Simonsbath Exmoor
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.