Brendon Hills, Dulverton, Exmoor National Park
[Main photo: 'The Incline' in the Brendon Hills]
High ground in the eastern section of Exmoor National Park
The Brendon Hills rise in the eastern section of Exmoor National Park. It’s a gentler landscape away from the high moor and steep, heavily wooded coastline. There are numerous farms, hamlets and villages in deep valleys and a patchwork of enclosed fields and conifer plantations. ‘On Exmoor’s eastern fringes, plantations of conifers cover c 12,000 hectares on Croydon Hill and the Brendons.’ (Source: The Field Archaeology of Exmoor)
The location of the Brendon Hills
The Brendon Hills are located in the eastern section of Exmoor National Park between the Quantock Hills and Exmoor’s high moor at Dunkery Beacon. Heddon Hill (overlooking Wimbleball Lake) is to the south and North Hill/Bossington Hill to the north and north west. On Ordnance Survey mapping, the Brendon Hills are basically the high ground to the east of the A396. The B3224 cuts across the high ground here.
We’ve positioned the Brendon Hills on Google maps. Zoom in on the ‘Satellite’ setting to see their location.
The Brendon Hills
‘The Upper Devonian slates and sandstones - the Pickwell Down Beds and Morte Slates - form the country of Exmoor’s southern escarpment. North Molton Ridge, West and East Anstey Commons and Haddon Hill. To the north, Withypool Common, Winsford Hill and Brendon Hills are made up of these same rocks.’ (Source: The Field Archaeology of Exmoor)
The highest point on the Brendon Hills
The highest point is Lype Hill at 423 metres above sea level near Wheddon Cross. You walk across Lype Hill on the Coleridge Way.
Walking the Brendon Hills
The Coleridge Way runs east/west or west/east across the hills and provides super views of the area. In the Brendon Hills, the Coleridge Way passes through Wheddon Cross, Luxborough and Roadwater on its way to Monksilver on the eastern border of Exmoor National Park.
The Mineral Line. This follows the route of the old West Somerset Mineral Railway from the Brendon Hills down to Watchet. The West Somerset Mineral Railway ran from Gupworthy to Brendon Hill/Comberow (via the Incline) down to Roadwater and Washford before meeting the sea at Watchet.
Points of interest on the Brendon Hills
West Somerset Mineral Railway. See ‘dismtd rly’ and ‘The Incline’ on Ordnance Survey mapping from Gupworthy to Brendon Hill/Comberow. ‘West Somerset Railway trains carried iron ore mined in the Brendon Hills to Watchet station. From there a horse pulled the wagon over Market Street and onto the quay, to be loaded into the 40 ton vessels that carried the ore to Newport in South Wales. From Newport it was taken to Ebbw Vale, or one of the other ironworks owned by the Ebbw Vale Company, to be smelted.’ (Source: information board in Watchet)
Wimbleball Lake in the southern section of the hills.
Prehistoric sites on the Brendon Hills
There are a number of barrows on the broad ridge along which the B3224 runs.
Local villages in the Brendon Hills
Wheddon Cross is on the western side of the Brendon Hills.
There are deep valleys and pretty villages including Luxboroug and Treborough. The latter is a West Country equestrian sports venue. The setting is amazing.
The area is farmed and feels like the north east section of Dartmoor National Park from Chagford across to Dunsford and then down to Bovey Tracey.
Other hills in the local area
Quantocks. The Quantock Hills/Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is to the east of the Brendon Hills.
Haddon Hill rises above Wimbleball Lake to the south. There are great views from the top fo the hill.
Black Hill. This is the high ground to the north of the B3224.
North Hill/Bossington Hill. These are the hills on the Exmoor coast between Minehead and the Porlock area.
Nearby high moor to the west
Dunkery Hill and Dunkery Beacon.
Wheddon Cross.
Dunkery and Horner Wood National Nature Reserve.
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