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Exmoor
Exmoor National Park is situated in the counties
of Devon and Somerset in South West England; Exeter is 40 km (30 miles) to the south and Taunton
20 km (13 miles) from the eastern boundary. The park contains
a variety of magnificent landscapes. Although it is one of the
smaller National Parks (693 km², 267 sq. miles) the central
plateau of open moorland is remote and spacious. To the north
the moorland terminates in towering cliffs above the Bristol
Channel. Rocky headlands, steep wooded ravines, plunging waterfalls
and jumbled heaps of fallen rock make this an area of outstanding
scenic beauty; it is defined as a Heritage Coast.
Inland, the grass moorland is surrounded by heather-clad
rounded hills mostly over 300 m (900 ft). Dunkery Beacon
is the highest point on Exmoor 519 m (1704 ft). This high land
catches clouds from the Atlantic with rainfall up to 2000 mm
(80 ins) a year and forms a catchment area for numerous rivers
and streams which flow rapidly to the north and more gently to
the south. It is not surprising that the moor is named after
its main river, the River Exe. The moorland is dissected by combes
(steep wooded valleys) formed by these fast-running streams.
To the east lie the cultivated Brendon Hills, heavily wooded
in the north but with enclosed fields surrounded by banks and
fine beech hedges to the south. This typical landscape extends
right across the south western lower slopes of the moor. Here
there is some dairying but Exmoor is farmed mainly with beef
cattle and sheep.
The moorland on Exmoor developed largely as a result
of the destruction of woodland in prehistoric times. It spread during the Iron Age (about
2000 years ago), when the cool, wet climate created suitable
conditions. On the gently undulating hills there are extensive
areas of uncultivated moorland, an open treeless landscape on
peaty soil. The heather moors are dominated by ling, with whortleberry,
whose fruits are a local delicacy, and bracken creeping up on
to them from the combes. In the centre of Exmoor around Simonsbath
lies the former royal hunting forest; an area of extensive grass
moorland formed from purple moor grass and deer sedge, with cotton
grass and bog asphodel in the wet mires. The moorland on the
coast, known as coastal heath, is the most colourful - bright
pink-purple bell heather as well as ling contrasting with the
vivid yellow western gorse.
One of the main reasons why Exmoor was chosen as a National
Park was the beauty and variety of its wild landscape.
These includes:
moorland
woodland
villages and farmland
river valleys (called combes),
coast and cliffs.
Visitor centres are conveniently located
for visitors to the National Park at Combe Martin, County Gate, Lynmouth, Dunster, and
Dulverton. Each has displays related to the locality and a variety
of information is available. A programme of National Park Authority
events incorporating guided walks is offered throughout the year
- the monthly events and walks list is freely available

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