Exford: Trails, Moorland and History

Exford combines the landscape of Exmoor National Park with the River Exe and remarkable evidence of the village’s history. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday house will find a starting point here for nature experiences, historical discoveries and trip planning with different focuses. The contrast between open moorland, agricultural landscapes and the buildings in the village is particularly interesting.

Between the River Exe and Exmoor

Exford lies on the River Exe and in the heart of Exmoor National Park. This location shapes the character of the village and makes the landscape a central part of a stay. The Exford and Dunkery Beacon circular walk begins in Exford and leads through farmland and moorland to Dunkery Beacon. This means the surroundings can be experienced as more than just a backdrop: the trail connects the village with different types of landscape and leads to a distinctive destination in Exmoor.

Another way to get to know the area over a longer distance is the Exe Valley Way. This long-distance trail includes an additional link from Exford to Exe Head, the source of the River Exe in the open upland moorland. This link is 7.5 miles or 12 km long. If you like planning your days around specific sections of trail, you should take this distance into account when choosing your activities.

Nature Experiences at Different Paces

The two trails described offer different ways to experience Exford and its surroundings. The circular walk focuses on the connection between Exford, farmland, moorland and Dunkery Beacon. The 12 km link of the Exe Valley Way, by contrast, heads towards Exe Head and thus to the source of the River Exe in the open upland moorland. Those travelling with several generations or wishing to accommodate different interests within their group can plan the excursions separately and set the preferred focus for each day.

When looking for accommodation, it is therefore worth first determining the desired character of the trip: Should the Exmoor landscape be the main focus, or would you like to combine nature and local history? A holiday apartment in Exford is a particularly suitable search direction if the village itself is to be the conceptual centre of your trip planning. This does not imply anything about the specific distances, facilities or availability of individual accommodations; the key consideration initially is choosing the right destination.

Church, Bridge and Remembrance

Exford also offers several historical points of interest away from the trails. The Church of St Mary Magdalene has a 15th-century tower and contains design elements by Sir Ninian Comper. In 1929, a medieval rood screen from West Quantoxhead was also re-erected in the church. These details give the religious building its own historical depth and make it interesting for visitors who would like to discover architecture and regional history while travelling through Exmoor.

Exford Bridge is a road bridge over the River Exe. It was rebuilt in 1930 at a medieval crossing site. Exford Memorial Hall represents a different historical focus: it was built as a memorial to the ten men from Exford who died in the First World War. Together with the church and the bridge, the Memorial Hall shows that the village’s history is not limited to a single building. For a holiday day with less focus on nature, these places can provide an opportunity to view Exford more closely as a village shaped over time.

The Exford Horse Show in August

The Exford Horse Show is also part of the local identity. This active and well-established event takes place in mid-August. If you would like to include this date in your trip planning, mid-August is the relevant period. The Horse Show complements the nature and historical experiences with an event-based focus and may play a role in deciding when to travel.

Exford as a Base for Your Accommodation Search

Exford is a suitable search destination for travellers who want to combine landscape, trails, a connection to the river and cultural history in one holiday location. A holiday apartment or holiday house should above all suit your planned itinerary: nature enthusiasts can focus on the circular walk and the link to Exe Head, while visitors interested in culture can include the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Exford Bridge and the Memorial Hall. Those wishing to travel to the Exford Horse Show should plan around the mid-August date.

Discover More Places

If you would like to compare other places for your trip planning alongside Exford, you can find Stogumber, Dunster, Catcott, Hornblotton, Kilve, Tintinhull, Norton St Philip and Lydford here.

For the overarching travel overview: Somerset.