Family Friendly Activities in Exmoor

Planning a family break in Exmoor is a great idea – there’s so much to see and do in this national park, and its compact size means you can even pack plenty of fun into a weekend trip. Exmoor is also an excellent choice for a longer break in the school holidays. This is the UK’s least-visited national park, so you may manage to escape some of the crowds that can be found in other parts of the country.

The varied landscapes of Exmoor are home to a wide range of attractions and activities, so it’s easy to create a break that suits your family. Take a look at some of our favourite Exmoor family activities below – our list covers everything from beach days and woodland walks to historic castles and exotic animal exhibits.

Animal parks

In an area that's well known for its wildlife, there are a couple of excellent places where you can get up close to animals both large and small, including native species and rather more exotic ones.

Exmoor Zoo

Are you ready to face… the Exmoor Beast? There have been all sorts of sightings of a mysterious panther-like creature on the moors over the years, but the only place where you can guarantee a sighting of the rare black leopard is at Exmoor Zoo, just to the south west of the national park. In fact, Bagheera is the only black leopard currently living in the UK, and she’s part of the zoo’s excellent ongoing conservation work.

Leopard aside, there are lots of more animals to see here (including monkeys, armadillos, parrots and snakes), plus daily talks and special events; you can even book meet-and-greet or junior keeper sessions for special occasions. With a playground, trampolines, a café and picnic areas here too, it’s easy to make a full day out at the zoo.

Exmoor Pony Centre

You may well spot some of Exmoor’s wild ponies while you’re driving/cycling/walking through the park, but don’t forget that ‘wild’ is exactly what they are – on no account should you get too close, as they can be unpredictable. If you’d like to get up close to these cute creatures, head instead to the Exmoor Pony Centre, near Dulverton in the south of the park. Around 35 rehomed ponies live here, and it’s free to visit the centre (although donations are appreciated).

Kids and adults alike can join in with petting sessions and activity days here or sign up for riding activities – taster sessions are offered for ages 4 and up with no riding experience, along with longer rides on the lanes or moors for more experienced riders aged 8 and over. If you really fall in love with these sweet animals (which is highly possible) you can even adopt a pony, paying a small fee each month to help provide care for the animals.

Outdoor adventures

Like all the UK’s national parks, Exmoor has some fantastic outdoor activities that are suitable for all ages. For a gentle introduction to some of the park’s landscapes, have a look at our guides to easy Exmoor walks and places to go cycling. Below, we’ve also picked out some favourite family-friendly outdoor attractions.

Dunster Castle

Visiting a castle often fires up young imaginations, and Dunster Castle, up in the north-eastern corner of Exmoor, is likely to be no exception. There’s been a castle here for more than a thousand years, and you’ll be able to trace a lot of that history while completing the fun activities on the Castle Explorer trail. There are also costumes to try on, wooden xylophones to play in the play area and the chance to see a working watermill grinding flour.

All sorts of family-friendly policies are in place here, including free entry for under-5s, buggy-friendly routes in the gardens and a kids’ menu in the café. Special events run throughout the year, including weapon demonstrations, a magical Halloween trail and activities as part of the National Trust’s ‘Summer of Play’ project, encouraging kids to enjoy the outdoors.

Valley of Rocks

There are several places around Exmoor that are suitable for a family walk, but Valley of Rocks has to be one of the best. This is a dramatic landscape, with the craggy valley running down to the coast and providing lots of nice places to stop for a picnic. It’s worth learning a bit about the legends that go with this place – several of the rock formations, such as ‘Rugged Jack’ are said to be druids turned to stone.

You can easily visit the Valley of Rocks with a short walk from the car park by Mother Meldrum’s Tea Gardens, but for an extra dose of adventure, follow the easy three-mile walk along the coast path from Lynton – this will give you the chance to experience some fabulous views, see all the legendary rock formations and meet some of the area’s famous feral goats.

Wimbleball Lake

In the south east of the park, Wimbleball Lake is an excellent destination for a family day out, with all sorts of activities to choose from. If you’d like to keep things simple, you can follow walking trails or bike paths, look out for wildlife including deer, waterbirds and butterflies, and use the picnic and play areas. It’s also worth stopping in at the Dark Sky Discovery Hub to find out more about the night-time displays you can see in this International Dark Sky Reserve (for a bit more information on this, take a look at our guide to Exmoor stargazing).

Meanwhile, if you’ve got older or more adventurous kids, there’s a good selection of activities for them to try out here, including paddleboarding, kayaking, archery and a high ropes course. Efforts have been made to make sure the lake is accessible to all, as well – hiring a tramper to explore the lakeside trails is one of our top recommendations for accessible activities in Exmoor.

Wildlife and nature experiences

Getting out to explore the natural world is a must when you're in a national park, and Exmoor has lots of places that are suitable for a child-friendly nature walk with lots of wildlife to spot. We’ve picked out a few of the best locations here to give you a start.

Horner Wood

Just south of the coastal village of Porlock, Horner Wood is a magical place for a walk. Part of a National Nature Reserve, it’s one of the biggest oak woods in the UK and it’s full of ancient trees including one that’s over 500 years old. An easy two-mile trail is one of the best ways to experience take in the sights (including a 17th-century stone bridge), and there are also bike trails through the woods and the wider Holnicote Estate.  

A farm shop and tea room are on hand at this National Trust-owned wood, so you’ll be able to find refreshments after your walk if you like.

