The Schoolroom at Barbrook

The region

Nearby Lynton is a charming cliff-top village perched 600 feet above the sea on the northern edge of Exmoor National Park, often called 'Little Switzerland' for its dramatic scenery.

Connected to its twin village of Lynmouth on the harbour below by the famous Lynton and Lynmou...th Cliff Railway -- a Victorian water-powered funicular opened in 1890 -- Lynton sits at the meeting point of four long-distance trails: the South West Coast Path, the Two Moors Way, the Coleridge Way, and the Tarka Trail. The poets Shelley, Coleridge, and Wordsworth all drew inspiration from these steep wooded valleys and rugged coastline.

The village has a good range of independent shops, cafes, restaurants, and pubs, all within walking distance. There is a small cinema, a post office, a pharmacy, and tennis and bowls facilities. The spectacular Valley of Rocks lies just a mile to the west along a level clifftop path. Lynmouth, reached by the cliff railway, road, or footpath, adds harbourside dining, boat trips, and the Glen Lyn Gorge.

The nearest supermarkets and high street banks are in Barnstaple, approximately 20 miles away. Ilfracombe and Minehead are each roughly 20 miles in opposite directions along the coast. Exmoor is an International Dark Sky Reserve, making Lynton an exceptional base for stargazing on clear nights.