Lynmouth Bay, Lynmouth, Exmoor National Park
[Main photo: the view from Lynton down to Lynmouth Eastern Beach, Foreland Point and Lynmouth Bay]
Lynmouth Bay
Foreland Point is the most northerly point in Exmoor National Park. It juts out into the Bristol Channel. The coastline west of Foreland Point arcs around to Lynmouth (low down by the sea) and Lynton (above) to the high ground at Hollerday Hill by The Valley of Rocks. The sheltered coast between Foreland Point and Hollerday Hill is Lynmouth Bay.
Location of Lynmouth Bay
As the name suggests, Lynmouth Bay is the bay by the popular holiday destination Lynmouth. Lynmouth Bay is in the North Devon section of Exmoor National Park. West Somerset is a short distance to the east.
We’ve positioned Lynmouth Bay on Google maps. Zoom in on the ‘Satellite’ setting to see its location.
Directions to, and parking at, Lynmouth Bay
Follow the A39 to Lynmouth.
There’s parking just off the A39 at Lyndale Cross Car Park or down on The Esplanade past Lynmouth Pavilion National Park Centre and Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway.
You can park up in Lynton or the beauty spot The Valley of Rocks on the western side of the bay.
You can also park just off the A39 by Countisbury and The Foreland.
Lynmouth Bay
Points of interest include:
Foreland Point/The Foreland. Stunning point providing superb views down to Lynmouth Bay, Lynmouth and Lynton. Park by Countisbury along the A39.
South West Coast Path.
Lynmouth Eastern Beach. Rock and coarse sand beach on the east side of Lynmouth Bay.
Lyn Mouth. The mouth of the River Lyn by Lynmouth Harbour.
Glen Lyn Gorge. Visitor attraction in Lynmouth. Walk the gorge and enjoy the West Lyn River with its waterfalls and idyllic setting.
Watersmeet (National Trust). Wonderful National Trust property where Hoaroak Water joins the East Lyn River. Set in a steep-sided and heavily wooded valley, there’s a shop, tea room and garden on site. Watersmeet is part of the National Trust’s West Exmoor property covering ‘some 4000 acres (1600ha) of rocky cliffs, open moorland, steep wooded valleys and fast flowing rivers’. (Source: National Trust information board at Watersmeet.)
Lynmouth Harbour. ‘Harbour and Rhenish Tower. Until the late 19th century, Lynmouth was a small port importing coal and limestone from South Wales and exporting oysters, farm and woodland produce. Lime kilns and thatched cottages still exist although the harbour and the Rhenish Tower, originally a water tower to supply sea water for nearby baths, had to be rebuilt after the 1952 flood.’ (Source: information board at Blackmoor Gate in Exmoor National Park.)
Lynmouth Western Beach. Rock and coarse sand beach on the west side of Lynmouth Bay.
Lynmouth Esplanade Fish Bar Restaurant and Takeaway. Again, by Lynmouth Harbour. Enjoy fish and chips at Lynmouth Harbour and Lynmouth Western Beach.
Lynmouth Pavilion National Park Centre. Visitor centre by Lynmouth Harbour.
Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway. ‘The famous Lynton and Lynmouth funicular Cliff Railway opened in 1890 and is the highest and the steepest totally water powered railway in the world!’ (Source: Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway website.)
The Walker’/Lynmouth Two Moors Way Statue and the Two Moors Way.
Hollerday Hill. Across the bay from Foreland Point/The Foreland. Provides super views of The Valley of Rocks. Great for a sunset picnic.
The Valley of Rocks. Famous West Country beauty spot. Again, essential visiting. The views west along the coast are magnificent.
Other bays on the Exmoor coast
Heading east:
Porlock Bay
Blue Anchor Bay
Bridgwater Bay
Heading west:
Wringcliff Bay
Lee Bay
Woody Bay
Elwill Bay
Combe Martin Bay
Samson’s Bay and Hele Bay
Lee Bay
Historical and cultural attractions near near Lynmouth Bay
Lynmouth Harbour. ‘Harbour and Rhenish Tower. Until the late 19th century, Lynmouth was a small port importing coal and limestone from South Wales and exporting oysters, farm and woodland produce. Lime kilns and thatched cottages still exist although the harbour and the Rhenish Tower, originally a water tower to supply sea water for nearby baths, had to be rebuilt after the 1952 flood.’ (Source: information board at Blackmoor Gate in Exmoor National Park.)
Lynmouth Pavilion National Park Centre. Visitor centre by Lynmouth Harbour.
Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway. ‘The famous Lynton and Lynmouth funicular Cliff Railway opened in 1890 and is the highest and the steepest totally water powered railway in the world!’ (Source: Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway website.)
Lyn & Exmoor Museum. Local museum in Lynton above Lynmouth and Lynmouth Harbour.
Doone Country. Richard Doddridge Blackmore's famous novel 'Lorna Doone' is set on Exmoor. Roughly speaking, Doone Valley/Doone Country runs south of Malmsmead and Oare along Badgworhty Water. It’s surrounded by high moor. You can walk to the site of the deserted medieval village as marked on Ordnance Survey mapping. It’s a beautiful walk that we’d recommend in summer when the heather’s out.
Culbone Church. Said to be the smallest parish church in England, Culbone Church is located on the South West Coast Path as it runs west of Porlock Weir.
