Lynmouth Where Exmoor meets the sea.
Lynmouth is a quiet, picturesque harbour
village where the rivers of the East and West Lyn join to meet the sea. It has
the second highest tides in the world, which are sometimes quite spectacular.
The famous Cliff Railway joins Lynmouth to its twin village, Lynton, set in a
hanging valley 500 feet above. The area has for many years been known as
"England's Little Switzerland" and has inspired poets including Shelley and
Southey.
Riverside Cottage is the perfect base from which to explore Exmoor. A short car or bus trip will take you to the heart of the moor where heather-clad hillsides, steep wooded valleys and sparkling rivers are home to Exmoor Ponies, Foxes, and Wild Red Deer. The Doone Valley, made famous by R D Blackmore's novel Lorna Doone, is one of many delightful haunts within the Exmoor National Park.
After the day's excursion, relax on your balcony watching the tide come in to the harbour and river estuary. (Tide times permitting of course).
There are regular boat trips from Lynmouth harbour along the heritage coast
which cruise past nesting colonies of Razorbills, Guillemots and the Gulls as
they soar by the highest sea cliffs in England.
Of the many pleasant woodland and riverside walks for both the casual and serious walker, Watersmeet, managed by the National Trust, is a leisurely forty minutes away alongside the East Lyn River. There are also hill top walks with awe-inspiring views across the Bristol Channel to South Wales. Visit the 'Valley of Rocks' with its towering rock formations, formed during the ice age and its resident herd of wild goats.
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