Starting point: Bossington NT car park  (SS 898480)  Distance: 6.5 miles  Ascent: 1066'  Date: Saturday 28th August 2010

A lovely walk on the northern edge of Exmoor.  The walk visits Hurlstone Point with a superb view of Porlock Bay, followed by a climb through Hurlstone Combe up to Selworthy Beacon.  A return through Selworthy Combe and a visit to Selworthy, now owned by the National Trust make this a walk to remember, especially as the heather and gorse were at their best.

Route: From Bossington car park, cross the stream and walk out to Hurlstone Point through woodland.  From the Point, pick up the Coast Path to ascend Hurlstone Combe and continue east along the ridge to the highest point, Selworthy Beacon.  Drop down the ridge and bear half right to walk down into the wooded valley of Selworthy Combe.  Make time to visit Selwothy Church before dropping down through the hamlet of Selwothy with its magnificent thatched houses and head west towards Allerford where the river is crossed at an ancient packhorse bridge.  Walk through the village and then across fields and woods back to the starting point.

Porlock Bay on the way out to Hurlstone Point

Hurlstone Point

Beautiful Porlock Bay

The Coast Path

Hurlstone Combe

Emerging from Hurlstone Combe on to the ridge

Bossington Hill is a local viewpoint
Look at that heather and gorse!

Looking back along the ridge

The Beacon ahead

Selworthy Beacon (1012') ...

... and the view across Exmoor

In the distance, the Quantock Hills.  We shall be there tomorrow.

Selwothy Combe, and more heather and gorse

Descending into the combe

Blue and green should never be seen ... except here!

Through the woods

Selworthy Church, built in the 14th century
The walls are lime washed to protect the stones from the weather

The thatched cottages of Selworthy
The complete village was given to The National Trust by Sir Richard Acland in 1944. 
The village was part of the Holnicote estate (pronounced honeycot)

Selworthy

The packhorse bridge at Allerford

Allerford main street

A woodland walk ...

... back to the starting point.
Time for a cooling dip, Beattie?

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