Exmoor National Park encompasses some of Devon and Somerset’s finest and most scenic landscapes, celebrated for their natural beauty and tranquillity. The contrasting elements of woodland, moorland, mires, rivers and farmland all contribute to the unique and fascinating landscape of the National Park.
Exmoor is characterized by its gently rolling hills often crowned with heather moorland dipping into deep wooded valleys or combes as they are known locally, carved by Exmoor’s many rivers and tributaries. Exmoor’s northern edge is defined by its dramatic high coastal cliffs.
This complex patchwork of interrelated habitats and landforms is the result of not only the underlying geology and the climate but also the long history of human influence which has played an important role in forming the Exmoor we see today. The rich pattern of fields, roads, settlements, buildings, earthworks and other historic landscape features tells a story of mans continuous influence from the Neolithic to the present day. The park is relatively undeveloped with settlements displaying a rich variety of architecture, local materials and traditional buildings.
The Exmoor landscape contains within its varied features important habitats for Exmoor’s wildlife including the iconic red deer, but Exmoor is not an untouched wilderness, and farming and grazing by sheep, cattle and the famous Exmoor ponies play an important role in maintaining the biodiversity of the upland landscape.
The appearance of the Exmoor landscape is volatile and sensitive to change. Without management it would quickly change. Changes in farming, and potentially a changing climate will all present challenges in the future that need to be carefully considered in order to conserve and enhance the special qualities that make the Exmoor’s landscape Special.