Springtime in England offers so much to delight in, doesn’t it? Blossom, daffodils, warmer weather and, crucially, that glorious long Easter weekend.
When I think of Easter, I think: Easter egg hunts, big roast lunches, an excess of chocolate… Egg dyeing, those fluffy little chicks, soaking up rays of unexpected sunshine and lots of long walks. But, most of all, I think of my family, spending time together in British countryside.
And my favourite part of British countryside, is Exmoor. So, I’ve created a hopefully helpful list of 10 eggsellent ways to spend Easter with your family on Exmoor.
1. An epic Easter egg hunt
In my family, the annual Easter egg hunt has always been the most anticipated event of the holiday weekend. And even though the youngest member of our family is now 16 we will NEVER drop the tradition! Chocolate AND competition, what’s not to love?! So whether you have little kids in the family or not, we still think it’s essential.
Our top tips for an Easter egg hunt:
- 1. COUNT THE NUMBER OF EGGS BEFORE YOU START! (You need to make sure you get them all – because a) a dog might find it, and dogs are allergic to chocolate and b) you mustn’t let good chocolate go to waste!)
- 2. Hide them at all levels – in trees, on window ledges, in bushes, flower beds and the grass. Makes it more fun and gives your back a break!
- 3. Have a wet weather plan. A hunt inside the house is just as good, but you’ll need something to occupy the hunters while you hide!
You’ll have to source your own eggs. But one thing I can help you with is a beautiful countryside cottage with a gorgeous garden to hide them in!
See our best Easter Holiday cottages
2. A Proper Walk in Beautiful Scenery
With four days off you should be going for at least one proper walk. And there is absolutely no better place for beautiful scenery and a proper walk (in the world!) than on Exmoor. We have a ton of recommendations for you when it comes to walks; from The Valley of the Rocks to The Tarr Steps to Horner Woods. So get outside, breathe in that clean fresh air and stretch those legs in some of the most stunning locations imaginable.
Click here for our Top 10 Exmoor Walking Spots
3. A Delicious Roast Lunch
Whether you want to cook it yourself or leave it to the professionals – we’ve got you covered here. We have the best selection of self-catering cottages available in this part of the world. Some of them where the kitchen literally looks out onto the sea… Heavenly cooking conditions.
But if you’d rather not have to do the washing up, then practically every single village on Exmoor has a jolly lovely pub for you. From The Exmoor White Horse Inn in Exford, a local institution since the 16th Century, now with tables along the river for outside dining in the sun, to Woods Bar & Restaurant in Dulverton – which is so good the Prince & Princess of Wales have eaten there on more than one occasion, to the much loved The Royal Oak in Withypool, famous for its cosy vibes & warm hospitality… you’re spoilt for choice.
Click here for more Exmoor pub suggestions
4. The Easter Adventures Trail at Dunster Castle
As you’re going all the way to Exmoor, (I assume that’s already decided…), we highly recommend Dunster Castle. One of Exmoor’s most prestigious, impressive and popular attractions, it’s worth a visit any time of year. But, every day from 1st-16th April (10am-4pm) they are running an Easter Adventures Trail in the gardens! It’s just £3 per person, which includes the chocolate egg prize you’re seeking at the end of the trail. This is the perfect way to blend some history & some architecture into your family fun, whilst keeping the kids occupied! No booking necessary but click here for more information.
5. Rockpooling with Rangers
Obviously not all of Exmoor is by the sea. But even if you’re staying in the south of Exmoor, you’d be amiss not to make at least one day trip to one of the bounteous beaches along the Exmoor coast. And something really fun that’s on offer at the sea’s edge in Lynmouth this year, is Rockpooling with Rangers!
From 12-3pm on Thursday 6th April & 1-4pm on Saturday 8th April (Easter Saturday) you can join the Exmoor National Park Rangers for a seashore safari – for free! All equipment is provided – nets, buckets etc – and you don’t need to book you just turn up at Lynmouth National Park Centre – contact: 07970099116. More info here.
There’s also LOADS of other wonderful stuff to get up to Lynmouth and its neighbouring Lynton, just up the cliff, while you’re there. Take the Cliff Railway up & down between the two! Check out our guides on both below.
6. Watersports on Wimbleball Lake
Of course, you might fancy getting more than just your feet wet… For this, we recommend splashing out at Wimbleball Lake. This is an absolutely breathtaking location near Dulverton, which offers a variety of awesome activities, including windsurging, stand-up paddle-boarding, kayaking, canoeing, dinghy sailing and archery. There’s loads on offer over the Easter holidays, 1st-17th April – click here for more information and to book!
7. The Easter Craft Fair on Easter Saturday
Dulverton Town Hall – Saturday 8th April 10am-3pm
Local nano-brewery Cottage Beer Project based in Morebath, is hosting another gorgeous craft fair in Dulverton Town Hall. How many more wholesome ways to spend Easter Saturday can you think of, than shopping heavenly, locally made, artisan products and sampling delicious home cooked (& home brewed!) treats? There will be stalls from Springers Cottage Soaps, Crafty Like A Fox, Crumbcoat Bakery, Bollhayes Cider, Happy Glaze Pottery & many more.
8. Bask in the bliss of the bluebells
Our final suggestion for you this Easter, is to seek out the bluebells. This is when they tend to be at their absolute best, and Exmoor has some really beauteous bluebell havens hidden. And (hopefully) one not so hidden for you too! Normally bluebells only grow in wooded areas (such as Borough Woods, Iflracombe, which we highly recommend), but last year, a stunning sea of bluebells sprung up on a hilltop at Bye Wood, where they are currently planting new trees. This suggests that the area may have been covered in trees thousands of years ago! Quite a sight to behold. Bye Wood/Common is near Winsford and if you’re still looking for that place to take a proper walk – how about this one?
So, there you go: Eight eggsellent ways to spend Easter on Exmoor with your family.
And if that isn’t enough to be getting on with, you better take a look at some of our our other eggciting blog articles!
We hope you have an eggsquisite Easter.
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Cottages to peruse…
