The Hay Barn, Brendon Hills

The region

The Brendon Hills are a range of hills in West Somerset. The beauty of the hills are definitely worth exploring, but there is also Exmoor National Park on the doorstep and the Quantock Hills (AONB) within a short drive also.

Wimbleball Lake is nearby and has a variety of walki...ng and cycle trails plus a range of water-sports on offer, such as canoeing, windsurfing and SUP/paddle boarding, and sailing.  Clatworthy Reservoir is another nearby lake but smaller and quieter than Wimbleball - there are seven water inlets but generally,the south bank is considered to be the best area for fishing. 

The ancient harbour town of Watchet is a small picturesque town nestled on the West Somerset coastline. It has an active Marina, Steam train station,  Old Port, museums, shops, restaurants, pubs and takeaways! 

Wheddon Cross is argued to be the highest crossroads on Exmoor, standing at 980 feet above sea level, and the highest point on Exmoor, Dunkery Beacon (1704 feet above sea level) is the focal point of the village.  Dunkery Beacon is about three miles further on from the village, there are fantastic panoramic views from Dunkery; wild moorland to the west, the Bristol Channel and Wales to the north, the rolling Brendon Hills to the east and the Quarme Valley to the south.  In recent years Wheddon Cross has become famous for the abundance of snowdrops in the nearby valley which has become known as 'Snowdrop Valley'. The snowdrops bloom around February and a park and ride system operates from the village to enable visitors easy access to the "carpet of snowdrops". Wheddon Cross has a mini-supermarket with long opening hours, a petrol station and a village pub too.

In the opposite direction is the small town of Wiveliscombe.