The Blackdown Hills are a nationally important landscape in recognition of the special qualities of their natural and built environment. Being relatively unspoilt, the Hills offer a rare sense of timelessness.
Some of the most popular tourist destinations in the world are backwaters – places where little has changed or is likely to. Here we can take time to reflect on the relative constancy of the natural landscape. One such place is the area around the Blackdown Hills, in many ways archetypal English Countryside with hedgerows, copses, farmland and narrow lanes. The villages are distinctive thanks to the use of local stone, tiles and thatch and many of the hamlets date back to medieval days. Among the smallest of the UK’s protected landscapes, the Blackdown Hills have a remarkable variety of habitats from heath and grasslands to wet woodlands and bogs. The steep banks are a riot of wildflowers in Spring and the hedgerows and woods are still home to the nationally scarce hazel dormice. Standing guard on the northern ridge of the hills is the world’s only three-sided obelisk, a monument to the Duke of Wellington.
A network of hedges, mature hedgerow trees and small copses link a rich mosaic of semi-natural habitats. The area is perfect for
walks,
cycling and
horse riding where the quiet bridleways and byways offer many opportunities to explore and enjoy the locally distinctive buildings, archaeological remains and natural flora and fauna.
The Hills have a variety of tourist accommodation providers ranging from
bed & breakfast establishments, beautiful country houses, converted barns, farmhouses and cottages. There are a number of
self-catering cottages and a small range of family run
hotels and guesthouses.
This area is renowned for its fantastic range of welcoming country inns, many of which offer terrific menus of home cooked food, sourced from local produce.
The Blackdown Hills are perfect destination for short break holidays, where visitors can join in with organized activities such as guided walks, hedgerow skills workshops, fishing, arts and crafts, writing courses... the list is endless!