Exmoor celebrates 70 years

Exmoor National Park celebrates its 70th birthday

The Lyn Valley on Exmoor - photo Peter Robinson

‘Do more for nature and more for people’ is the pledge from Exmoor National Park as it celebrates its 70th anniversary this month.

In the lead up to its official birthday on Exmoor Day, October 19th, the National Park Authority will be celebrating all that is great about Exmoor with a range of events and activities - and looking to its future with a special 70th Anniversary Appeal for CareMoor for Exmoor.

“Our National Parks were first created in response to the end of World War Two, ensuring some of the most outstanding landscapes were protected into the future as national assets,” said Dan James, Exmoor National Park’s communications manager.

“70 years on, many of the challenges around the need to look after nature and offer everyone the opportunity to benefit from these spaces, are greater than they’ve ever been. But so too are the opportunities.”

Among the 70th birthday events are an Exmoor ‘70for70 walk’ to help raise funds and the annual Dark Skies Festival which includes events in October at The Poltimore Inn Observatory, North Molton and Quince Honey Farm, South Molton (see our what’s on section), plus a children’s story writing competition for tales inspired by Exmoor’s magical sky at night.

Recently Exmoor reported that 93 per cent of its public rights of way are ‘open and easy to use’, and opened a new section of the King Charles III England Coast Path. Web: exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/exmoor-foreveryone/exmoor70