About Us
Exmoor Walking Holidays is run by the Yarn Market Hotel in Dunster. This small hotel has been catering for walkers for many years, providing comfortable accommodation, quality home-cooked food, packed lunches and drying facilities. They have their own minibus for walking groups.
The hotel is situated in the medieval village of Dunster, beside the old yarn market in the wide High Street. The fairy-tale castle which overlooks the village, is owned by the National Trust and can be visited. The splendid church has a Carillon of bells which play tunes at 1, 5 and 9 o'clock, with a different melody for each day of the week. Next to it is the restored tithe barn and dovecote.
Overlooking the town are the hills of Grabbist and Gallax which also has an ancient settlement on top of it called Bats Castle. Between these hills runs the Avill River which has an ancient pack horse bridge crossing it called Gallox Bridge. The Old Dunster Mill takes water from this river along a long leat to its waterwheel.
Nearby is the West Somerset Railway which runs steam hauled trains on many days along its standard gauge rails, being the longest tracks of a heritage railway. One of the walks takes advantage of this railway, taking you to Washford from Dunster Station. It makes a good day out in its own right.
Exmoor National Park is close by with some of the best walking one could wish for. It has the most spectacular coastline, with high cliffs, open moorland and deep river valleys. Unspoilt villages are dotted around the moor, untouched by modern tendencies.
Dunster beach provides a perfect place for a day on the beach. This is about a mile from the hotel. Minehead is the main local town with all the usual facilities.
