Tag: nature

Exmoor Events

Published on by Lesley WebbLeave a comment

Exmoor National Park Authority is delighted to announce the launch of the programme for the biggest ever Exmoor Dark Skies Festival

Running from Friday 17 October to Sunday 2 November 2025. Sponsored by BMW Vertu, Bridgwater, this annual celebration of Exmoor’s internationally recognised dark skies promises a packed programme of over 70 stargazing events, science activities, storytelling and outdoor adventures. There’s also a fun Exmoor Dark Skies Festival Competition for children.

The full free event listing and programme is available now from our Exmoor National Park centres and to download here.

 

Things to do this Summer

We have the last of our Ecology Action Days series coming up for young people.

Explore different habitats, enjoy interesting activities with our rangers and experience ecological surveying – no experience necessary!

Following some great sessions themed on Meadows and Woodland we still have these sessions available:

Rivers: Tuesday 19 August

Peatland: Thursday 28 August

To book a space, please email pioneers@exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk stating the days you would like to book. Aimed at ages 16–18 years

Made possible with the National Lottery Heritage Fund and a legacy donation to CareMoor.

If you live in or around Exmoor and don’t have access to transport, please get in touch – we may be able to help (although cannot guarantee).
   

 

A Walk through Dunster’s History

11am start, Dunster National Park Centre TA24 6SE, Wednesday 27 August

Join a guided walk leader and explore the picturesque streetscape and surroundings of Dunster village. A 2 hour guided walk around a village steeped in history.

Dunster Outback Guided Walk

11am start from Dunster National Park Centre, TA24 6SE Wednesday 3 September

A 4 mile circular walk through the ages, from the outskirts of Dunster village up to Bat’s Castle with amazing views of moorland, coast and woodland.

Find lots of great Exmoor’s walks help you to explore the best of Exmoor National Park. With over 1000km of footpaths and bridleways there are long and short walks on Exmoor for everyone like this one in the video above on Dunkery Beacon. Find out more here
 

Come into our National Park Centres to join a free activity or drop in to discover…

-Exmoor Films on show

-Our state of the art digital microscopes

-Telescope hire

-More about Exmoor’s wildlife, heritage, landscape and dark skies, through inspiring and interactive displays

-Exhibitions

-Opportunities for young people to become a Park Protector

Find us in Dunster, Lynmouth and Dulverton

Wildlife

 The Red Deer of Exmoor 

Come and find out all about native wildlife – Talk with Ranger Rich Eales

Saturday 23 August 2pm

Free – donations to CareMoor welcome

Lynmouth National Park Centre 

Red Deer have lived on Exmoor since prehistoric times. It’s estimated around 3,000 deer today inhabit the farmland and moors, with people flocking to the area each Autumn to experience the rut.

8 White-tailed or Sea Eagles have been visiting Exmoor National Park over the last few years, following their release on the Isle of Wight by Roy Dennnis Wildlife Foundation and Forestry England.

Find out more about them and what they like to eat in this latest video above.

Three white-tailed eagle chicks have successfully fledged in Southern England this summer. The chicks were bred by eagles released in a joint project with Forestry England and the Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation to return this lost species.

All of the eagles are tagged so we can keep up to date with their progress and we look forward to seeing if the chicks will follow the flight path of their predecessors and visit Exmoor.

More on White-tailed Eagles here

Sowing the Seeds

Thank you to the landowners who are helping us with our meadow restoration projects.

Our conservation team have been working hard, harvesting and sifiting seed from donor meadows, to create more species rich habitats across Exmoor supporting soil health and pollinators.

Read more on meadow restoration here
 

 

Message from Wessex Water

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Dear Customers

The UK has experienced one of the driest springs in 132 years, and as temperatures rise, so does our collective demand for water. The Environment Agency has now moved our region into what’s known as “Prolonged Dry Weather” status.

