| Tall Trees Trail officially opened |
The newest attraction at the Crown Estate's Dunster Estate has been officially opened by three times paralympic gold medallist Debbie Criddle. The Tall Trees Trail winds it way through a sheltered grove adjacent to Nutcombe Bottom taking in the tallest tree in the country (a mighty Douglas Fir at 60metres high) in addition to the tallest magnolia in Britain and other rare and exotic tree species.
The trail was financed through a grant from the Exmoor National Park Sustainable Development Fund and includes a range of imaginative interpretation features to provide enjoyment and education to all. The National Park Authority worked with the Crown Estate to provide a series of custom built footbridges utilising local FSC certified Exmoor timber. For further details please click here (PDF download). |
| Training Opportunities |
| From motivational management to media relations, from web skills to welcoming walkers and from food tips to fire regulations the Devon Tourism Skills Network training programme covers it all. The good news is that they have kindly agreed that businesses from across the National Park can partake in the programme, including those within Somerset. The courses are subsidised by Devon County Council and the Learning and Skills Council. For full details on the training sessions available please click here. |
| Exmoor and Dartmoor taken to London |
 As part of the celebrations for the tenth anniversary of the Two Moors Festival the National Parks of Exmoor and Dartmoor are being highlighted this week at the Chelsea Flower Show. Designed by Exmoor based Christina Williams the garden highlights the best features of Dartmoor and Exmoor including a domestic garden running into the wild open moorlands. Specific features include a moorland stream, Exmoor beech hedging, and cobbles a granite Dartmoor cross and wall and vegetation representative of moorland scenery with characteristic wind-blow hawthorn, wetland Molinia caerulea turf, small native crevice ferns, mosses, liverworts and other characteristic plants.
It is hoped that the garden will raise the profile amongst nearly 200,000 attendees of both the festival and also the National Parks as destinations for visitors as well as attracting significant press coverage. For further details please click here. The project is supported by the Exmoor and Dartmoor National Park Sustainable Development Funds. |
| West Somerset Railway - quality assured |
Quality is more important than ever today with consumers and accredited quality assurance is one of the measures available to demonstrate the efforts undertaken by many businesses. The VAQAS assessment looks at all areas that impact on the quality of the visitor experience, ranging from the initial enquiry through to the departure and recognises areas that may be unique to individual organisations as well as common areas. |
| Walkers are Welcome |
 Dunster has become the first destination in Exmoor to gain the prestigious ' Walkers are Welcome' award. Dunster now joins 45 other towns across the country that have gone the 'extra mile' to make walkers welcome. Dunster already has a well known reputation amongst visitors as having splendid walking opportunities and local businesses have worked together through the Dunster Chamber of Commerce and Trade to achieve the award with the support of the National Park Authority, Crown Estate and West Somerset council.
Antony Brunt of the Yarn Market Hotel commented: "There were six criteria we had to meet. Showing there was support for the concept was easy as we collected 460 signatures in just 10 days. We have worked in conjunction with the Local Authorities and they have all been very supportive. We are lucky that both the Crown Estate and the Exmoor National Park Authority have excellent way marking for many of their paths."
Research by the National Park Authority has shown that walking is the number one activity undertaken by visitors and now Dunster is hoping to encourage other destinations across Exmoor to follow suit, helping to make Exmoor as welcoming to walkers as possible. |
| Access for all? |
 Good accessibility has broad appeal and can create many benefits for those businesses that are able to demonstrate they're taking appropriate action. Even if your business has steps to the front door or no ground floor bedrooms, there are easy things you can do to ensure your business is as accessible as possible. A new video from Visit England demonstrates how a number of operators are 'profiting through accessible tourism'.
If you're inspired to take action the joining fee for the National Accessible Scheme has been waived this year for members of the Visit England Quality scheme, and discounts are available for members of the AA national quality scheme. For more information click here (PDF download). |
| Switch on to savings |
If you're facing increased energy bills take advantage of a free impartial energy assessment from the National Park Authority delivered by City and Guilds trained members of Forum21. The assessment will include a site visit with a follow up report showing you how you can reduce your energy use (and therefore your profits) whilst maintaining high quality standards. For further information click here. |
| Take Three - Exmoor explorations |
 Take three is an exhibition of artworks created through the Exmoor based artists working on the TriPark project with additional artwork by Duncan Cameron. The international artists work provide a unique and deeply engaging view of Exmoor communities and landscape by which to understand and enjoy its special qualities. The exhibition, supported by the Exmoor National Park Sustainable Development Fund is now showing at the Dulverton Guildhall Heritage and Arts Centre until 11 June from 10am to 4.30pm daily. The exhibition will also be on display at the Dunster National Park Centre later in the summer. |
The National Park Authority has worked in partnership with Somerset and Devon County Councils to produce a co-ordinated Exmoor Transport Guide. The guide contains full bus timetables for all routes within the National Park in addition to other information helping people to get the most out of a car free visit within Exmoor.
