Aldermans Barrow

We have had another very busy week with our bed and breakfast guests who have made the most of the weather and either walked/cycled or driven over the moor to see the wonderful countryside.

Derek and I went over to Aldermans Barrow on Thursday and walked over part of the moor called The Forest (so called because it used to be a Royal hunting forest). This is a high area of the moor above Porlock and because it is very open it can appear quite wild and windswept. It is actually very beautiful and you can walk for miles over to the Doone Valley and into Badgeworthy Water without seeing a soul. We walked into little valleys with streams and then up over the top of hills where we could see for miles. The air was really heavy with the smell of honey from the heather – we could almost taste it. I always try to have a jar of Exmoor honey for our bed and breakfast guests to try with their breakfast – it’s absolutely delicious!

On the way over, we passed an area called the Enclosure and on the horizon were 5 magnificent stags all with full sets of antlers. One of them was as big as a moose! He had enormous antlers and will be a spectacular sight come October when the rut begins

We have a very good restaurant in the village called Ranscombe Farm which is run by husband and wife team Andy and Clare. Andy does front of house and Clare all the cooking. They provide an excellent menu using locally sourced produce wherever possible at a very reasonable price. Its only ¾ mile down the road and with a torch in hand, it’s a very pleasant stroll back to the Dunkery Beacon. We often recommend our guests to eat there and last night 8 of our guests enjoyed a lovely evening. Although they all went separately, they walked back together and found many interests and people in common – it is a very small world!