Exmoor is one of eleven large areas of countryside in England and Wales that are specially protected as our finest landscapes and an important part of our national heritage. It is protected for the conservation of its scenery, wildlife and cultural heritage and for the understanding and enjoyment which it can provide. It is not a museum: it covers 267 square miles of varied countryside and is home to over 10,500 people. By working together with local people Exmoor National Park Authority tries to ensure that Exmoor remains a place to live, visit, work in and enjoy.
Exmoor was created as a National Park because, for southern England, it is an extensive area of relatively wild and unspoiled countryside offering potential for open air recreation for a large number of people. Compared with the other National Parks Exmoor is small and quiet, but this is relative and it is still a large area of countryside serving a large number of visitors. For its size it is one of the least spoilt parts of England and Wales and has many distinctive features. Such features include its wild red deer and ponies; local breeds of farm animals and crop varieties; high, wild and remote coastline; open moors and heaths; smoothly convex hillsides; ancient oak woodland; beech hedgebanks; long continuity of settlement; distinctive buildings and archaeological features; rare species.
I think Exmoor is a spectacular area, offering stunning views with plenty of quiet places to get away from it all. Straddling Devon and Cornwall, summer months see tourists flock to the area, and in the Winter the whole area is prone to snowfall sometimes cutting off the more remote villages. Travelling by motor vehicle in the region is challenging, with motorists having to climb steep gradients to cross Exmoor, the most notorious hills being at Countisbury, Lynton and Porlock. I love the challenges the A39 offers from Minehead to Lynton. Great stuff - see some of the pictures.
With the recent foot and mouth crisis, livestocks of sheep were culled and before, where sheep used to freely roam on exmoor they are now kept enclosed in fields. Therefore you will not find sheep wandering around on the roads as there used to be. It is a great shame really.

MAPS AND PHOTOS...

THE ABOVE MAP SHOWS LOCATIONS WHERE THE THUMBNAIL PHOTOS BELOW WERE TAKEN, CLICK ON A THUMBNAIL GROUP TO VIEW FULL SIZE. (more photos will be taken when possible) PHOTO GROUP 1 - SELWORTHY BEACON PHOTO GROUP 2 - PORLOCK WEIR PHOTO GROUP 3 - PORLOCK HILL

...MAPS AND PHOTOS

Links to Exmoor on the WWW
www.geoffbannister.com
www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk
www.exmoor-holidays.co.uk
www.exmoorattractions.com
www.exmoor.org.uk
www.whatsonexmoor.co.uk/villages/porlock.htm

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