Porlock Marsh

On the other side of Porlock is the wildlife-rich Porlock Marsh, one of the best places in Exmoor to go looking for birds including herons, curlews and migratory birds. The saltmarshes have been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest, with lots of pretty flowers and butterflies to look out for as you go – along with some remnants of World War II pillboxes. At low tide you can also get out onto the beach to see a small area of petrified forest.

Heading straight to the shingle beach is one option if you’ve got young kids, but the easy 3.5-mile walk outlined by the South West Coast Path gives you a better insight into the area, and a chance to see all the wildlife and historic features. It’s worth noting there are no facilities at Porlock Marsh, so you’ll need to bring your own snacks and plan bathroom stops elsewhere.

Ilfracombe Aquarium

Exmoor’s wildlife isn't all land-based, of course – there’s also a lot of sea creatures living along the park’s stretch of coast and in its bodies of water. Just outside the western edge of the national park, Ilfracombe Aquarium is a great place to learn about some of the local marine life, with more than 75 species to be seen in rockpool, coast and harbour exhibits as well as lake and river ones. There are fun quiz trails to follow and daily fish feeding sessions, and the aquarium is wheelchair accessible.

Historic and cultural attractions

Interested in learning a bit about Exmoor’s history and heritage? There are several family-friendly places to do just that – and some of them make particularly good options for things to do on a rainy day. Here are a few of our top child-friendly places to delve into Exmoor’s past.

Dunster Village

When you’re visiting Dunster Castle, it’s also well worth stopping by to explore Dunster itself, a fantastically well-preserved medieval village that may make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. Classic thatched cottages line the streets here, and there are several intriguing places to visit including the Yarn Market, the cylindrical dovecote and the old Tithe Barn, now a community centre staging various events throughout the year.

If you’re up for a little walk from the village centre you can also see places like the old packhorse bridge, the 18-metre Conygar Tower and the Iron Age hill fort known as Bat’s Castle. After your stroll, stop in to see more than 800 dolls at the Dunster Museum and Doll Collection, head to Dunster beach or plan a heritage ride on the West Somerset Railway.

Dulverton Heritage Centre

Dip into the history of Dulverton and the wider Exmoor area at Dulverton Heritage Centre, next door to the national park’s visitor centre in the town. Both places are free to enter, and between them you’ll get to see films, old photographs and everyday objects that will really help to bring the past to life. 

One of the highlights of Dulverton Heritage Centre is ‘Granny Baker’s Cottage’, with the kitchen set up as it would have been in the early 20th century and the chance to hear the lady herself chatting in her unmistakable Somerset accent. Kids may also like to take a look at the model railway, which is being constantly expanded and updated by volunteers.

The Allerford Museum

Back to school? The Allerford Museum makes that a fun experience – this museum of rural life is set in the village’s old school, and it’s been designed to recreate a child’s life from the 19th century. The old school room still has the children’s desks and books in place – and visiting kids can find out first hand what school was like back then by donning Victorian clothes and writing on slates.

The rest of the museum is just as fascinating, housing an eclectic collection of tools, clothes and everyday items from across the decades – everything from jars and cans to toys and school photos. Entry is a bargain at just £3 per adult and £1 per child; don’t forget to check opening times online before you visit. 

Beaches and coastal fun

One of the real selling points of Exmoor is its mix of countryside and coast, allowing you to include a bit of beach time in your holiday as well as all the nature and heritage attractions above. Minehead and Ilfracombe, both just outside Exmoor, are popular towns with sandy beaches and lots of attractions, but here are our favourite family-friendly beach trips within the national park.

Combe Martin beaches

There are two main beaches in the village of Combe Martin, with the main harbour beach being the place of choice for families. This sandy stretch is set within a sheltered bay so the water is usually fairly calm for swimming and paddling, and there’s usually space for sandcastles and beach games.

As well as all that there are rockpools to poke around in, and kayaks or paddleboards to rent for a bit of exploring along the coastline. There are a few places to eat in the village, and you can tie in some beach time with a trip to nearby Watermouth Castle or Combe Martin Wildlife & Dinosaur Park.

Woody Bay

If you like your beach outings to have a bit more of an adventurous edge, head to Woody Bay, not far from Valley of Rocks. This hidden-away cove can only be reached on foot via a half-hour walk through the woods, so it’s often pretty quiet and feels a little bit like a lost world.

Back in the Victorian era, a full-blown resort was planned here – home to a hotel, a golf course, a funicular railway and a pier. For various reasons, the development never happened, but one rather lovely aspect does remain in the form of a small natural-style swimming pool that fills with sea water when the tide comes in. The beach also has several rockpools and a waterfall to look out for. There are no facilities here, and the walk down and up is steep so this beach is one for families with older children rather than little ones.

Planning your Exmoor family holiday

With a huge variety of kid-friendly attractions and activities packed into a small space, Exmoor National Park makes a fabulous location for a family holiday. Even with just a few days, you can explore wonderful landscapes, try some exciting activities, meet animals and spend some time on the beach.

Summer holidays are of course the most popular time to visit Exmoor, but the favourable climate of south-west England means that you can also consider holidays here in the Easter holidays or half terms – come along in October and you’ll often find special Hallowe’en events, for example.

To keep a lid on your holiday budget and bring an extra sense of adventure to your break, think about staying at a campsite or glampsite. Whether you choose a simple campsite for family campfire evenings or a bigger park with a play area and swimming pool, Pitchup’s collection of Exmoor camping and glamping options has plenty of choice.