The Hayloft, Oare

In Malmsmead

The Buttery at Lorna Doone Farm -- A light and cosy cafe beside the historic Malmsmead Bridge, serving breakfast, homemade cakes, cream teas, and light lunches. Open daily 10:30am to 5pm during the main season (approximately Easter to October), and weekends only during winter months. There is also a fine art gallery featuring local artists and a gift shop with unique gifts and local produce. Dog-friendly.

At County Gate (1 mile)

The Ramblers' Rest -- A charming tea room in the Grade II listed old toll house at County Gate, right on the Devon-Somerset border. Serves homemade cakes, cream teas, sandwiches, and Langage Farm ice cream. The tea room has a unique claim to fame -- half sits in Devon and half in Somerset, so you can choose which county's cream tea tradition you prefer. Log burner in winter, outdoor seating with stunning Exmoor views in summer. Open year-round.

In Brendon (2 miles)

The Staghunters Inn -- A traditional Exmoor pub on the banks of the East Lyn River in the heart of Brendon village. Serves real ales from the cask, good pub food, and has a riverside beer garden. Accommodation also available. Dog-friendly. Open for evening meals -- booking recommended. Check winter opening hours.

The Rockford Inn -- A 17th-century country inn at Rockford, just below Brendon, set beside the East Lyn River overlooking waterfalls and wooded gorges. Serves home-cooked seasonal food, local real ales, and offers comfortable accommodation and fishing permits for salmon and trout on the East Lyn. Popular with walkers and locals alike. Dog-friendly.

Brendon House Tea Garden -- A tea garden at the heart of this Georgian guest house, open during summer months serving light lunches and award-winning cream teas.

In Porlock and Lynmouth (6-7 miles)

For a wider choice of dining, both Porlock and Lynmouth are approximately 6-7 miles away. Porlock has several pubs and tea rooms, while Lynmouth and Lynton offer a good selection of restaurants, cafes, and harbourside pubs.

Walk the Doone Valley -- Follow Badgworthy Water upstream from Malmsmead through fields, ancient oak woodland, and open moorland to the remains of a medieval settlement believed to be the home of the outlaws who inspired R.D. Blackmore's "Lorna Doone". The main circular route is approximately 5 miles and takes around 2.5 hours. Along the way you will pass the R.D. Blackmore memorial stone, erected in 1969 to mark the centenary of the novel.

Visit Oare Church -- The small medieval church of St Mary at Oare is famous as the setting of the dramatic scene in "Lorna Doone" where the heroine is shot at the altar during her wedding. A placard inside indicates the window from which Carver Doone fired the shot. The church contains a Norman font, a curious medieval piscina, and a memorial to R.D. Blackmore, whose grandfather was rector here from 1809 to 1842. Always open to visitors. A gentle walk of about half a mile from Malmsmead.

Cross Malmsmead Bridge -- The 17th-century Grade II listed packhorse bridge over Badgworthy Water is a scheduled ancient monument and one of the most photographed spots on Exmoor. The bridge marks the county boundary between Devon and Somerset, with an even older ford alongside still used by vehicles.

Spot Exmoor wildlife -- The Doone Valley is one of the best areas on Exmoor for wildlife. Red deer are frequently seen on the hillsides, especially at dawn and dusk. Exmoor ponies roam freely on the open moorland. By the river you may spot otters, dippers, grey wagtails, and the blue flash of a kingfisher. Buzzards and ravens soar overhead.

Explore Cloud Farm -- A National Trust campsite about a mile upstream from Malmsmead in a beautiful riverside setting on Badgworthy Water. Open April to November. There is a small shop selling basics and refreshments including ice cream.

Ride the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway -- The highest and steepest water-powered cliff railway in the world, opened in 1890, connecting the twin villages of Lynton and Lynmouth. Approximately 6 miles from Malmsmead.

Stargazing -- Exmoor is an International Dark Sky Reserve, one of only a handful in the world. With virtually no light pollution, the Malmsmead area offers exceptional conditions for viewing the Milky Way, meteor showers, and the night sky.

Visit Dunster Castle -- A striking medieval castle set in subtropical gardens, managed by the National Trust. Approximately 30 minutes by car.

Walks from the Doorstep

Doone Valley Circular -- The classic walk from Malmsmead follows Badgworthy Water upstream through meadows, ancient oak woodland, and onto the open moor, passing the R.D. Blackmore memorial and the remains of a medieval settlement. Return via the bridleway over the moor for a circular route of approximately 5 miles. Allow 2.5 hours.

Malmsmead to Oare Church -- A gentle half-mile walk along the lane to visit the famous "Lorna Doone" church of St Mary at Oare. Can be extended into a longer circuit via the footpaths above the valley.

County Gate and Brendon Common -- Walk up to County Gate on the A39 (the Devon-Somerset border) and out onto Brendon Common for panoramic views across Exmoor. On clear days you can see across the Bristol Channel to Wales. Approximately 4-5 miles circular.

Cloud Farm and Badgworthy Wood -- A lovely riverside walk upstream to Cloud Farm (1 mile) and continuing into ancient Badgworthy Wood, one of the finest remnants of native oak woodland on Exmoor. Good chance of spotting red deer, especially in the early morning.

Watersmeet -- From Lynmouth (6 miles by car), walk up through spectacular woodland along the East Lyn River to the National Trust's Watersmeet House, where two rivers meet in a deep gorge. A Victorian fishing lodge now serving cream teas. Approximately 1.5 miles each way.

Dunkery Beacon -- At 519 metres, Dunkery Beacon is the highest point on Exmoor and in Somerset. On clear days the views extend to the Brecon Beacons, Dartmoor, and across the Bristol Channel. Approximately 30 minutes by car to the nearest car park, then a 1-mile walk to the summit.

Beaches

Porlock Bay -- A sweeping 3-mile pebble beach stretching from Porlock Weir to Bossington, backed by marshland with stunning views of the Exmoor hills. Wild and beautiful in all seasons. Approximately 8 miles by car.

Lynmouth -- A small pebble beach and attractive harbour at the foot of Countisbury Hill. Approximately 6 miles by car.

North Devon surf beaches -- The golden sand beaches at Woolacombe, Croyde, and Saunton Sands are within reach for a day trip, approximately 1 hour 15 minutes by car.