Around Lynton

Lynton

Though small, Lynton is set in one of the prettiest parts of the Devon countryside.

Well served by cafes and restaurants, Lynton has a number of gift shops, a craft centre, Town Hall and Tourist Information Centre, a Post Office - and even a cinema.

Within short walks on well made paths there are a number of places of interest:-

• Lynmouth.
• Panoramic costal views.
• Beautiful Countryside.
• The site of the ruin of Hollerday House.
• The site of a Iron Age settlement.
• The Valley of Rocks.

Lynmouth

Lynmouth is just a short distance from Lynton, either a 10 minute walk, a short ride on the cliff railway, or 5 minutes by car.

Probably most famous for it's disastrous floods of 15th August 1952, when after heavy rain, the East and West Lyn rivers rose dramatically and large boulders and rocks descended on the village, destroying bridges and houses in their wake and killing many people, Lynmouth is a very pleasant town, set in a sunny bay at the mouth of the river Lyn. Among it's attractions are a putting green, a promenade, the harbour, and a number of small shops and cafes.

Lynmouth is easily accessed from Lynton via the Cliff Railway which regularly runs up and down the cliffs from Lynton at the top to Lymouth at the bottom, last trip back up at around 7 p.m. (check at the station)

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The Valley of the Rocks

The Valley of the Rocks can be reached from Lynton as a 20 minute walk, a short car ride (there is a car park and cafe) or, going the scenic route along the North Coast Path, a very pleasant hours walk with sea views over to Wales on a clear day.

Much favoured by the Exmoor ponies and local wild goats, the paths are well made and easy to walk, with several benches conveniently spaced on which to rest and take in the views.

Hollerday House

Directly behind The Rockvale is Hollerday Hill, the site of the ruins of both an iron age fort and Hollerday House, built in the late 19th century and which burnt to the ground in the early 1900's.

Hollerday House was the abode of Lynton's most famous and richest inhabitant, Sir George Newnes (1851-1910), who funded the construction of the Town Hall, the Convent, the water powered cliff railway and a number of other significant buildings in the town. Though there is no longer anything left of the house itself, and the grounds are mainly overrun with the wood that once surrounded it, the area is a pleasant, tranquil place to walk or picnic.

Coast

From the top of Hollerday Hill there are panoramic views of the coast around Lynton. Although the local coast at Lymouth is very stony, more traditional sandy beaches can be found at Ilfracombe and Woolacombe are approximately 30 minutes away by car.

Countryside

North Devon is particularly associated with the otter story of Tarka by Henry Williamson and the estuary of the rivers Taw and Torridge featured in the book, is near Barnstaple - about 30 minutes away.

Exmoor National Park covers an area of moorland to the south of Lynton and is home to the famous pretty Exmoor ponies and infamous wild goats that can sometimes even be seen in the garden at The Rockvale and walking along the streets of Lynton.