Bossington, Minehead, Exmoor, Somerset

There are several villages within Exmoor National Park that are so incredibly pretty they’re like a scene from an old picture postcard; they really are that perfect, and Bossington is one of them. This peaceful coastal village is part of the National Trust owned Holnicote Estate (pronounce it honeycot) and fair enough, at first glance you might think there’s not a lot here, but the trick is to really slow down, to look around, look up and look down, and inevitably you’ll notice much to wonder at.

First are without a doubt, the views of Porlock Bay and the moors – breathtaking barely sums it up. And then there are the incredibly picturesque cottages, some stone, some painted white or a warm yellow; some have the original rounded bread ovens, most have the tall chimneys rising above the thatched or tiled rooftops. Amble down through the village in the summer and it’s a festival of colour; roses scramble up the walls, cottage garden flowers scramble enthusiastically over the low walls and the urge to stop and sniff is hard to resist.

The main street through the village takes you on, down to the pebble beach which has a very distinct air, entirely one of its own and is backed by salt marshes which provide a unique ecosystem attractive to rare birds and insects. It’s a nice place to sit a while as it’s generally quiet, and it’s not without its interest; there are remains of 19th century lime kilns and strong evidence of the coastal defences used in the Second World War – a pill box right on the beach and if you stroll on the South West Coast Path up to Hurlstone Point you can see the ruins of the coastguard lookout set on the craggy cliffside.

There’s a National Trust car park in the village, right next to Kitnors Tearooms, which seems an appropriate place to round off your time spent exploring Bossington; freshly cut sandwiches, homemade cake, or a big fat cream tea. Perfick.

All information correct at the time of writing