Autumn on Exmoor

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Autumn is one of our favourite times to walk on Exmoor.

The air is fresher, the paths become quieter and the changing foliage transforms the wooded valleys around Lynton and Lynmouth.

One of the finest autumn walks is from Lynmouth towards Watersmeet, following the East Lyn River beneath oak and beech woodland as the leaves turn gold, bronze and copper.

The river can feel more dramatic at this time of year too, with water moving quickly over the boulders below.

Further across Exmoor, Tarr Steps and the River Barle offer another very different autumn walk – ancient woodland, river scenery and the famous stone clapper bridge surrounded by changing colour.

Or stay closer to Highcliffe and head towards the Valley of Rocks, join the South West Coast Path or climb higher onto the moor.

Autumn gives the landscape a completely different mood.

And after a day beneath those golden canopies, there is something rather satisfying about coming back to Highcliffe, taking off the walking boots and finding somewhere comfortable to sit.

Autumn is also one of the most exciting times of year for wildlife on Exmoor.

Head onto the open moor and you may see Exmoor ponies grazing against a landscape of changing bracken and autumn colour. Then, from late September into October, something altogether more dramatic begins.

The Exmoor red deer rut.

Exmoor is one of England’s great red deer landscapes, and during the autumn rut the sound of stags can carry across the valleys and moorland as they compete for dominance. It is one of the great wildlife spectacles of autumn.

Areas around Dunkery Beacon, Horner Wood, Simonsbath and the wider moorland valleys can be rewarding places to look for deer, while guided wildlife or 4×4 safaris can make the experience easier for guests who want local knowledge on their side.

Take binoculars. Keep your distance. And let Exmoor do the rest. Then head back to Highcliffe for something rather more civilised.

Autumn does not mean abandoning the coast.

In fact, the North Devon coastline can become even more dramatic at this time of year. The skies move quickly and the views from the Valley of Rocks, Countisbury and the South West Coast Path can be extraordinary.

On some days the Bristol Channel is calm and silver. On others it is dark, textured and full of movement. Dress for the weather, wear proper footwear and enjoy it.

And if you fancy something completely different, an autumn visit to the sea sauna in Lynmouth, when available during your stay, can be a wonderful contrast – cool coastal air outside, heat inside and the sea and cliffs all around you. It is another of those experiences that feels very North Devon.

And Highcliffe is waiting when you come back.

Autumn can put on some extraordinary shows at Highcliffe – and sometimes you do not even need to leave your bedroom to see them.

Towards the end of September and into early October, changing weather over the Bristol Channel brings what we have come to think of as our rainbow season.

Sunshine breaks through passing showers and suddenly a rainbow appears across the water – sometimes a full arc, sometimes a double and occasionally seeming almost close enough to touch.

Then there is one of the most unusual sights of the season. What we affectionately call our ‘floss cloud’ over Countisbury Hill.

At certain times, soft banks of low cloud gather and roll around the hill and valleys below. From Highcliffe, you are looking down on much of it, giving guests in our sea-view bedrooms an extraordinary bird’s-eye view as Countisbury Hill rises through the cloud with the Bristol Channel beyond.

That is often when the rainbows arrive. Then, as the evenings darken, the sky changes again.

We see some remarkable moonlit skies over Countisbury Hill and the Bristol Channel – the moon rising through layers of cloud, illuminating the water below and creating extraordinary patterns of light across an autumn sky.

Sometimes the Channel seems almost silver beneath it. Sometimes the clouds frame the moon so perfectly that you simply stop and watch.

Nature keeps its own timetable, of course. But that is part of the magic.

Floss cloud around Countisbury Hill. Rainbows across the Bristol Channel. Extraordinary moonlit skies. Sometimes the best autumn sightseeing at Highcliffe happens before you have even come downstairs for breakfast. And then, when the moonlight fades and the sky darkens properly, Exmoor reveals something else entirely.

Exmoor National Park was Europe’s first International Dark Sky Reserve, and autumn is a particularly atmospheric time to experience it.

