enjoy the view

NOTES

www.walkscene.co.uk

Castle Rock

Valley of Rocks, Watersmeet & Lynmouth

Notes and points of interest

Lynmouth has been a popular resort since the coming of the railways, when most visitors reached it via Lynton and the Cliff Railway. Its most famous event ofthe 20th century was a tragic August night in 1952 when an Exmoor storm turned the combined force of the East and West Lynn rivers into a raging flash flood that swept much of the town away and killed many residents and holidaymakers. Today it is peaceful, pretty and popular and the Cliff Railway still attracts visitors.

Lynton overlooks Lynmouth and shares its modern prosperity. Unlike Lynmouth, which is trapped between sea front and cliff, Lynton has space for car parks, shops and hotels and is the preferred arrival and departure point for many visitors.

Valley of Rocks is a small vale, just outside Lynton, that is kept back from the cliff edge by a protective wall of rocky hills. A pretty location in itself, it is also a pleasant place to begin a walk along the cliff path (or the longer route recommended by this guide).

Lee Abbey is a Church of England Retreat Centre consisting of stone buildings set in pleasant grounds with well-tended gardens providing stunning cliff and sea views.

Myrtle Berry North Camp now consists of an unimpressive group of mounds set among small trees and heathland buses. But is is the remnant of an Iron Age camp - deserving at least a brief inspection and homage to its historical significance.

Watersmeet is owned and managed by the National Trust and justifiably attracts large numbers of visitors in the summer. Many park their alongside the road and stop long enough only to walk down the path, cross the rivers and walk straight back again. A longer visit will reward you with delightful river and woodland scenes plus a wide range of birdlife, including Dippers and Tree Creepers.