Local Attractions

There are many local attractions for you to visit while you are staying in Dunster. Maybe the most important and prestigious one is Dunster Castle. The Castle itself is open from March until the beginning of November (excluding Thursdays & Fridays) from 11am to 5pm. The beautifully kept Gardens are open all the year round apart from Christmas and Boxing Day.

The scenery and views in this area are amongst the best in the country. We are in a National Park and also surrounded by Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB's).

The famous Yarn Market building is right outside the Hotel and was built in 1609 for the Farmers Wives to spin the sheep's wool and weave it into cloth which was known as 'Dunster Cloth'.

Exmoor is offering its own free currency the Exmoor Groat to give visitors extra value during their stay and help beat the credit crunch.

The West Somerset Steam Railway runs from Minehead to Bishops Lydeard. This is a distance of about 22 miles which makes it the longest, standard gauge, privately run Railway in England. A nostalgic trip in a steam train is a must. With a Rover Ticket you can get off and on as you wish at all the quaint village stations along the route. Discover the pretty Villages attached to the stations and enjoy the beautiful scenery as you travel through the Quantocks with views of Exmoor in the distance.

Just a few miles from Dunster is the town of Watchet with its new Marina and very interesting Museum. On the way to Watchet you will come to Tropiquaria which has been developed in the old Radio Transmitting Station. There are various attractions here which appeal to young and old alike. For the young there are two Galleons to play pirates on. Everybody enjoys the Puppet theatre and there are a wonderful selection of animals, birds and reptiles to see and maybe you will be adventurous enough to handle a snake or a spider! There is also a very interesting Radio Museum.

Exmoor is perfect for Walking, Cycling, Horse Riding or just a gentle, scenic drive. One of the most picturesque places to visit is Tarr Steps. This is set in a very peaceful area of Exmoor and lends itself to a gentle walk along the bank of the River Barle, across an ancient bridge then back on the other side of the river to then cross the river again by the famous stones known as Tarr Steps, used by generations of folk. During February, Exmoor's best kept secret, and only a few miles from Dunster, Snowdrop Valley, comes to life. Deep in the Valley not far from Wheddon Cross the ground is white with Snowdrops, on the banks of the river, between the trees, everywhere you look the snowdrops bloom. There is a Park n' Ride scheme which runs daily throughout the month of February, as this spectacle attracts so many visitors that the narrow lanes could not cope with the volume of traffic.

Back into Dunster again and no visit would be complete without a visit to the beautiful St. George's Parish Church with its ornately carved 'Rood' screen and unique collection of 'Hatchments' which were originally hung outside the house of the deceased, as a form of information board. then moved to the Church after the funeral.

From the Church a visit to the Priory Gardens leads you to the Dovecot and the Tythe Barn which has recently been renovated.

A walk down West Street (the cottages are some the oldest in Dunster) to the Water Mill. Here you can often watch the flour being ground and see the big water wheel driving the milling stones. You will have the opportunity to purchase some of the flour to take home and try in your 'Breadmakers', or for the more experienced you can kneed and prove it in the old fashioned way. From here a stroll along Mill Lane will take you to Gallox Bridge and if you like walking go over the bridge and up through the woods to the ancient encampment of 'Bats Castle'.