We’re not currently planning to introduce a hosepipe ban or other restrictions, but this change is a clear signal that we all need to do our bit to make sure there’s enough water to go around. Every drop counts and your actions matter

We’re not asking you to stop using water, just to use it wisely. Small changes at home can make a big difference – especially when we all do them together:

·        Take shorter showers

·        Use your washing machine and dishwasher only when full

·        Check for hidden leaks around your property

·        Let your lawn go brown. As soon as the rain returns it will go back to normal

These simple steps help protect our water supplies and, if you’re on a water meter, can save you money too.

What we’re doing to help

Hot, dry weather means less water goes into our reservoirs. River flows, groundwater, and reservoir levels are all lower than usual.

We’re working hard behind the scenes to keep water flowing, upgrading infrastructure, and fixing leaks.

If you spot a damp patch on the pavement or a trickle from a utility cover, let us know. Our teams will find it and fix it.

Thank you for your support

Water is precious. By working together, we can protect our supplies and make a real difference this summer for our communities and our environment.

If you have any questions, contact us at 0345 600 4 600 Monday – Friday, 8am – 8pm.

Thank you,  Ruth Jefferson, Chief Executive

Wootton Road Closures

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National Grid are intending to refurbish the low voltage electricity line within Wootton Courtenay. This is to improve the reliability and capacity of the lines and hopefully reduce the amount of interruptions to customers supplies caused during bad weather. The start date is the 5th of June.

The overall intention is to carry out the works as follows:

Under the initial road closure we erect all the poles and stay support wires, using excavators and a lorry. (Stay support wires are the wires that go from pole top down to a galvanised rod into the ground to support the pole.) We will then return from the 1st of September to the 12th to carry out the pole changes, replacement of existing wires with new bundled insulated conductor, BT wire transfer (done by Kelly Communications on behalf of BT) and, finally, removal of all poles by National Grid.

The intention is to avoid having to come back and cause further disruption with more road closures and old poles being left for months after.

All new poles are erected next to existing ones by our poling team, SJS Southwest. No poles will be erected without speaking to the landowner and arranging access first. We cannot move poles into new locations, as that has a knock-on effect on pole positions further on. Any accidental damage caused whilst carrying out works will be put right by National Grid at no cost to the customer.

The areas where National Grid will be occupying the road space is spread across five roads. I have labelled them and each diversion A to E, to simplify.

All Saints’ Church to Brockwell Lane (A)
New Road (B)
Brockwell Lane (C)
Ranscombe Road (D)
Fairgarden Road (E)

During the pole works we will only be working on one road at a time, and at no point during the whole project will we occupy all five roads at once. We will confirm the first road we are starting on and inform you by the end of this week [via village email].

Due to BT Openreach working in the area, on certain days we will have an extra three diversion routes. I am waiting to hear back from the council to confirm which days will be affected by Openreach works, and once they are confirmed I will let you know.

Diversion Routes
Each diversion route drawing has been designed by our traffic management provider, Core Highways:

Click here for All Saints’ Church to Brockwell Lane – Diversion A
Click here for New Road – Diversion B
Click here for Brockwell Lane – Diversion C
Click here for Ranscombe Road – Diversion D
Click here for Fairgarden Road – Diversion E

Click here for route avoiding BT Openreach works, Church to Brockwell Lane
Click here for route avoiding BT Openreach works, New Road
Click here for route avoiding BT Openreach works, Ranscombe Road

Access will be maintained for residents. We do ask residents to try and work with us in minimising the amount the contractors have to move, to speed up the process and help us get off the road as quickly as possible. Bin collections and deliveries will be allowed.

All power outages will be confirmed by letter in advance. (Please note we will not generate for businesses affected, only for customers with medical issues).

The initial closure is scheduled for 8 weeks, but hopefully we will be done sooner than this. This is an over-estimation to allow for unexpected hard ground which may delay excavation. However, we cannot guarantee it won’t take the full 8 weeks.

Adam Shepherd
Technician, National Grid

Help preserve the future of Exmoor Fingerposts

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Exmoor National Park Authority (ENPA) have launched a ‘Donate a Fingerpost’, inviting people to play a part in preserving Exmoor’s iconic landscapes and historic, locally and sustainably-made wooden signposts.

