Short Walks
You don’t have to walk far to enjoy some of the best views the area has to offer. There are lots of well sign posted trails and literally hundreds of routes to choose from. If you’re looking for a village stroll, a coastal walk or to wander the moors, Greater Exmoor has something for you.
Whether you are an experienced walker or someone who prefers a short stroll, Exmoor National Park is the ideal place to explore the outdoors on foot! With over 1000km of footpaths and bridleways, through oak woodlands, alongside tumbling rivers and across open heather-covered moorland, the variety is endless. Some of the country’s finest long distance routes pass through our National Park, or you can plan your own adventure to explore this unique landscape.
If you need some inspiration, Exmoor National Park has curated three sets of top walks to inspire your adventure:
*Exmoor Strolls – 12 more accessible, short, step and stile free Exmoor walks. Ranging from a third of a mile to 2.5 miles, these routes enable people with a range of abilities, and of all ages, to experience the moors, valleys, and coast of Exmoor. All the routes are step and stile free, and some are suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs. Each is graded using the Miles without Stiles classification of Access for ‘all’, ‘many’ or ‘some’.
*Exmoor Explorers – 10 shorter walks showcasing the best landscapes, wildlife and history Exmoor has to offer! Each route is easy to follow, with relatively gentle terrain and range from taking less than an hour to about two and a half hours for the longest.
*Exmoor Classics – 12 longer Exmoor walks discovering Exmoor’s heritage, wildlife and communities. More adventurous routes ranging from 4.5 miles to 12.5 miles talking you along our rugged coast, across open moorland, and through valleys and combes.
Tough, water and tear resistant route guides with added info for each walk can be purchased online or from Exmoor National Park Centres at Dulverton, Dunster and Lynmouth. More details can be found here: https://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/exmoor-for-everyone/walking.
You can view a videos for each walk and access digital mapping for each route on the dedicated website exmoorwalks.org.
Otherwise, here are some of our other favourite short walks:
The Tall Trees Trail at Nutcombe Bottom is great for all abilities and is wheelchair and push chair accessible too. With interactive interpretation along the way it is a great introduction for younger walkers and gives you an opportunity to discover England’s tallest tree!
The Valley of Rocks is easily accessible allowing you to get up close and personal to the drama of one of Exmoor’s most popular spots.
Wistlandpound Reservoir offers an easy disabled-access 2 mile route around the picturesque lake.
There are numerous walks from easy access trails to more challenging walks available. You can purchase local books and walking guides at visitor information centres across the area.
