Exmoor National Park & Coastline, ECO Farmstead hostel BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND

Join us for a long weekend in Exmoor, one of the UK’s most varied and dramatic landscapes, combining remote moorland, deep wooded valleys, high sea cliffs, and crystal clear rivers. This trip brings together three contrasting hikes, taking in oak woodland, wild upland moors, dramatic coastline, and the beautiful River Barle. Once a royal hunting forest, Exmoor’s landscapes are rich in history and folklore and remain a stronghold for wildlife, including Exmoor ponies and Britain’s largest native land mammal, the red deer.

📏 Key Info
• 🌙 Nights: 3 (Fri-Mon)
• 💷 Cost: £314 or £278 for the first 25 sign ups
• 🥾 Difficulty: Intermediate (3 hikes 4-5.5 hrs each)
• 🍽️ Meals Included: All breakfasts, all packed lunches, Sat and Sun dinner

🌟 Trip Highlights
• Stay at an exclusively hired Eco Hostel that’s been converted from a Victorian Farmhouse which produces its own electricity from a wind turbine and solar panels
• Hostel set in a tranquil and remote location deep on the National Park itself and surrounded by moorland and hills
• A fully catered trip including Saturday and Sunday night dinners
• Three contrasting hikes: river valley, coastline, and moorland summit
• Hike the dramatic coastline along Valley of the Rocks and see Lynton and Lynmouth coastal villages
• Visit the Tarr Steps clapper bridge – a Grade I listed scheduled ancient monument, believed to be around 3,000 years old
• Summit Dunkery Beacon, Exmoor’s highest point
• Smaller than usual trip - 30 attendees
Video - LINK

🥾 Trip Description
Exmoor is best explored on foot, with a network of ancient paths crossing moorland, woodland, valleys, and high coastal cliffs. Over the weekend, we experience the full breadth of the national park, moving through distinctly different landscapes on each day and seeing how dramatically the scenery changes.

Our base for the weekend is an exclusively hired eco-hostel deep within Exmoor, surrounded by open moorland and hills, we also have our own private woodland and fire pit. Its remote setting, reached by a long private driveway, provides a rare sense of isolation and quiet, making it an ideal base for exploring this wild landscape.

The walking is varied rather than technical, combining steady climbs, undulating coastal paths, and gentler valley routes. There is time to stop, take in views, and observe wildlife, with the chance of spotting red deer, ponies, and birdlife along the way.

Across the three days, the routes balance challenge and enjoyment, offering a rewarding introduction to Exmoor’s natural character, from ancient oak woodland and rivers to exposed moorland summits and rugged coastline.

📅 Itinerary

Friday – Arrival
Arrive at our exclusively hired accommodation. Settle into your room, and meet your fellow hikers over a relaxed evening. The atmosphere is informal - no rush, just good company and excitement for the days ahead.

Saturday – Tarr Steps circular
• Distance: 17km (11 miles)
• Grading: Intermediate, a few hills, some tough terrain
• Ascent: 460m
• Hiking time: 4 - 5 hours

Today we do a diverse and wonderful circular hike taking in the famous Tarr Steps - the longest clapper bridge in the country, as well as one of Exmoor’s gems - the River Barle with its charming Barle Valley. Our route follows the River Barle as it meanders through ancient oak woodland towards Tarr Steps, with a rich variety of mosses, lichens and wildlife, and babbling waters that are home to otters, salmon and trout.

We return to the hostel late afternoon with time to explore our remote and wild setting before enjoying a delicious group dinner together.

Sunday – Lynmouth Circular
• Distance: 15km (9 miles)
• Grading: Intermediate, a few hills
• Ascent: 550m
• Hiking time: 4.5 - 5.5 hours

Our adventure begins from the trail-head of one of the most stunning stretches of the South West Coast Path and loops back inland to finish in the picture postcard fishing village of Lynmouth. Every inch of this trail winds along the undulating shore, treating us to stunning panoramic ocean views framed by the jagged coastline. There is also a high chance of spotting feral goats along the route.

We return to the hostel for a relaxed barbecue and time to socialise as evening settles over the Exmoor landscape.

Monday – Dunkery Beacon circular - the highest point in Exmoor
• Distance: 10km (7 miles)
• Grading: Intermediate
• Ascent: 430m
• Hiking time: 3 to 3.5 hours

We start our hike from the nearby Dunkery Beacon, the highest point in Exmoor National Park at 519 metres, we can see all of Exmoor from this peak as well as to the sea.

We hike up slopes carpeted with heather and whortleberry while watching for red deer and ponies in the distance. It’s a varied landscape of moorland and woodland, crossed by small streams and open clearings. Once we reach the summit of Dunkery Beacon, we will take some time to soak up the stunning views of rolling moorland and expansive ocean where we’ll have a well deserved rest and photo stop.

🚗 Transport, Accommodation & Start Time
• The trip begins at Pinkery Exploration Centre
• Arrival is from 7pm – no access before this time
• You will need transport to the hikes. For car sharing - Lift share discussion
• Accommodation: 3 nights in single gender hostel rooms (4, 5 and 6 beds)

🍽️ Food - All meals are included:
• Breakfast (Sat, Sun & Mon): typically cereal, porridge with fresh fruit, berries, nuts and seeds, fresh fruit salad, free range eggs, yogurt, toast and coffees, teas etc.
• Packed lunches (Sat, Sun & Mon): fruit, crisps, cereal bars and a range of options to make your own sandwiches typically tomatoes, cucumber, houmous, peanut butter, honey, jam, ham, cheese and salami.
• Dinner (Sat & Sun)
• Afternoon cream tea: Scones, clotted cream and jam, a tasty treat!

Breakfasts and packed lunches are self-serve with a range of options.
Dinner is meat-based with a vegetarian alternative.
If you have any dietary requirements, feel free to email us to check suitability. You are also welcome to bring your own items if needed, and a fridge and kitchen are available.

💷 Cost & Booking
• £314 OR £278 for the first 25 sign ups. Click “Attend” to pay the £30 deposit by PayPal
• Remainder due within 7 days by bank transfer - we'll email details
• Payments are non-refundable and non-transferable. When the trip is sold out, fully paid spaces may be advertised to the same gender (see FAQ)

✅ Price Includes
• 3 nights hostel accommodation
• Breakfast on Saturday, Sunday & Monday
• Packed lunches on Saturday, Sunday & Monday
• Dinner Saturday and Sunday night
• Cream teas
• Experienced trip host for the duration of the weekend
• 3 guided hikes with a trained hike leader
• Full financial protection under the 2018 Package Travel Regulations

❌ Price Excludes
• Transport to, during and from the trip

❓ Want to Know More?
• 🔍 New to Our UK Trips? – Perfect for first-timers, answers “what to expect”
• 🏢 About Us – Who Outdooraholics are, about us & history
• ❓ FAQs – Answers to the most common queries

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⚠️ Safety
Your guide is a trained hike leader. As with all outdoor activities, hiking carries some inherent risk. Please bring suitable hiking footwear and clothes – including warm layers, waterproof jacket and trousers. See: Clothing tips.

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