UK, East Lyn River - Riverside Walk, Exmoor National Park

18 Jan 2026 Just Walking – No Talking East Lyn River Walk – Watersmeet to Lynmouth, Exmoor National Park A tranquil yet dramatic walk through one of Exmoor’s most beautiful river valleys, tracing the East Lyn River from the wooded gorge at Watersmeet down to the harbour town of Lynmouth. It’s a walk that feels alive with sound—the constant rush of water over rocks, the call of birds through ancient trees, and the soft crunch of leaves underfoot. This is Exmoor at its most timeless and untamed. Highlights, History & Local Lore The walk begins at Watersmeet, a National Trust haven where two rivers—the East Lyn and Hoar Oak Water - join beneath steep, wooded slopes. A tea garden now sits where a 19th-century fishing lodge once welcomed weary travellers. From here, the path winds downstream through lush oak woodland, alive with mosses, ferns, and dappled light filtering through the canopy. The river runs fast and clear, tumbling through rocky gorges and deep pools once famed for salmon and trout. Every turn of the path offers a new view: stone bridges arching over the current, narrow ledges cut into the valley walls, and the constant sense of wild beauty shaped entirely by water. As the trail draws closer to Lynmouth, the trees begin to thin and the air sharpens with the scent of the sea. The sound of rushing water widens into the echo of waves meeting the river mouth. Lynmouth itself appears almost suddenly - a peaceful seaside village backed by cliffs and bound forever...