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Exmoor is a special place. After living here for a couple of years we have discovered it is also an exciting place and we want to find out more.
Exmoor is the smallest of the 14 National Parks in the UK. However, it is also the most diverse with a spectacular coastline rising from sea level to some 1100 feet above sea level, making the cliffs higher than the White Cliffs of Dover.
Here are a few snippets of information about Exmoor National Park. We have a copy of the Management Plan, together with numerous books about the history and walks available.
The Exmoor Area
Exmoor has over 260 miles of footpaths and 400 miles of Bridleways. Many of the signs are made from oak trees grown on Exmoor. The National Park has a sawmill at Simonsbath and makes the signs, gates and posts. The National Park has 575 ha of woodland under its own control.
Whilst we notice the scrubland as being so different, it accounts for only 10% of the area. Conifers, planted in the 1950’s account for some 30% of the area (3000 ha) and this amount will be reduced over the next few years as the area is slowly returned to its original landscape. There are 2700 ha. of Broadleaf trees and over 2200 ha of ancient woodland. Horner Wood has the largest number of ancient trees in the UK. Whitebeams are unique to Exmoor and only a few hundred trees are found between Minehead and Lynton.
The Lungwort Lichen, so often found on the trees on Exmoor, is associated with ancient oak and ash and is the result of clean, unpolluted air.
At night you can easily see the stars incredibly clearly, the sky is so unpolluted from atmospheric or light pollution.
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