Exmoor National Park, Somerset and Devon

Exmoor National Park is a 267-square-mile protected landscape straddling the Somerset-Devon border, designated in 1954 as one of England's earliest national parks. The park encompasses diverse habitats ranging from open moorland and wooded valleys to the dramatic craggy coastline along the Bristol Channel. This geographical diversity supports distinctive plant and animal communities, including the semi-wild Exmoor pony, red deer, and numerous breeding bird species rarely encountered elsewhere in southern England.

The open moorland, dominated by heather and gorse, rises to elevations exceeding 500 metres, offering expansive vistas across rolling plateaux towards the coast. Woodland covers river valleys and sheltered slopes, providing habitat and creating dramatic topographic contrasts. The park's coastline features some of England's highest and most spectacular sea cliffs, formed from geological strata spanning several hundred million years and exposing vivid geological history to trained observers.

Exmoor National Park supports an extensive network of walking routes ranging from gentle valley rambles to demanding moorland and coastal paths. The South West Coast Path follows the clifftop for much of the park's seaward boundary, offering walking opportunities of international reputation. The park is managed to balance conservation of habitats and species with public access and recreational use, making it a destination for walkers, naturalists, and those seeking experiences of relatively wild and unspoiled countryside within England's densely populated southern regions.