By sponsoring a new or replacement fingerpost along Exmoor’s Rights of Way, people can help everyone who explores the National Park, whether on foot, horseback, or bike, find their way and enjoy its beauty.

Ranger Charlotte Wray said:

“A lot of hard work goes into preserving our National Park. Rangers oversee 1000km of public paths and bridleways across Exmoor. Our locally made wooden gates, bridges and iconic signposts are all sustainably crafted by our field services team, from oak and chestnut harvested from our sustainably managed woodlands, in our Exford depot workshop. By sponsoring an iconic fingerpost you’re helping us keep Exmoor special for future generations.”

Each sponsored fingerpost will feature a discreet 50mm bronze plaque, showcasing the Exmoor National Park logo and CareMoor for Exmoor branding. Plaques can be personalised with a unique dedication, for a commemorative tribute or celebration.

Contributions to the appeal support CareMoor for Exmoor funding vital conservation and access projects across the park, helping to maintain paths, trails, and signage so everyone can explore and enjoy Exmoor.

To sponsor a fingerpost and make your dedication, visit:

http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/caremoor-for-exmoor

Or contact by emailing CareMoor@exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk

Phone 01398 323665 for more for information
About Exmoor National Park Authority
 
First designated in 1954, Exmoor National Park has an amazing variety of landscapes within its 267 square miles – stunning coast, moorland, woodland, valleys and farmland and more than 800 miles of rights of way to enjoy. It is one of 15 National Parks in the United Kingdom and in 2011 was designated Europe’s first International Dark Sky Reserve.
 
Exmoor National Park Authority works in partnership with the community, local councils, businesses and other organisations to look after the National Park and promote its conservation and enjoyment. Donations to CareMoor for Exmoor are gratefully received towards the upkeep of the National Park and its special qualities.
 
 
 
 
 
 

ENP Consultation

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ExmoorNational Park Authority (ENPA) has set out its draft ambitions on how it intends to collaborate with partners, people and organisations to help secure a positive future for Exmoor. Views are now being invited on the draft plan for Exmoor, before it is finalised in summer 2025.

In 2023 ENPA asked people to get involved in an extensive Partnership Plan opinion survey to share their honest views. This, along with evidence gathering on the state of Exmoor’s special qualities and workshops with delivery partners, has helped to guide a draft Plan for the next five years and beyond. The Plan is now open for public consultation before it’s formally adopted by the National Park Authority.

The Partnership Plan explains how statutory National Park purposes, to conserve and enhance Exmoor’s natural beauty, wildlife, and cultural heritage, and to promote understanding and enjoyment of these, will be delivered.

Andrea Davis Chairman of Exmoor National Park Authority said:

“Being one of a family of 15 National Parks, Exmoor is nationally significant for people and nature. It takes a collective effort to care for this precious landscape and one of our key roles as a National Park Authority is working with our partners to develop a Partnership (Management) Plan for Exmoor every five years. Globally we face a climate emergency and nature is in crisis, with our natural resources – soil, water and air – and cultural heritage, under pressure. Many of these impacts are felt within the National Park. The Plan sets out our bold ambitions for nature recovery, for positive action to mitigate and adapt to climate change, to improve the quality of our natural resources, and to care for our landscape and heritage.”

Sarah Bryan CEO of Exmoor National Park Authority said:

“However you are involved with Exmoor National Park, we really hope you will take the time to look at the draft plan and have your say. It’s an ambitious plan which includes a range of challenging targets to maximise the benefits our National Park can provide. We particularly want to support young people and a wider diversity of communities, to enable everyone to access all that Exmoor has to offer

We know that we can only achieve these ambitions by working with everyone who loves and cares for Exmoor and we really look forward to hearing your thoughts.”

You can find more on ExmoorNational Park Authority’s

Partnership Plan atwww.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/pp-consultation

Deadline for responses is 10am on Monday 10 March 2025