Walkwise Walking Week , and Coast

Date: Saturday 1st Aug – Saturday 8th August 2020

Place: HF Holnicote House, Selworthy, Exmoor, TA24 8TJ Cost: £549.00 ensuite per person in a shared twin / double room £649.00 ensuite per person in a single room £729.00 ensuite per person in a sole occupancy or premium single Included: 7 nights accommodation, 7 breakfasts, 7 picnic lunches, 7 evening meals & 5 days of guided walks and one free day to explore the area Extras: local transport (if used)

WalkWise Overview: One of our very favourite locations blends the best of everything, the superb Exmoor National Park, the truly spectacular walking of the South West coastal path and the superb venue of the HF Holnicote House in Selworthy. The walking programme will see us exploring the huge towering cliffs, wooded bays, spectacular seascapes, and maybe even seals for our first great day out. Contrast with this with the sublime heather clad moors, sweeping hills, wooded combes, vibrant yellow gorse, purple heather, wild Exmoor ponies and Red Deer. And to complete the package, our base for the weekend is an historic National Trust Country House, dating from 1860 and operated by HF Holidays as a walking venue. Needless to say, it sits in its own peaceful grounds looking out towards Dunkery Beacon and it has been tastefully modernised to provide very comfortable accommodation, full of charm and character and most importantly they pride themselves on the quality of their food, and their packed lunches!!!

WalkWise Walking Programme: Immersed in the heart of this stunning area, we really do have a smorgasbord of options available to us. Of course, there is the stunning South West Coastal Path that begins or ends in . There are many stunning day walks incorporating Selworthy Beacon, Minehead, Selworthy and Bossington Villages complete with excellent cream teas. Slightly further along the coast are the picture perfect villages of and Porlock Weir and we can walk from here right across the open bay and into the deeply wooded combes that lead up to the heather moors of Dunkery Beacon. The deeply wooded Combes of the Exmoor National Park provide shelter for the herds of red deer and the charismatic Exmoor ponies, which are also free to wander their way onto the heart of the moors.

We may head out into Devon and the heart of Lorna Doone country! Once again, there are many routes from here, but it is possible to blend the beautiful coast with the stunning combes and moors. Starting from County Gate we descend to Malmsmead and follow a delightful wooded branch of the East Lyn River up to the site of a medieval village. Now we head out across the open moorlands to reach the magnificent viewpoint of Shilstone Hill. After taking in the vista, we drop into the wooded valley of the East Lyn River itself, where there may be chance for quick refreshments at Rockford before continuing upstream to Brendon. The final section takes us up through Ashton Cleave for great retrospective views of our route.

We may head over to Lynton and Lynmouth for a truly wonderful walk, with contrasting scenery, habitats and views. Initially we can follow the tumbling waters of the East Lyn Valley, which lead us into the enchanted Watersmeet woodlands where the deep valleys provide shelter for the red deer and Exmoor ponies. From here, we have a choice and can breeze into Leeford or head out to explore the wonderful, shapely and dramatic valley of the rocks. But we’ll sort out what’s best when we see the weather forecast.

WalkWise UK will provide a guided walk on 5 days during the week. The walks may be up to 12 miles but there is some flexibility and it is possible to curtail some of the walks at particular places. All walks are weather dependent and own transport may be taken to the walk starts. You will be supplied with a ‘what you must bring’ list - it is your responsibility to ensure you have these items.

Accommodation: You will find HF Holnicote House set in the beautiful Exmoor National Park, near the quaint little town of Porlock. It really is a lovely country house, set in its own peaceful grounds, with extensive views up towards the Exmoor National Park. The location is so good that many of the walks can start from the front door of the centre! There is even an outdoor swimming pool in the garden. The centre is set up for groups of walkers and has its own boot and drying room. But that’s not where they finish. Their menu features many locally sourced products and they tailor the food and especially their picnic lunches to walkers. The bedrooms, all with their individual layout and character as befits a historic building, are located in the main house and adjoining cottages. In your room, you will find a TV with digital radio, hair dryer, towels and tea and coffee making facilities. The public rooms at Holnicote House retain the period charm of this Victorian house. There is a comfortable lounge with access to the extensive gardens, a dining room and licensed bar which opens on an evening. Wi-Fi is accessible in all public areas of the house Maps: The maps we recommend for this trip are: Ordnance Survey: 1:25000: Outdoor Leisure OL9 Exmoor

This event is organized and supplied by WalkWise UK Ltd, whose terms and conditions apply, obtainable at http://www.walkwise.co.uk/general-terms-and- conditions.html . Those booking enter into a contract directly with WalkWise UK Ltd.