The beautiful village of Porlock is a wonderful place to relax and experience a slower pace of life. With its stunning harbour studded with yachts and fishing boats it’s a great place to unwind and remember a simpler time. For more head to www.visitsomerset.co.uk/explore-somerset/porlock-and-porlock-weir and for Exmoor visit www.visit-exmoor.co.uk/point-of-interest/porlock-weir
Put your best foot forward for a trip back in time
Porlock, with its thatched cottages, ancient church, museums, shops, cafes and restaurants, is a wonderful place to stay… and a great base to see the wonderful sights of Exmoor. So, bring your walking boots if you want to make the most of this great destination.
Porlock Weir, a picturesque hamlet which was once a busy port, sits alongside the South West Coast Path and is also a good starting point for walks to Porlock Marsh and Culbone – home to England’s smallest church.
The Coleridge Way, a 36-mile walking route, ends in Porlock and outside the village’s visitor centre you will find a garden and art installation which marks the finish. Here the “person from Porlock” steps out of the garden wall. The person was an unwelcome visitor to Samuel Taylor Coleridge during his composition of the poem Kubla Khan in 1797. Coleridge claimed to have thought of the poem in a dream, but was interrupted by a visitor from Porlock. Kubla Khan, only 54 lines long, was never completed.
Porlock High Street is renowned for its great independent shops
Porlock village sits in the wide and fertile Porlock Vale, a little inland from Porlock salt marsh and the shingle ridge. The High Street meanders through the village with a wide range of quality independent shops. The medieval church of St Dubriciussits in the centre of the village.
Porlock has long been famous for its steep 1:4 Porlock Hill, heading towards Lynmouth. It is one of the steepest hills on any main road in England and used to cause real problems for older cars. Once up there the views across Exmoor are breathtaking. www.visit-exmoor
Getting to know Porlock’s amazing wildlife – from owls to ponies
For a great day out visit the nearby Exmoor Owl and Hawk Centre, which offers memories to last a lifetime. The centre offers a number of different bird and animal experiences for the whole family. Visitors can enjoy the tranquillity of the Owl Garden and be inspired by amazing bird of prey displays. There’s even the chance to fly the birds yourself in hour, half day or full day experiences for small groups. The centre also offers the chance to lead miniature Falabella ponies for walks through the picturesque lanes or take a larger pony for a ride over Exmoor, described as some of the best riding country in the world. There are also riding holidays and short breaks available staying in the centre’s lovely 15th Century farmhouse. www.visit-exmoor.co.uk/point-
The West Somerset Rural Life Museum, one mile from Porlock, will take visitors back in time to explore the tools, machinery and crafts of bygone days. The old Victorian School Room was built in 1821 and was in use up until 1981. Three years later it was reopened as the Rural Life Museum, with a collection of several thousand artefacts dating from the early 1800s to the late 1950s.
The Victorian Schoolroom boasts original desks and benches, plus slates, text books, toys and examples of pupils’ school work from the early 1800s. Visiting children can dress up in Victorian clothes, play with some of the period toys, and write on the slates.
www.visit-exmoor.co.uk/point-o
Oysters may not be everyone’s cup of tea – but we know tea is…
A trip to Porlock wouldn’t be complete without tasting the local bay’s fantastic oysters. They are experiencing a foodie renaissance thanks to a community-led project to revive a tradition that once thrived in the 1800s. Harvesting native oysters died out in the 1890s due to overfishing but Porlock Bay Oystersare now back on the menu and can be found in restaurants throughout Exmoor.
The water quality at Porlock is excellent and the Food Standards Agency has given Porlock Bay Oysters a grade A food classification rating, making them among the purest available. www.visit-exmoor.co
You can then visit the Porlock Roastery shop to sample some of the best warm drinks on the planet from ‘West Country Original’ tea and ‘Bright and Breezy’ coffee to Miles ‘Heavenly Hot Chocolate’. The Miles family have been blending tea and coffee in the village since 1888 and their brews are brimming with West Country warmth. After all, what could be better than a refreshing brew after a long walk https://www.visitsomerset
*Accommodation of the Week*
Green Chantry Cottage, The Drang, Porlock, TA24 8LB
A charming Victorian character cottage in a tranquil setting close to the village’s High Street overlooking St. Dubricius, the ancient parish church. The sitting room is prettily furnished and has a polished wooden floor with richly coloured rugs. It has an inglenook style fireplace with a ‘mock’ wood burning stove to give that extra feeling of cosiness. The fully fitted galley kitchen is perfectly adequate for holiday cooking. The cottage sleeps four in one twin and one double bedroom furnished with co-ordinating fabrics. The upstairs bathroom is beautifully tiled with bath/basin/wc and a power shower. There is a small secure garden with wrought iron furniture. Soft outdoor cushions, a tablecloth and a garden umbrella are provided. A garage is provided just a five-minute walk away. www.visitsomerset.co.uk/
Have you seen the Somerset and Exmoor Images Gallery? For magnificent images of Somerset and Exmoor, click here: https://www.visitsomerse
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