Cottages in Exmoor

• Character cottages, modern comforts: Exmoor's stone-walled cottages sit in villages such as Dulverton, Minehead and Withycombe, most with gardens, WiFi and pet-friendly policies.
• Where to base yourself: Lynton and Lynmouth suit coastal walkers, Dunster suits history lovers and Simonsbath puts open moorland on your doorstep.
• Highly rated stays: Guests consistently score Exmoor cottages near the top of our scale, praising quiet lanes, wood burners and coastal footpaths within walking distance.
• Eating out on the moor: Village inns such as Woods Bar & Restaurant and The Pyne Arms serve farm-to-table cooking, West Country cheeses and regional ales.
• Things to do: Walk the South West Coast Path, ride the water-powered Cliff Railway, and stargaze in Britain's first International Dark Sky Reserve.

Exmoor's cottages range from thick-walled stone longhouses on the moor to whitewashed coastal cottages above Lynmouth, most sleeping between two and eight guests. Many have been carefully modernised behind their original wooden doors. Whichever you choose, expect a garden gate that opens straight onto a footpath. Here are the amenities guests look for most:

• Wood burners and open fireplaces for chilly moorland evenings
• Enclosed gardens and terraces with views over wooded combes
• Pet-friendly policies, with 392 properties welcoming dogs
• WiFi and well-equipped kitchens for self-catering breaks
• Boot rooms and drying space after a day on the trails

Book early for half term and summer, when the best-placed cottages go quickly.

What are the best areas to stay in Exmoor?

For a first visit, base yourself in Dulverton, the moor's southern gateway, with shops, inns and the River Barle on the doorstep. The table below details areas for specific interests:

What do our guests say?

Exmoor cottages earn some of the warmest feedback of any West Country destination on Holidu. Guests repeatedly mention how quiet the lanes are after dark, how welcome dogs are made, and how quickly a footpath, a river or a stretch of coast appears once you step outside. Ratings of 9.8+ are common across the moor, and the properties below are among the highest rated of the past year.

Here are our top-rated cottages in Exmoor from the past year:

1. Treetops - 9.9+: A cottage for two in Martinhoe, praised for its excellent location a short stroll from the Devon coast path.
2. Castle View - 9.9+: Sleeps five in the heart of Exmoor, with three bedrooms, WiFi and a full kitchen for self-catering breaks.
3. Ferndale - 9.9+: A one-bedroom Devon bolthole for couples, under a mile from the coast and equipped for longer stays.

Exmoor spreads across north Devon and west Somerset, a former royal hunting forest of open moorland, wooded combes and more than 55 kilometres of high coastline.

🥗Where to eat in Exmoor?

According to Google Maps data and reviews, The Black Venus Inn is the best rated restaurant in Exmoor. Below is a table showing the top 5 highly-rated restaurants hand-picked by our travel experts.

⭐Our guests' recommendation: Our guest traveller Charlotte recommends the Tarr Farm Inn in Exmoor: it sits on the banks of the River Barle beside the medieval Tarr Steps, and the kitchen works with fresh local and seasonal ingredients.

1. Walk the South West Coast Path
2. Ride the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway
3. Wander Dunster Castle and watermill
4. Spot red deer on a wildlife safari
5. Kayak the Exmoor coastline
6. Stargaze in the Dark Sky Reserve
7. Cross the ancient Tarr Steps

1. Walk the South West Coast Path

   Britain's longest waymarked trail begins in Minehead and runs west along the Exmoor coast towards Lynmouth, climbing over some of the highest sea cliffs in England. Shorter circuits take you through the hanging oak woods above Culbone and out to Foreland Point, while the Valley of Rocks section near Lynton is manageable in an afternoon. Wild goats, buzzards and long views over the Bristol Channel come as standard, and every stretch ends within reach of a village inn.

2. Ride the Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway

   Opened in 1890, this water-powered funicular still links the harbour at Lynmouth with the clifftop village of Lynton, 150 metres above. It is one of only a handful of fully water-balanced railways left anywhere, and the ride takes just a few minutes for views straight down the wooded gorge to the sea. Time it for late afternoon, then walk the short path to the Valley of Rocks as the light drops behind the headland.

3. Wander Dunster Castle and watermill

   The village of Dunster is one of the best preserved in the West Country, with a medieval Yarn Market at its centre and a castle on the wooded hill above. The terraced gardens shelter subtropical planting that thrives in the mild coastal air, and the working watermill on the River Avill still grinds flour. Allow half a day, then compare a stay in the Cotswolds if honey-stone villages are your thing.

4. Spot red deer on a wildlife safari

   Exmoor holds England's largest population of wild red deer, alongside the free-roaming Exmoor ponies that graze the high moor. Guided 4x4 safaris leave from Dulverton and Porlock and take you along tracks you could not reach by car, through wooded valleys and out onto the open heath. Autumn is the season for the rut, when stags bellow across the combes. Bring binoculars and expect an early start.

5. Kayak the Exmoor coastline

   Two-hour guided paddles run from the north Devon shore beneath the Hangman Hills, reaching sea caves, waterfalls and shingle coves that can only be seen from the water. Instructors provide all the kit, and the sheltered stretches suit complete beginners. If a whole holiday on the water appeals, camping in Cornwall makes an easy add-on further along the coast. Seals and porpoises are regular company on calm mornings.

6. Stargaze in the Dark Sky Reserve

   Exmoor was the first place in Europe to be designated an International Dark Sky Reserve, and on a clear night the Milky Way is visible with the naked eye. The best viewpoints are Dunkery Beacon, Webbers Post and the shore of Wimbleball Lake, all within a short drive of most cottages. Bring a flask, a blanket and a red torch, and give your eyes twenty minutes to adjust before you start looking up.

7. Cross the ancient Tarr Steps

   This clapper bridge of huge stone slabs spans the River Barle near Dulverton and has carried walkers across the water for centuries. A circular route through the surrounding oak woodland takes around two hours, with kingfishers and dippers along the riverbank. Finish at the inn beside the crossing, then head south for a change of scene towards Lyme Regis and the Jurassic Coast on your way home.