Saturday 23 June 2012

A Trip to North Devon and Somerset Including Exmoor

Recently we took a four day trip up to North Devon and Somerset and stayed in a Caravan Park near Woolacombe which is between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe.  The weather was reasonable during this time all though it did rain a bit on the last day and on the trip home.  We were staying in a Caravan on a Holiday Park which wasn't as good as it might have been!

 Three views of Hartland Abbey

 And the Walled Garden at Hartland Abbey



 Hartland Quay is nearby - this is the view northwards from the car park
 and this is looking southwards
 The Hotel and Museum - a lot of exhibits about local shipwrecks
 Two views of the quay as it is today
The coast at Woollacombe close to where we stayed
 The village of Hele near Ilfracombe
 Arlington Court which is situated between Coombe Martin and Barnstaple
 Peacock in the tea garden at Arlington Court
 The church at Arlington Court
 The Stable at Arlington Court now the site of the National Trust Carriage Museum
 A horse and Carriage out for a spin in the grounds
A medieval Barn
 On the lake walk on the Arlington Estate
 A view over a farm from the walk
 The lake.  apparently one of the owners in the 19th century was going to build a suspension bridge over the lake for a grand carriage drive, but it was never completed.  The top of the tower that can be seen in the trees is all that remains.
A gate on the walk
An iron Age fort at the top of Countisbury Hill on Exmoor
 A view of Lynton and Lynmouth from the top of Countisbury Hill.  Lynton and Lynmouth are twin towns - Lynton is on the side of the hill whilst Lynmouth is in the valley at the mouth of the East and West Lyn rivers.
 Lynmouth Harbour
 The Lyn River looking up the East Lyn Valley.  In 1952 this was the scene as of a devastating flood as water poured down these valleys and caused a great deal of trouble.
 The centre of Lynmouth
 The Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway using water powered vehicles
 Two views of the vehicles
 The West Lyn River
 The tea house at Watersmeet
 The waterfall on Hoar Oak Water at Watersmeet
 The East Lyn river at Watersmeet
 An Historic Bridge on Badgworthy Water, Malsmead on Exmoor
Lorna Doone Farm at Malmsmead
So named for the novel Lorna Doone written by RD Blackmoor which was set in this area.
 Dunster Castle in Dunster which is very close to Minehead on the Bristol Channel in Somerset.  The Castle is a 17th Century mansion built within the confines of a Medieval Castle
 A wing of the mansion
 Two views of the mansion

 A relic of the old castle
 A view from the castle oveer the town of Dunster looking up the valley of the River Avill towards Exmoor
Two views of the medieval main gate which leads up to the house
 The Priory Church of St George
 An old house on the main road through Dunster and by the church
 The main street of Dunster looking towards the 16th Century Yarn market
The Yarn Market