3 Night Exmoor Festive Guided Walking Holiday

Spend the festive season in Somerset and head out on winter walks that take you through Exmoor National Park. And when you’re not busy enjoying wintry scenery along the South West Coast Path, cosy up in Holnicote House – a beacon of Somerset hospitality near the impossibly pretty village of Selworthy. We pull out all the stops at this time of year and our houses welcome you with a sprinkling of festive cheer, seasonal food, and plenty of yuletide treats. So wrap up warm and step into Christmas with HF Holidays.

What you’ll love

Getting into the festive spirit with a guided walking holiday
A choice of winter walks with our experienced HF Holidays Leaders
Discovering the stunning landscapes of Exmoor on foot
Staying in our country house in rural Selworthy
Enjoying festive fare and leaving all the organising to us

What’s included

En-suite accommodation in our 4-star country house
Cream tea on arrival day
Cooked or continental breakfast every morning
Daily packed lunches
Three-course evening meals, plus tea & coffee
Guided walking with experienced HF Holidays Leaders
Choice of up to three guided walks (on walking days)
All transport to and from walks where necessary
Easy-to-follow routes, maps, and information in our Discovery Point if you want to explore independently

Trip Notes

Easy to download as a PDF, our trip notes provide detailed information for every holiday. Please click below to find the trip notes for your departure date.

Gallery

Summer sunset over the Valley of Rocks, near Lynton in the Exmoor National Park, Devon, UK

View from Bossington with first snow on Dunkery Beacon

All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. While we make every effort to adhere to the described itinerary, we may take alternative routes or adapt the running order for weather and/or operational reasons.

Day 1: Arrival Day

Check-in at the hotel is available from 4pm. Enjoy a complimentary cream tea on arrival.

Day 2: Horner & Dunkery Beacon

Option 1 - Exploring Horner Hill

Distance: 5½ miles (9km)

Ascent: 1000 feet (300m)

In summary: This circuit from the house takes you through the pretty village of Horner, and then in to Horner Wood and Horner Hill, before heading back to the house.

Highlight: The village of Horner and Horner Hill

Option 2 - Dunkery Beacon Circuit

Distance: 9 miles (14km)

Ascent: 1,950 feet (600m)

In summary: This is a circular walk visiting the highest point on Exmoor and Somerset. The walk takes us through woodland and then moorland to Dunkery Beacon and returns on a meandering path alongside the delightful river Horner.

Highlight: The views from the top of Dunkery Beacon are fabulous.

Option 3 - Dunkery Beacon & Great Rowbarrow

Distance: 11 miles (17.5km)

Ascent: 2,050 feet (620m)

In summary: A strenuous circular walk visiting the highest point on Exmoor and Somerset. The descent takes us past the tiny Stoke Pero Church, the highest church on Exmoor, and back through Horner Woods alongside Horner Water.

Highlight: There are great views from the top of Dunkery Beacon making the ascent well worth the effort!

Day 3: Along the coast to Porlock

Option 1 - Culbone to Porlock

Distance: 5 miles (8.5km)

Ascent: 700 feet (220m)

In summary: From Culbone, follow the track that bends above Silcombe Combe before arriving at Culbone Church. We leave the churchyard and follow multiple zig-zag paths and tunnels in Yearnor Wood to get to Worthy Toll House and finally arriving at Porlock.

Highlight: Take a walk back in time through the historic village of Culbone where the settlement once supplied wood for Porlock's shipyards before arriving at Porlock Weir to be welcomed with magnificent views.

Option 2 - Culbone to Holnicote

Distance: 7½ miles (12km)

Ascent: 1,150 feet (360m)

In summary: We take the footpath down to Culbone Church before walking through the woods to get to Porlock and crossing fields to finally arrive back at Holnicote House

Highlight: Enjoy exploring the quaint tidal harbour at Porlock Weir

Option 3 - Lillycombe to Holnicote

Distance: 10 miles (16km)

Ascent: 1,600 feet (480m)

In summary: We start the walk from Lillycombe walking along Robber's Bridge to arrive at Culbone. We then continue on crossing countryside and through woodland to get to Porlock before crossing Horner Water using the Pack Horse Bridge to finally arrive at Holnicote House.

Highlight: Enjoy the countryside views at Culbone and the magnificent sea views at Porlock.

Day 4: Departure Day

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way home.

Holnicote House

There’s plenty to look forward to at this beacon of Somerset hospitality near the impossibly pretty village of Selworthy. The location couldn’t be more perfect; within rolling-out-of-bed distance from Exmoor National Park and an easy drive from Dunster Castle, Coleridge Cottage, the twin villages of Lynton and Lynmouth, and the sandy delights at Porlock and Minehead. The walking opportunities here are standout, too, not least for the trails around the Quantock Hills, Dunkery Beacon, Bossington, and a section of the England Coast Path that takes you on a glorious journey along the county’s coastline.

10684_0174 Holnicote House - Staff Group

Rooms

Designed with your comfort in mind, Holnicote House has 32 well-appointed guest rooms available in three categories: Classic, Premium, and Superior.

Classic Rooms are comfortable en-suite guest rooms, ideal for a peaceful night's sleep. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, and shower gel), and a TV.

Premium Rooms are more spacious en-suite guest rooms*. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel), and a 32-inch TV. Extras include bathrobes, slippers.

Superior Rooms are even more spacious en-suite guest rooms offering upgraded views of the surroundings*. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel), and a 32-inch TV. Extras include bathrobes, slippers.

We love: The rooms in the main building or the thatched grounds, especially Rooms 1 and 4. The first floor rooms have fabulous views across Crawter Hill and Dunkery Hill.

