Woody Bay Station, Lynton and Barnstaple Railway

Woody Bay Station is a restored station on the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway, a scenic narrow-gauge heritage line operating across North Devon and Somerset. The railway was originally constructed in 1898 to connect the inland market town of Barnstaple with the coastal resort of Lynton, serving both passenger transport and goods traffic. The line was closed in 1935 but has been progressively restored by heritage railway volunteers and enthusiasts, with Woody Bay Station forming a significant stopping point on the reconstructed route.

The station retains or has been rebuilt to reflect Victorian railway architecture, with period station buildings, platforms, and associated structures evoking the Edwardian era. Visitors arriving by heritage train experience the landscape and settlements from a railway perspective, as original passengers would have done. The station serves as a gateway to Woody Bay valley, a wooded ravine descending towards the coast, accessible via walking routes from the station. The narrow-gauge trains operate seasonally, pulled by preserved steam and diesel locomotives typical of Victorian and early 20th-century rural railway practice.

Woody Bay Station and the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway represent a significant heritage railway restoration achievement, preserving both physical infrastructure and historical travel experience. The route demonstrates how 19th-century transport engineering shaped settlement patterns and economic life in rural regions. The combination of restored railway infrastructure and restored landscape access makes the site significant for heritage enthusiasts and those seeking non-motorised transportation experiences through Exmoor scenery.