The rugged and wild Exmoor coast, with its breathtaking scenery provides ample opportunity to go walking, cycling, horse riding and fishing. There are many gardens and heritage sites in North Devon as well as local attractions such as the world famous Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway.
See also:
Lynton & Lynmouth Attractions
The twin towns of Lynton and Lynmouth boast numerous shops and boutiques, as well as the many tea rooms, restaurants and pubs. There is a cinema and local museum where visitors can find out about the towns' history and the 1952 flood disaster. Lynton and Lynmouth also host many festivals throughout the summer.
Valley of Rocks & Local Walks
A 15 minute walk from the hotel, along the Coast path, brings you out into the Valley of Rocks. Wild goats and ponies graze in this unusual landscape of prehistoric rock formations and it is from here that Samuel T. Coleridge is thought to have drawn inspiration for his epic Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
From the hills above the Valley you can experience the breathtaking views of the Bristol Channel and the South Wales Coast beyond. Further afield there are wooded paths and coastal trails which carry on towards Lee Abbey, Woody Bay and Heddons Mouth.
Watersmeet & Tea Garden
One of the National Trust's most long established tea-gardens, Watersmeet is surrounded by acres of stunning woodland trails and riverside walks. From here you can continue up the East Lyn towards Rockford and the Brendon Valley.
Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway
The world famous funicular railway is a short walk from Chough's Nest and provides a smooth ride down to the sea front. Powered solely by water from the river Lyn, this marvellous feat of Victorian engineering once provided a vital link between Lynton and Lynmouth.
Steam Railways
There are two major preserved railways near Lynton. The restored Lynton & Barnstaple narrow gauge railway has one station open at Woody Bay.
A little further away is the West Somerset Railway which runs 20 miles from Minehead to Bishops Lyedeard, near Taunton. There is also the Lyn Model Railway in Lynmouth's Watersmeet Road and is based on the LNER rolling stock of the 1930's.
Lynton and Lynmouth Wildlife
As can be expected, there is always an abundance of wildlife near any river outlet or estuary and Lynton and Lynmouth are no exception. Marine wildlife such as dolphin, porpoise, seals and otters have been spotted from the harbour and up on Exmoor, deer and wild ponies roam free.
Avid bird watchers can see buzzards soaring high above the Valley of Rocks or herons on the East Lyn river. At the hotel, Jays, woodpeckers, Blue-tits, Wagtails, Magpie, finches and robins are just some of the species which frequent our bird-table.