The Choose Your Room service is available at our UK country houses, allowing you the option of choosing and confirming a specific room for an extra charge of £30 per room. This is subject to availability. Upgrade supplements apply.

Check in & check out
You are welcome to check in from 4:00pm at the earliest. On arrival, you’ll enjoy a complimentary cream tea and get to meet your fellow guests, our HF Holidays Leaders, and the rest of the friendly team.

On the day of departure, we kindly ask all guests to check out by 10:00am. You’ll be asked to settle your bill prior to leaving. You may, of course, make a charitable donation to our HF Holidays Pathways Fund if you wish. Please note that we only accept card payments.

Room supplements

Superior	Premium single	Premium double/twin	Choose your room
£25 pppn	£20 pppn	£20 pppn	£30 per room

*Views and layout reflect each properties unique character and location

About your stay

A warm welcome
We want you to feel comfortable from the moment you arrive. You’ll find a welcome pack in your room with guest registration forms, menus, order forms for dinners and picnic lunches, the Wi-Fi password, and the front door code. Our houses are locked at night, so we recommend noting the Duty Manager’s number on arrival in case of an emergency (or getting locked out).

Evening entertainment
While evening entertainment varies from house to house, the HF Holidays Big Pub Quiz held after dinner on Wednesdays is a weekly staple. Your HF Holidays Leader may be around for tips on guided and self-guided walking routes as well as visit-worthy local attractions.

Walks talks
Our HF Holidays Leaders host guided walking information briefings before dinner on arrival days. This is followed by a group Walks Talk for information on the following day’s walking delights (held before dinner every evening). Self-guided walking guests are, of course, welcome.

The walking day
Prior to setting off on walks, your HF Holidays Leader will run you through a short safety briefing. There’s also an up-to-date weather forecast on display at the house to ensure you have appropriate clothing and footwear. If you choose to do your own walks or are on a self-guided walking holiday, we ask that you please complete an Independent Walker Card each day. These can be found near the Discovery Point in the house.

Food & drink

Led by experienced chefs, we serve a wide range of dishes made with fresh and seasonal ingredients. We always aim to source the best produce available and use home-grown herbs and vegetables from our own gardens whenever possible. Additionally, we have a licensed bar with beers, soft drinks, and a superb selection of spirits. Full-board comes as standard and includes a cream tea on arrival and a hearty breakfast on departure day.

HF Holidays understands the importance of managing allergens effectively to ensure food is safe for guests with food allergies. Whilst we are always able to confidently inform guests which allergens are present in our ingredients and dishes, we are unable to guarantee absolute freedom from the 14 main allergens in our kitchens. Vegetarian and vegan menu choices are available. If you have allergies, food intolerances, or any special dietary requirements, please inform our reservation team at the time of booking.

Accessibility

For accessibility and assistance information, please contact our expert team on 020 3974 8865 or view the accessibility information online for Holnicote House

Getting to Holnicote House

Find out more about this location including travel details and room types.

More Information

Travel Details

Address

Holnicote House
Selworthy
Minehead
Somerset TA24 8TJ

Tel: +44 (0)1643 862013

By train

The nearest station is Taunton.

Check National Rail for train times and routes.

By taxi

From Taunton train station it’s a 27-mile journey taking 1 hour.

For pricing, please contact Minehead Taxis directly.

Minehead Taxis
You can pre-book a taxi from our recommended company, Minehead Taxis*. We recommend booking your taxi at least seven days in advance by contacting:

Tel: +44 (0)1643 704123

A return journey can be arranged on your behalf by the HF Holidays House Manager at Holnicote House.

*Minehead Taxis is not owned or managed by HF Holidays.

By bus

The number 28 bus runs between Taunton station and Minehead, taking around one and a half hours. At Minehead, change to the number 10 bus to the Selworthy turn (at the end of Holnicote House drive). A two-minute walk along the drive will bring you to the house.

For bus times, check Traveline.

By car

There’s free car parking at Holnicote House if you decide to drive.

From Bridgwater take the A39 though the southern outskirts of Minehead towards Porlock. You’ll find Holnicote House on the left about four and a half miles out of Minehead.

By air

The nearest airport is London Heathrow.

Take the train to London Paddington station where there are direct trains to Taunton. It’s a relatively straightforward journey that’ll should take around 2.5 hours.

Bristol Airport is also an option. From here, you can take the bus and train to Taunton.

Check National Rail for routes and train times.

Packing List

The UK has a famously unpredictable climate so it's best to be prepared for weather that’s sunny one minute and raining the next.  To make it easier, here’s a list of items you should consider packing.  

Essentials 

Suitable footwear such as waterproof walking boots that provide ankle support and good grip 
Waterproof and windproof jacket
Comfortable clothing (jeans & waterproof capes are not suitable) 
Mid-layer(s) to keep you warm. Fleeces make a good choice
Waterproof overtrousers 
Gloves and a warm hat
Rucksack with waterproof liner
Flask for hot drinks  
Water bottle (at least 1 litre capacity) 
Sunscreen 
UV sunglasses

Recommended 

Several base layers (long-sleeve or short-sleeve) 
Cushioned walking socks to avoid blisters 
First aid kit, including plasters and insect repellent
Sit mat  
Waterproof pouch for valuables 
Rubbish bag (remember to always leave no trace) 
Wallet/purse 
Camera

Holnicote House Calendar

Guided Walking
Self-Guided Walking
Special Interests
Unavailable to Book

Guest reviews

All holidays are subject to availability. Supplements may apply.

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All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. While we make every effort to adhere to the described itinerary, we may take an alternative route, or vary the running order for weather and/or operational reasons.