Hidden Gem in Somerset

Porlock Weir is a small harbour hamlet on the Somerset coast at the western end of Porlock Bay, a collection of whitewashed cottages, a small tidal harbour and an ancient shingle ridge that creates one of the most evocative and most unspoiled coastal settlements on the Exmoor coast. The combination of the picturesque harbour, the ancient shingle ridge protecting the salt marshes behind it, the oakwood climbing the steep hillside above the shore and the views across the Bristol Channel to the Welsh coast creates a setting of concentrated natural and human beauty that rewards an unhurried visit. The harbour at Porlock Weir was once an active fishing port and a landing place for coal from Wales, the Bristol Channel trade making this small harbour a significant economic link between Somerset and the industrial regions across the water. The tidal nature of the harbour, which dries completely at low water, means that the character of the place changes dramatically with the tide, the moored boats settling on the mud at low water and the harbour basin filling again with the remarkable speed of the Bristol Channel tides that produce some of the greatest tidal ranges in the world. The ancient shingle ridge that connects Porlock Weir to the main Porlock coast to the east was breached by storms in 1996, creating a tidal lagoon behind the ridge that has been managed as a wildlife habitat since then, its saltmarsh and open water providing habitat for waterfowl and waders. The breach and the subsequent creation of the lagoon habitat illustrates the dynamic nature of coastal systems and the often unexpected wildlife benefits of natural processes. The Exmoor oakwood above the harbour, part of the ancient woodland that once covered much of the Exmoor coastal strip, provides walking of the finest quality with views over the channel to the Welsh hills.

Simonsbath is a small hamlet at the heart of the Royal Forest of Exmoor, the former hunting forest that forms the ancient core of Exmoor National Park, a settlement of isolated farms and the old hunting lodge that was the seat of authority over this remote area of upland Somerset for centuries. The hamlet stands in the valley of the River Barle at one of the most central points of the moor, surrounded by open moorland and the deep wooded combes that are characteristic of the Exmoor landscape, and provides one of the most genuine encounters with the remote heart of this national park available to visitors. The history of Simonsbath is inseparable from the story of the Royal Forest and its exploitation. The Forest of Exmoor, originally a royal hunting ground, passed through various private ownerships and was purchased in 1818 by John Knight, who attempted to transform the moorland into productive farmland through a programme of enclosure, drainage and lime application that created the pattern of fields and farmsteads visible in parts of the moor today. The Knights' experiment in moorland improvement, while partially successful, demonstrated the limits of the thin moorland soils and the difficulties of farming at this altitude and latitude. The Exmoor red deer, the largest native land mammals in Britain, are at their most accessible around Simonsbath, particularly in the valley of the Barle where the woodland and moorland edge provides ideal habitat. The stag rutting season in October, when the dominant males establish their territories and herd females in encounters of considerable drama, can be observed from the roads and paths around the hamlet.

Tarr Steps on the River Barle in Exmoor National Park is the finest prehistoric clapper bridge in Britain, an ancient causeway of flat stone slabs laid across stone piers spanning the Barle in seventeen spans with a total length of approximately 55 metres. The bridge dates from at least the medieval period and possibly from the Bronze Age, its construction technique of uncemented flat stones resting on low stone piers reflecting a tradition of river crossing widespread in upland areas before arched masonry bridges were developed. The setting in the wooded valley of the Barle is one of the most beautiful in the national park, the ancient sessile oak woodland clothing the valley sides and the clear brown water flowing over limestone pebbles below. The clapper bridge carries a public footpath and walkers cross the river in both directions, a continuation of use that has taken place over thousands of years. The bridge has been swept away by floods on several occasions and the reconstruction following each event, using as much of the original stone as can be recovered, demonstrates the continuing commitment to this exceptional ancient structure. The Barle Valley walks above and below Tarr Steps provide excellent riverside walking with good opportunities to observe dippers, kingfishers and otters.