Coast Of Britain Exmoor National Park

S urrounded by undulating,         showpieces of the area, Valley of  verdant countryside, as         Rocks is a glorious cliff top      well as diminutive,             gorge, soaring above the           charming hamlets, Exmoor is           shoreline resembling titanic       justifiably acknowledged as the       sentries. Toothed peaks penetrate  land of cottages and combes.          the sky as the rocks stand watch   Located on the north Devon coast,     over the coast.                    Exmoor National Park is residence                                        to a plethora of chocolate box        Barely east of Valley of Rocks     villages along with magnificent       are the twin villages of Lynton    landscapes.                           and Lynmouth. From its prominent                                         position high on the north Devon   Exmoor is the smallest National       coastline, Lynton is home to some  Park in Britain, although the         of the most dramatic views across  scale of grandeur is by no means      the Bristol Channel. Beneath       less. Wildlife flourishes             Lynton, at the mouth of the        throughout the impressive expanse     river, sits the quaint fishing     of rural area. Exmoor ponies          village of Lynmouth, scene of the  graze the vast spread of summer       dreadful flooding of 1952. The     meadows and red deer still roam       two villages were united in 1890   unbound. Modest rural communities     by the cliff railway.              operate their commerce, as                                               farmers persevere to make hay         A further eastward along the A39   while the sun shines.                 rests the beautiful little                                               village of Oare. Positioned two    Travelling eastwards along the        miles inland, Oare lies in a       A39, we enter Exmoor National         picturesque valley, bathed in      Park at the northwestern corner       stunning surroundings. At the      and meet the wonderfully named        heart of the village is Oare       Valley of Rocks. One of the           Church, dating back to the 14th    and 15th centuries. When              sits one mile inland as a          constructed, the church would         consequence of rising land levels  have accommodated approximately       and receding sea.                  twelve people, however in recent                                         times capacity has increased.         Located in the outermost                                                 northeastern corner of Exmoor      To be found amid the rolling sea      National Park, Minehead is a       green coastline, the tiny rural       modern, active town and serves as  community of Culbone is home to       the western terminus of the West   the smallest parish church in         Somerset railway. Amid pleasant    England. The church rests deep in     climate and fresh amenities,       the woody hills and features a        Minehead operates as a             bell dating back to the 14th          contemporary seaside resort. The   century.                              stone quay, built in 1616, was                                           once an essential trading port     The village of Porlock lies in        with Africa and North America,     the northeastern region of Exmoor     while today works primarily        Heritage Coast. Formerly a            leisurely pursuits.                significant port, Porlock now          About the Author: Steven Cronin writes articles, poetry and short stories predominantly concerning travel as well as issues that influence the world in which we live. For further literature visit http://www.sargas.co.uk Source: www.isnare.com