The young River Exe passes through the village; the start of the walk strolls alongside its crystal waters. Pick a clear day and prepare for huge views on an easy-to-follow route – the paths and tracks are clear throughout so there should be no need for a compass.

There are good options on refreshment stops, though these are dependent on where we are with Coronavirus restrictions when you do the walk.

1 It is an incongruity of our language that ‘downs’, in the sense of terrain, are often very elevated areas – a feature wellillustrated on this walk. We start, however, at a gentle pace beside the youthful River Exe, which rises just over six miles away as the Exmoor crow flies.

From the car park in Exford, walk away from the village through the car park, passing the long, low Exmoor National Park Field Services building. Go through a wooden kissing gate and follow the path through a grassy area. In 120m go through a yellow-blobbed gate and continue on the path beyond, a pleasing riverside amble.

In 150m, pass through another gate to reach a low, three-way fingerpost beyond.

2 From here turn left, passing through a wooden kissing gate adjacent to a farm gate – you are heading towards Higher Combe on a rough, gently rising track. To the left is a recently laid hedge, a traditional management method, the ‘workings’ of which can be clearly seen here. From the horizontally laid branches vertical growth will spring, creating a dense barrier.

Bu hikaye Somerset Life dergisinin November 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Somerset Life dergisinin November 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

SOMERSET LIFE DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
Up on the Down
Somerset Life

Up on the Down

Try this easy-to-follow Exmoor walk with SIMONE STANBROOK-BYRNE

time-read
6 dak  |
November 2020
Shop until you drop
Somerset Life

Shop until you drop

It’s Somerset’s county town, it’s the place to go for the big shops, but Taunton is also home to a thriving independent scene, discovers CATHERINE COURTENAY

time-read
5 dak  |
November 2020
Creatures of the night
Somerset Life

Creatures of the night

Have you ever had something swoop past your ear, almost unseen? You may have had a brief encounter with a bat, says BERNARD BALE

time-read
5 dak  |
November 2020
Bowled over
Somerset Life

Bowled over

Now that we can return to skittle and bowling alleys - albeit with new rules BERNARD BALE reveals that the sport of bowling has many Somerset links

time-read
4 dak  |
November 2020
Trackway through time
Somerset Life

Trackway through time

In the Somerset Levels SIMONE STANBROOK-BYRNE discovers a place where our Neolithic heritage rubs shoulders with the present day

time-read
4 dak  |
November 2020
SAVING THE SPLENDOUR OF EXMOOR
Somerset Life

SAVING THE SPLENDOUR OF EXMOOR

The splendour of Exmoor National Park may appear timeless and untroubled, but a new book reveals the long and often bitter struggle conservationists faced to save the landscape from the twin threats of afforestation and the plough

time-read
4 dak  |
November 2020
Decorative art
Somerset Life

Decorative art

Not simply functional, treat your walls like an extension of your personality

time-read
3 dak  |
November 2020
Charity starts at home
Somerset Life

Charity starts at home

How do we teach our children the importance of giving back?

time-read
2 dak  |
November 2020
Somerset Life

Blooming brilliant

Will and Lauren Holley purchased a four-acre field in Somerset, converted it into a nursery, opened during lockdown and now their perennial plants are flying off the shelves. JULIE HARDING meets the go-getting couple

time-read
10 dak  |
November 2020
Age-old advice
Somerset Life

Age-old advice

Just become a grandparent for the first time? Perhaps you need a little guidance, so here are some top tips about how to embrace your new family role

time-read
3 dak  |
November 2020