Your dream holiday

For many, walking, fishing, cycling, horse riding or adrenaline based activities may be the main reason for coming to Exmoor. All may wish to try one or several of these while on holiday.

Walking (perhaps with your dog)

Exmoor is a walker’s paradise with over 1000km. of footpaths and bridleways through woodlands, across heather clad moorland or by the side of rivers in deep valleys.

Walking can be as strenuous or as leisurely as you wish.
There is even a footpath through West Withy Farm – it’s a shortcut to the pub!
Around West Withy Farm, miles of local footpaths make for great walks directly from your cottage door. Haddon Hill Circular and Wimbleball Lake Circular are both guest favourites and both dog friendly. (See OS map OL9)
Maybe you will sample the long distance footpaths that cross Exmoor – like The Coleridge Way, Macmillan Way, South West Coast path or Two Moors Way.
Perhaps you will take a stroll just before dusk as nature settles down / or gets active for the night.
Further Exmoor walking info.

Fishing

With rivers, lakes, and a long coastline, Exmoor fishing has rightly earned its place as a favourite for all types of angling.

There is game fishing for trout on Wimbleball Lake and Clatworthy Reservoir, each about 1 mile from West Withy Farm.
There is permit fishing on the Rivers Exe, Barle and East Lyn
There is course fishing at Langford Lakes about 7 miles away
There is sea fishing all along the coast. of Exmoor – check tide times
Escorted boat fishing trips depart from Minehead and Watchet
West Withy Farm has its own small lake with rudd and roach breeding. It’s just the perfect place to ‘teach your grandson’ to fish.
For furher information on where to fish locally, try looking in: GetHooked Fishing on the Exe

Cycling

Many national / international cycling events take place on Exmoor – that says it all!! Its exhilarating cycling in breath-taking scenery and clean air. There are long, spectacular descents – the famous photo of the tour cyclists passing the ‘cyclists dismount’ sign at speed – and some equally exhilarating hill climbs.

Road cyclists can follow in the track of the Pros.
- Tour of Britain – Exmoor stage course.
- ‘King of the Mountains’ stage from Watchet to West Withy Farm (the course passes the end of our road – though the Pros. do continue a bit further)
Off road cyclist have miles of National Park tracks. These are graded for difficulty on a National Park map
Indoor storage for your cycles at West Withy Farm

Horse riding

Exmoor has a long equine history – in origin, Exmoor was preserved as a royal hunting ground

Surrounding the farm there are 300 miles of bridleways. Our lane is travelled by more horses than vehicles
The Coleridge Way has a 33 mile bridleway route
West Withy Farm uses its own stables for National Hunt racehorses. But turnout always available, with field shelter if required. Haylage and expertise available
Around the farm there are many beginners riding stables
Further horse riding info.

Extreme Challenges

Increasingly guests are asking about hgh adrenalin challenges that Exmoor has to offer. They are as numerous as your ingenuity.

Wild swimming – try Woody Bay, Lee Bay, Long Pool – Watersmeet, Bagworthy Pool – Doone valley. Our Dutch guests in 2014 recommended Wimbleball Lake (Upton Arm from Haddon Hill car park) – ‘as cold as our canals, but the water is so clear’
Coasteering
Canoeing / coastal canoeing
Hang gliding
Geocaching
Ironman (now with 1500+ competitors)
Exmoor Beast