Guided Walking Plus for families at Selworthy

• Up to 4 guided walks each walking day - catering to all families, including an extra-short, part day walking option for little legs
• Our friendly and experienced leaders will guide you on the walks and assist with any queries you may have
• Play leaders run 'little kids' activities before dinner
• After dinner activities are suitable for the whole family – enjoy indoor and outdoor activities - and there’s also a kids-only games room

  Easier Walks     Medium Walks       Harder Walks

Holidays for 2012

7 night holiday - Sat 4 Aug and Sat 11 Aug

Itinerary for 7 night holidays - arrive Saturday

Sunday:

Family Walk: From Holnicote House, we walk to the pretty village of Allerford with its 18th century packhorse bridge and the West Somerset Rural Life Museum. We then follow oak woods to the village of Selworthy. 3 or 4½ miles with 500 or 700 feet of ascent.

Easier Walk: A circular walk taking in woodland paths, National Trust villages and the coast at Porlock Bay. 6¾ miles with 700 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: Heading up onto the moorland we follow the South West Coast Path around Selworthy Beacon and North Hill, passing through Selworthy village. 7½ miles with 1,150 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: This walk reaches North Hill via an alternative and more rugged coast path through three deep coombes above the sea.  We return via Selworthy village to Holnicote House, once owned by the Acland family, who rebuilt Selworthy village in 1828, and now owned by the National Trust. 10 miles with 1,300 feet of ascent.

Monday:

Family Walk: From Culbone Stables Inn – high up on the turnpike road where the coach horses were changed after the long slog up Porlock Hill – the walk takes the South West Coast Path. We pass grottoes, tunnels and a thatched toll house to arrive at the sea at Porlock Weir harbour. 3 miles with minimal ascent.

Easier Walk: We visit the valleys of Oare Water and Badgworthy Water (Doone Valley) to visit some of the sights made famous by the 1869 novel Lorna Doone. We reach the East Lyn River and walk down beside it to the old fishing lodge at Watersmeet, now a National Trust shop and cafe. 7½ miles with 750 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: We walk across moorland to the Doone Valley, passing Oare Church and Cloud Farm on the banks of Badgworthy Water.  We then traverse open moorland to the hamlet of Rockford and along the cascading waters to Watersmeet. 9½ miles with 1,000 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: We also walk in Lorna Doone country, following the course of Badgworthy Water before we pick up the route of the Two Moors Way and on to Cheriton Ridge with its panoramic views into Wales.  We arrive at Watersmeet via some impressive waterfalls. 11¼ miles with 900 feet of ascent.

Tuesday:

Family Walk: From Dunster we contour below the castle to the River Avill and Gallox Bridge. From the probable site of the old gallows, we cross the castle deer park and walk up to Withycombe Hill Gate before heading back to Dunster. 4¾ miles with 750 feet of ascent.

Easier Walk: Today we take a scenic walk to Dunster with its yarn market, castle and other historic sites. The route is via the hidden valley of Withycombe and the castle’s old deer park. 7 miles with 900 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: From Holnicote House we take a mixture of estate and moorland paths to the viewpoint at Webber’s Post – overlooking the Horner Valley – before reaching Dunster via Wootton Courtenay and Grabbist Hill. 9¼ miles with 1,350 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: Following a similar route to the Medium Walk we have an extra highlight in ascending Dunkery Beacon, the highest point in Exmoor and indeed in Somerset. 12¼ miles with 2,150 feet of ascent.

Wednesday:

With no guided walks organised, this is a great opportunity for your family to explore Exmoor independently - see the Local Area tab for places that you may enjoy visiting.

Thursday:

Family Walk: From high up on the coast at Barna Barrow near Countisbury, we descend on field and woodland paths to Watersmeet. From there, it’s all along the river bank to the town of Lynmouth. 3½ miles with 100 feet of ascent.

Easier Walk: This walk provides a chance to explore Lynton and Lynmouth. From Barna Barrow we walk to Countisbury and follow a zig-zag path to Watersmeet.  We then head down the valley of the East Lyn River to Lynmouth before taking the Victorian cliff railway to Lynton. 7 miles with 500 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: From Barna Barrow – with amazing views from the 1,000 feet high cliffs – we walk to Watersmeet and on to Lynton. We climb to a panoramic viewpoint above the Valley of Rocks before zig-zagging down the valley to Lynton and Lynmouth. 8½ miles with 1,100 feet of ascent and 2,225 feet of descent.

Harder Walk: Walking a similar route to the other walkers but taking in the Valley of Rocks and the beach of Lee Bay before returning to Lynton via a high level path, and heading over the Cleaves to Watersmeet. 11 miles with 2,000 feet of ascent.

Friday: 

Family Walk: From Holnicote House, we visit a historic dipping well (one of only three in Somerset) and a partially restored water mill en route to West Luccombe. We walk around the head of Halse Combe and drop down to Horner village with its restored water wheel. 4 miles with 450 feet of ascent.

Easier Walk: Taking inland paths from AA Box 137, one of England’s smallest listed buildings, we continue through woods and valleys and around Halse Combe with the chance to see red deer on our way back to Holnicote House. 7 miles with 675 feet of ascent.

Medium Walk: Taking a broadly similar route to the easier walk, we walk through woods and valleys and around Halse Combe, with the chance to see red deer on our way back to Holnicote House. 9¼ miles with 1,000 feet of ascent.

Harder Walk: Walking from Culbone Stables Inn, one of Exmoor’s highest pubs, we follow a route taking in Robber’s Bridge, Oareford and the long-ruined farmhouses of Tom’s Hill and Larkbarrow.  We return to Holnicote House via Halse Combe. 12½ miles with 2,250 feet of ascent.

Local transport

On some days the walks start and finish at our country house, Holnicote House. On other days you’ll be transported to other parts of Exmoor. The cost of all transport to and from the walks is included in the price of your holiday.

In the evenings

Your leaders will talk about the choice of walks for the next day and answer any questions you may have. Before dinner the play leaders will run an activity suitable for the younger children. After a sociable evening meal you could join in an evening activity created specifically for all the family – enjoy a quiz, a game of rounders or outdoor treasure hunt or use the Country House facilities – the kids will love the adult-free play zone.