Longer evenings and darker skies create wonderful opportunities for stargazing, while the annual Exmoor Dark Skies Festival brings astronomy events, guided walks and night-sky experiences to the National Park each autumn.

You can head to one of Exmoor’s recognised dark-sky locations, join a guided experience or hire a telescope locally and make an evening of it.

Places such as Dunkery Beacon, County Gate, Webbers Post and Wimbleball Lake offer wonderfully dark skies. But one of the loveliest things about staying at Highcliffe is that you do not always need to travel far at all.

Step outside after dinner, look up and let your eyes adjust. On a clear night, the darkness above Exmoor can be remarkable. Some of our favourite night-sky photographs have been taken by guests right here at Highcliffe. From moonlight over the Bristol Channel to the deep darkness of Exmoor above, autumn evenings can become an experience in themselves.

Autumn is also a wonderful time to explore some of the great historic houses and estates within easy reach of Highcliffe.

Arlington Court, surrounded by wooded grounds and parkland, is particularly beautiful as the leaves begin to turn.

The house and estate are also home to the National Trust Carriage Museum, with its extraordinary collection of historic horse-drawn vehicles, while the surrounding grounds offer plenty of opportunities for an autumn walk.

Then there is Dunster Castle, dramatically positioned above the historic village of Dunster.

The castle, gardens and wider estate take on a completely different character in autumn, and combining the castle with time exploring the village makes a rewarding Exmoor day out. Both give you something very different from walking the moor or coast.

History. Architecture. Gardens. Woodland.

And then a drive back across Exmoor to Highcliffe.

Autumn is also a season for flavour.

Across Exmoor and North Devon, this is the time when local cider, game and richer seasonal dishes start to feel particularly at home on the menu. We will happily point you towards places we enjoy – cosy pubs, good restaurants and those local discoveries that make an autumn break feel properly rooted in the area. And back at Highcliffe, the same sense of place continues.

Our bar champions local gins, beers and ciders from Exmoor and North Devon, so there is something particularly satisfying about settling into the drawing room or cosy bar after a day outside and enjoying something made in the landscape you have just been exploring.

A G&T. A local cider. A comfortable chair. And no need to go anywhere else.

As the days shorten, Highcliffe changes with the season too.

By late September and into October, the house takes on a richer, warmer character. Seasonal foliage, autumn colours, carefully chosen pumpkins, an elegant wreath and subtle Halloween touches appear around the house.

Stylish rather than spooky. The drawing room feels cosier. The bar glows a little more warmly. Outside, Exmoor may be putting on one of its great autumn performances – dark skies, moonlight, dramatic seas or one of our extraordinary rainbows.

Inside, Highcliffe feels warm, peaceful and decidedly grown-up.

Then, after a restful night, the curtains open on another view entirely. Perhaps sunshine. Perhaps Countisbury Hill wrapped in floss cloud. Perhaps a rainbow across the Channel. Whatever the weather, breakfast is waiting. A proper Highcliffe breakfast, freshly prepared and served with that panoramic Bristol Channel view, before another autumn day begins.

Because an autumn break on Exmoor in September or October gives you something completely different from summer.

Walk beneath changing leaves at Watersmeet. Follow the River Barle at Tarr Steps. Head onto the open moor and look for Exmoor ponies.

Listen for the red deer rut. Walk the South West Coast Path beneath dramatic skies. Explore Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum. Spend a day at Dunster Castle. Experience the Exmoor Dark Skies Festival or simply step outside after dinner and look up.

Watch the moon rise over the Bristol Channel. Wake to floss cloud around Countisbury Hill. And, if the weather decides to cooperate, perhaps catch one of our spectacular autumn rainbows.

Then return to Highcliffe. Take off the boots. Settle into the drawing room or cosy bar with a local drink. Sleep well. Wake to the view. And come downstairs for breakfast. Changing colour. Exmoor ponies. Roaring red deer. Golden woodland. Dark skies. Moonlight. Rainbows. And Highcliffe waiting warmly at the end of the day. Autumn on Exmoor may be quieter than summer – but it is certainly no less extraordinary.