Exmoor is the ideal place for explorers and wanderers with its sweeping valleys, heather-covered misty moorland, cliffs, caves, waterfalls and sparkling lakes. It has the highest precipitation levels in England, making it verdant and bursting with animal and plant life.

Exmoor National Park, England, UK by Thierry Gregorius

Bird watchers will be in their element with scores of species to look out for including raptors, buzzards, peregrines, and kingfishers. The area is also home to England’s largest herds of wild red deer and the unique race of Exmoor ponies. There are plenty of areas that are ideal for freshwater or seawater fishing, and some beautiful locations perfect for fly fishing. Among the most common fish to catch are wild brown trout, rainbow and grayling stocked trout and salmon.

The most common activity is, of course , tramping and trudging through the wilderness. Exmoor has more than six hundred miles of rights of way with coastal paths, open rugged moorland, valleys and river paths to choose from. Don’t be surprised to spend a whole day of exploring without meeting another soul. There are 55 kilometres of coastline trails to follow, including along the highest sea cliffs in England at Culbone Hill.

Some of the best horse-riding bridleways in the country are in Exmoor. There are more than four hundred miles of meticulously maintained trails. Cyclists and mountain bikers are also well served by the minimal traffic, array of trails, and spectacular countryside. There are also some challenging golf courses with dazzling views, such as the Minehead course which goes through both farm and beach land.

Explorers of all sorts should bring along plenty of water and a picnic. The area is also dotted with charming old pubs and is well known for the quality of food produced locally. Beef and lamb has a lovely unique flavour due to the animals grazing on the particular wild herbs and grasses in the upland areas. The dairy products are also distinctive, with lovely creamy ice creams, cheeses, and cream teas. Pheasant, rabbit, venison, fish, and seafood are all fresh and local as well. Beer enthusiasts will want to try some of the Exmoor ales such as Stag, Beast, Gold, or Fox, or the Exmas during Christmas season, and farmhouse ciders.

The Exmoor coastline near the Valley of the Rocks, UK by Exmoorwalker

Lovers of the great outdoors will be swept away by the skies over Exmoor on clear nights. It was the first European area designated as an International Dark Sky Reserve thanks to its unique combination of frequently clear skies and the absence of light pollution. The panorama of stars never fails to impress.

Exmoor has been occupied since the Mesolithic era. Its ancient history can be seen the sites such as the Neolithic hinge in Parracombe, the Iron Age fort known as Cow Castle, the Norman Castle in Parracombe, and the impressive Tarr Steps- huge stone slabs formed into a clapper bridge dating back to 1000 BC. Exmoor was established as a Royal Hunting Ground in the 13th century and was eventually made a National Park in 1954.

There are plenty of lovely villages and hamlets to explore, such as Dunster which has over 120 listed buildings and the Norman era Dunster Castle, or charming Porlock Weir with its five-mile long cliff walk. There are markets and independent shops aplenty. Families can keep busy with trips on the steam-powered trains, zoos, amusement parks, beaches, and pony spotting.

Exmoor is certainly one of the rarest, most beautiful and wild of regions to visit and there is an abundance of places to explore and enjoy for couples or families, which is why so many people holiday in this area year after year.

Author: Karen Orson has worked in the tourism and accommodation industry since she was a little girl. Playing on the Devon sands soon became frolicking in San Francisco, which gave rise to safaris across the Serengetti and then quickly returned to those English beaches again! Having travelled widely, Karen now works for Highcliffe House; a luxury guest house in North Devon.

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Isle of Lewis, Scotland / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Martin Monroe

The Edge of the Land

The Isle of Lewis is at the north westernmost tip of Scotland and one of the larger of Scotland’s Western Isles. Lewis isn’t really an island. It’s attached at its southern tip to Harris. These islands are the centre of Scotland’s Gaelic speaking culture. Crofting communities lived here until well into the 1970s.

The capital, Stornoway, is the only sizeable town in the Western Isles. Seals sometimes visit the harbour, especially when the fishing boats come in on Thursdays and Fridays. Responsible travel is vital on Lewis where the community keeps a strict observance of Sunday worship. All businesses are closed on this day.

Stay in a crofter’s cottage and explore the countryside and isolated beaches. Uig Beach on the south west of the island is the largest beach in Lewis. Tolsta Beach at the northern tip is famous for its “bridge to nowhere”, an unfinished bridge that was supposed to link the area to Ness, a village community at the northernmost tip of Lewis.

Tolsta beach, Isle of Lewis, Scotland, UK / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Iain and Sarah

There are prehistoric Neolithic sites in the centre of Lewis. The Callanais Standing Stones are carved out of the pale grey Lewis gneiss and arranged in the shape of a Celtic cross. Eleven other stone circles are dotted around this neighbourhood. These are some of the most impressive megaliths in Europe and far more spectacular than Stonehenge.

After you have visited the castles, museums and shopping centres in Edinburgh, Stirling and Glasgow, it may be time to get away from it all. Scotland has the perfect location for a castaway, although this will be in some comfort. If you are looking for an unusual place to stay, try the Rua Reidh Lighthouse in Wester Ross at the entrance to Loch Ewe on the mainland.

Rua Reidh offers a view over the Highlands scenery, the Isle of Skye and Western Isles over the sea. It was built by a cousin of the writer, Robert Louis Stevenson. Wander around the countryside and see golden eagles, dolphins, deer, otters and seals. There are guided tours to see the wildlife and rock climbing courses for those who feel energetic.

Rua Reidh Lighthouse, Wester Ross, Scotland, UK / Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by ms.akr

View From the Slopes

Try Scotland’s Central Highlands for exhilarating skiing holidays. Aonach Mor, about two miles north east of Ben Nevis, offers some of Scotland’s longest lasting snow. It’s possible to ski here until well into May. This is the best area for off-piste skiing and snowboarding.

The north face of Ben Nevis is popular for gully skiing. These are steep skiing descents between 45 and 60 degrees and can be even more challenging than this in continental Europe. The best time for this sport is between March and mid-May.

Corrie Sneachda, further north in Inverness-shire, is a glacial formation with steep sides. This offers the ultimate in extreme skiing. Responsible travel is recommended here as a number of skiers and mountaineers have been killed tackling the steep sides of the corrie.

Enjoy your stay in Scotland from the wonders of its wilderness and extreme sports to its thousands of years of cultural heritage.

AUTHOR BIO
Fiona Blake writes regularly on skiing holidays for a range of travel websites and blogs. She is also a specialist guide to the Western Isles.

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Nigula Nature Reserve has a rich fauna and flora. There are rare plants here. Nigula Nature Reserve is also home to Europe’s protected and not very abundant carnivores such as bear, wolf and lynx and to big game animals such as elk, roe deer, red deer, wild boar. The area is also an important bird sanctuary. In 2000, the Nigula Nature Reserve was added to the group of Natura 2000 (the largest network of protected areas in the world).

View Nigula Nature Reserve – one of the oldest bog reserves in Estonia in a larger map

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