The Old Forge, Exford

In Exford

The Crown Hotel -- A Grade II listed 17th-century coaching inn at the heart of the village. The Crown serves freshly prepared food using locally sourced and free-range ingredients, with seasonal specials alongside a varied menu. You can eat in the cosy beamed bar with its roaring log fire, the more formal restaurant, or outside on the patio in fine weather. Real ales, local ciders, and a good wine list. Food served daily for lunch and dinner. Dogs welcome in the bar.

The Exmoor White Horse Inn -- A 16th-century inn beside the bridge over the River Exe. The White Horse is well known for its excellent restaurant, which uses locally sourced West Country game, lamb, beef, and fresh seafood. The bar menu is served daily at lunchtime and in the evenings, with the restaurant open nightly. A traditional Sunday carvery is also available. The inn boasts one of the most extensive whisky collections in the south-west, with over 250 single malts, alongside Exmoor ales and craft gins. Booking recommended for the restaurant.

Exford Bridge Tea Rooms -- A family-friendly tea room in the centre of the village with its own car park, backing onto the village green. Serving breakfasts, light lunches, homemade pies, and excellent cream teas with scones baked in an Aga. Also a designated Dark Sky Discovery Hub, hosting stargazing events on Exmoor throughout the year. Dogs welcome.

Nearby

The Exmoor Forest Inn, Simonsbath -- Approximately 5 miles from Exford. Awarded a Michelin Green Star for sustainable gastronomy, and named in the Good Food Guide's 100 best pubs. The daily-changing menu features beef and lamb from their own organic hill farm, sourced entirely within a twelve-mile radius. Supper served seven days a week, lunch on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Booking strongly recommended.

Tarr Farm Inn -- A lovely 17th-century inn beside the famous Tarr Steps, approximately 6 miles from Exford. Refined pub food using local produce -- Exmoor lamb, Devon beef, Cornish seafood, and game. Cream teas served throughout the day. Outdoor tables overlook the river. Booking recommended.

The Royal Oak, Withypool -- A welcoming 18th-century village pub approximately 5 miles from Exford, serving good food and local ales in the heart of the moor.

Explore the village -- Wander through Exford's pretty lanes, cross the stone bridges over the River Exe, and soak up the peaceful moorland atmosphere. The 15th-century Church of St Mary Magdalene is well worth a visit for its traditional Somerset architecture and tranquil churchyard.

Dunkery Beacon -- The highest point on Exmoor at 519 metres and the highest point in Somerset. A rewarding circular walk from Exford climbs through farmland and open moorland to the summit cairn, with far-reaching views to Dartmoor, the Brecon Beacons, and across the Bristol Channel to Wales. Allow around 4 to 5 hours for the full circuit.

Tarr Steps -- An ancient clapper bridge across the River Barle, approximately 6 miles from Exford. The bridge is formed from 17 massive stone slabs and is believed to be medieval in origin. It sits within a National Nature Reserve surrounded by beautiful oak woodland, and makes a wonderful spot for a riverside walk and picnic.

Exmoor ponies -- The Exmoor Pony Centre, based near Dulverton (approximately 10 miles), is run by the Moorland Mousie Trust and offers the chance to meet these rare native ponies up close. Open from Easter to autumn half-term. Wild Exmoor ponies also graze freely on the surrounding moorland.

Red deer watching -- Exmoor is home to England's largest wild red deer herd, and the area around Exford is one of the best places to see them. Several local operators offer guided 4x4 safari tours, typically lasting around three hours, to spot deer, ponies, and other wildlife in their natural habitat.

Fishing -- Exford sits on the River Exe, which offers excellent salmon and trout fishing. The nearby River Barle also provides superb fly fishing. Permits and local advice are available in the village.

Horse riding -- Exmoor has some of the finest riding country in England, with an extensive network of bridleways across open moorland. Several riding centres in the area cater for all abilities.

Stargazing -- Exmoor was designated Europe's first International Dark Sky Reserve, with some of the lowest levels of light pollution in England. Guided stargazing walks depart from Exford, taking you out onto the surrounding moorland for an unforgettable night sky experience.

Dunster Castle -- A dramatic hilltop castle owned by the National Trust, approximately 12 miles from Exford. Set within beautiful terraced gardens and parkland, with a medieval gatehouse, subtropical planting, and wonderful views over Exmoor to the Bristol Channel.

Lynton and Lynmouth -- Often called 'Little Switzerland', these twin villages on the Exmoor coast are approximately 16 miles from Exford. Connected by the famous cliff railway -- the steepest fully water-powered railway in the world -- they offer dramatic scenery, the Valley of Rocks, and excellent walking along the coast path.

Walks from the Doorstep

Exford Circular Walk -- A beautiful 3.8-mile route starting and ending in the village, taking you along the River Exe, across cultivated Exmoor farmland, and up to open moorland with panoramic views. Allow around 2 to 2.5 hours. Graded easy to moderate.

Exford to Dunkery Beacon -- A classic Exmoor walk climbing from the village through farmland and heather moorland to the highest point on Exmoor. From the summit cairn at 519 metres, the views stretch to Dartmoor, Wales, and along the coast. The circular route is approximately 9 miles. Allow 4 to 5 hours.

River Exe Valley -- Follow the upper reaches of the River Exe upstream or downstream from the village. The riverside paths pass through peaceful meadows and woodland, with good chances of spotting dippers, herons, and kingfishers. The Exe Valley Way long-distance trail passes through Exford.

Room Hill and Bye Common -- A moorland walk from Exford climbing to Room Hill, with superb views across the Exe valley. Continue over Bye Common for a longer circuit. Wild Exmoor ponies and red deer are frequently seen on this route.

Tarr Steps and the River Barle -- Walk or drive to Tarr Steps (approximately 6 miles) and enjoy a circular riverside walk through the ancient oak woodland of the Barle valley. The popular loop is approximately 2.5 miles, with the option to extend further upstream towards Withypool.

Horner Woods -- A National Nature Reserve with beautiful riverside walking through one of the finest ancient oak woodlands in Britain. A wonderful spot for autumn colour and wild red deer. Approximately 8 miles from Exford by car.

Winsford Hill -- Approximately 5 miles from Exford. Walk up to the Punchbowl, a dramatic natural amphitheatre, and the Bronze Age Wambarrows burial mounds. The Anchor herd of wild Exmoor ponies roams freely here.

Beaches

Porlock Bay and Bossington Beach -- The nearest coast, approximately 6 miles north of Exford via Porlock. Porlock Bay is a dramatic arc of pebbles backed by the Porlock Marsh salt flats, with Bossington Beach offering a vast shingle expanse with views to the South Wales coast. A great walking beach.

Minehead -- The nearest sandy beach, approximately 12 miles from Exford (around 25 minutes by car). A wide expanse of sand at low tide, ideal for families. Also the starting point of the 630-mile South West Coast Path.

Dunster Beach -- A quieter sand and shingle beach near the historic village of Dunster, approximately 11 miles from Exford.

North Devon beaches -- The golden sand beaches at Woolacombe, Croyde, and Saunton Sands are within reach for a day trip, approximately 1 hour 15 minutes by car.