Malmsmeade and Badgworthy Water, the home of Lorna Doone. Situated slap bang on the Somerset and Devon border.
The well known 'Doone village' is set in a valley scattered with patches of scree. There are traces of stone walls thought to be from the 12th century. These were once the homes of a remote farming community living on the edge of Exmoor. Today these medieval houses and field terraces are some of the best preserved of this type in south-west England. The picturesque Packhorse bridge over the river dates from the 17th century and the ford is even older.
A visit to The Buttery Tearoom riverside garden is a must. We went in may when the bluebells and whitebells were out and spent a good while watching the cars gingerly going over the narrow bridge or driving through the ford whilst enjoying excellent cappuccinos.
The footpath through the valley can either be accessed by paying a 50p toll and following the delightful Badgworthy Water or by walking up a steepish lane and joining the riverside path further along the dale. As you can tell from the photos, we paid the toll.
As with most places these days, at busy times of the year it can be overrun with visitors, but our visit coincided with the funeral of Queen Elizabeth so the place was very quiet.
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| Malmsmeade |
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| Malmsmeade |
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| Malmsmeade |
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| Malmsmeade |
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| Malmsmeade |
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| The Buttery Riverside Garden |
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| Badgworthy Water |
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| Badgworthy Water |
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| Badgworthy Water |
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| Badgworthy Water |
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| Badgworthy Water |
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| Badgworthy Water |
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| Badgworthy Water |
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| Badgworthy Water |
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| Badgworthy Water |
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