Porlock and Coleridge’s ‘Kubla Khan’. Explore Porlock and you’ll see lines from the Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s ‘Kubla Khan’. Whilst Coleridge was writing ‘Kubla Khan’, he was interrupted by a ‘person on business from Porlock’ and the poem was never completed.
Porlock Weir Harbour. ‘Lying within the attractive Parish of Porlock, Porlock Weir with its whitewashed cottages, ancient inn and stone quay has a most picturesque setting. Although the tidal harbour now provides shelter only for pleasure craft, in the past cargoes including limestone, coal, timber and produce were shipped to and from South Wales and beyond.’ (Source: information board at Porlock Weir car park.)
Coleridge Cottage (National Trust). Visit the cottage in which Coleridge lived and wrote some of his most famous poetry. William Wordsworth lived, briefly, nearby. Note that the cottage is in Nether Stowey on the east side of the Quantock Hills National Landscape.
The Ancient Mariner Sculpture in Watchet. The Watchet and Quantock Hills National Landscape area inspired Samuel Taylor Coleridge to write ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’. Watchet is on the West Somerset coast to the east of Porlock Weir and Exmoor National Park.
Other attractions near Lynmouth Bay
Glen Lyn Gorge. Visitor attraction in Lynmouth. Walk the gorge and enjoy the West Lyn River with its waterfalls and idyllic setting.
Watersmeet (National Trust). Wonderful National Trust property where Hoaroak Water joins the East Lyn River. Set in a steep-sided and heavily wooded valley, there’s a shop, tea room and garden on site. Watersmeet is part of the National Trust’s West Exmoor property covering ‘some 4000 acres (1600ha) of rocky cliffs, open moorland, steep wooded valleys and fast flowing rivers’. (Source: National Trust information board at Watersmeet.)
The Valley of Rocks. Famous West Country beauty spot. Again, essential visiting. The views west along the coast are magnificent.
Heddon’s Mouth Cleave. Extraordinary steep-sided valley. The superb The Hunters Inn is at the upper end of the valley. Heddon’s Mouth Beach is at the end of the valley. The views from the South West Coast Path high above the beach both at Highveer Point and Peter Rock are sensational.
Exmoor International Dark Sky Reserve. County Gate/Cosgate Feet is easily accessible so it’s a good place from which to look up at night. The night skies above Exmoor, Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor are all exceptional.
Doone Valley/Doone Country. Beautiful moorland valley.
Hawkcombe Woods National Nature Reserve. Just south west of Porlock.
Dunkery and Horner Wood National Nature Reserve. Huge and impressive valley south of Porlock. Explore the valley and woods before heading up to Dunkery Beacon which is the highest point in the national park.
Porlock Beach. Big rock and pebble beach at the western end of Porlock Bay.
Bossington Beach. Big rock and pebble beach at the eastern end of Porlock Bay.
Porlock Ridge and Saltmarsh SSSI/Site of Special Scientific Interest sits behind Porlock Beach and Bossington Beach.
Places to eat near Lynmouth Bay
The area around Lynmouth Harbour is packed with places to eat and drink and shops selling ice cream and local produce. It’s best to wander around and see what takes your fancy. Some recommendations include:
Lynmouth The Rising Sun in Lynmouth. Amazing pub location overlooking Lynmouth Harbour.
Lynmouth Esplanade Fish Bar Restaurant and Takeaway. Again, by Lynmouth Harbour. Enjoy fish and chips at Lynmouth Harbour and Lynmouth Western Beach.
The tea room and garden at Watersmeet (National Trust). Enjoy a cream tea in a wonderful setting in this steep-sided and heavily wooded valley.
The Blue Ball Inn. Pub just west of County Gate/Cosgate Feet on the A39 by Foreland Point. Great place to stop after a coastal walk in The Foreland Area.
Villages and towns near Lynmouth Bay
Lynmouth. Famous West Country village and part of ‘England’s Little Switzerland’.
Lynton. Again, famous West Country village and part of ‘England’s Little Switzerland’. Sits above Lynmouth and close to The Valley of Rocks.
Simonsbath. High moorland village through which the Two Moors Way runs. Walking country with a great pub. Provides access to Exe Head, Exe Plain and The Chains if you’re wanting to experience the fort of remote moorland you find on the much larger Dartmoor.
Exford. Very pretty moorland village by the River Exe in the heart of the national park near its highest point at Dunkery Beacon.
Malmsmead and Oare. Hamlet and village in Exmoor’s Doone Country. Great walking. We’d recommend following the path that runs by Badgworthy Water to the site of the medieval village in Doone Country in the heart of the moor.
Porlock. Famous West Country village in Porlock Vale.
Porlock Weir. Amazing coastal village with harbour, pub, hotel and beach.
Bossington. Village by Bossington Beach below Bossington Hill.
Allerford village. Beautiful village further inland known for its packhorse bridge.
Selworthy village. One of the West Country’s prettiest villages, Selworthy is famous for its thatched cottages and village green. Enjoy a cream tea at the Periwinkle Tea Room.
Martinhoe and Woody Bay. A sublime stretch of the Exmoor coastline.
Combe Martin. Another very popular holiday destination. On the western border of Exmoor National Park where it meets the North Devon National Landscape.
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