South West

Accommodation: We have 28 en-suite bedrooms, which all have televisions and tea/coffee making facilities.  We can offer conference rooms to use whilst you are here where you and your group can meet in the evening to discuss the next day’s activities or perhaps enjoy a quiz, which we can help to organise.

Special Interest Breaks. We run over 20 different special breaks every year including a Jazz weekend, Music workshops, Choral weekends, Craft Weekends, Walking Holidays, Garden Breaks, and many more. If you have any groups interested in specialist subjects then please let us know and we will endeavour to provide a break suitable for their requirements.

The beautiful medieval village of Dunster, set in the Exmoor National Park, is a very popular destination.  Whatever time of year you visit you are sure to experience the full extent of Exmoor’s beauty, from early spring with its snowdrops and the bluebell carpeted woods and primrose covered hedgerows of late spring through to summer when its moorlands are a vibrant sea of purples, lilacs and yellows, alive with the sound of birds and insects.   Autumn brings a wonderful golden colour and rustic charm to the oak woodlands, and there's always the chance to hear the sound of rutting stags locking antlers. Winter is also a magical time on Exmoor. When it snows the landscape takes on a whole new beauty.  Steeped in history, the Exmoor area covers a wide range of places to visit from Combe Martin in North Devon along the spectacular coastline of Exmoor National Park, across the Quantock Hills to the tip of West Somerset and inland to rural villages and acres of open space, from rugged moorland to wooded valleys. It's all dotted with pretty villages where you'll find a friendly welcome.

Exmoor is made for walking! It has 600 miles of way marked paths and superb unspoilt and very varied landscape conserved by the Exmoor National Park which extends from sea level to just over 1700 feet. The South West Coast Path, which is 630 miles of glorious walking, starts in Minehead.  The Coleridge Way following in the footsteps of the romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and the beautiful Quantock Hill’s are only a few miles away.  Dunster has many walks which radiate from the village including spectacular coastal and woodland walks, gorse, heather and wildlife walks, walks to Bat’s Castle - an Iron Age hillfort.  There are a variety of walks which are easy to combine with a ride on the West Somerset Steam Railway. Even Dunkery Beacon the highest point on Exmoor is within walking distance for the more energetic walker.  Walks are available to suit all ages and abilities and we can help plan an interesting and exciting itinerary for you.  Guides can be provided if necessary.  We have a boot and drying room to store your gear if the weather becomes inclement.

Restaurant Facilities: We can provide meals for up to 60 people (Pre-booking is essential for larger groups) serving food sourced wherever possible from local suppliers. We are happy to quote for party bookings at any time of the day.

Coach and car parking: There is a large public car park close to the Hotel and currently coaches are free at all times, cars are free overnight. There are also a limited number of unrestricted parking spaces available in the High Street in front of the hotel for smaller vehicles and minibuses.

Local attractions: (within walking distance)  Dunster Castle and grounds owned by the National Trust, Dunster Working Water Mill, Dunster Church, Yarn Market, West Somerset Steam Railway, Dovecote, Dunster Village Gardens, Conygar Tower, Gallox  Packhorse Bridge, Dunster Beach, Village Shops, Exmoor National Park Information Centre, and a variety of historic buildings throughout the village.

Area Attractions (all within 30 minutes by coach or minibus):  Tarr Steps (ancient medieval clapper bridge), Webbers Post gallery of huge wood sculptures,  Doone Valley (famous from the novel Lorna Doone), Lynton and Lynmouth Cliff Railway, Valley of the Rocks and its notorious herd of goats, Watchet Marina *, Watchet Museums *, Tropiquaria (All weather family attraction), Cleeve Abbey (English Heritage) *, Railway Museum *, Minehead town and shops (including cinema, banks etc)*, Exmoor Brass Rubbing Centre, Wimbleball Lake, Coleridge Cottage, Exmoor Hawk and Owl Centre, Torre Cider Museum (* indicates accessible from Steam Railway).

Events
The hotel offers many Special Breaks each year, many are repeated on an annual basis. These are some of our regular events, all are on a Dinner Bed and Breakfast basis, and some are full board.

January
Folk Dance and Snowdrop weekend - a 2 night weekend dance workshop and a trip out to the secret Exmoor snowdrop valley.
Stargazing Weekend – a 2 night break to experience the dark skies of Exmoor National Park – includes talks and transport to stargazing site

February
Choral Weekend – 2 night singing workshop with Ian Chesworth with an afternoon public performance on the last day. Also a programme of walks and activities.

April
South West Coast Path Walk – 5 nights hotel accommodation with 4 days walking to cover 35 miles of the long distance path, from Minehead to Combe Martin.

May
Summer Singing Weekend – 2 night choral singing workshop with Ian Chesworth, and also a programme of walks and other activities.

July
Jazz Weekend – 3 night break with great jazz entertainment every evening with John Shillito’s Select Six, a different programme each night.

August
Artists Paradise – 5 night painting break with tuition and encouragement by Lynda Appleby who will take  you out each day to local beauty spots for inspiration to create great paintings. Picnic or pub lunches included.
Music Week – 7 night choral and orchestral workshop with a public concert on the last afternoon. Walks and excursions included.

October
Railways of Exmoor Weekend – a 3 night break in conjunction with the West Somerset Railway, includes day rover ticket for the railway and excursion to the villages of Lynton and Lynmouth and Woody Bay Station.

November
Craft Weekend – a weekend to explore techniques of spinning wool and a chance to make your own Christmas decorations, includes all meals, tuition and workshop pack.
A Cappella Choral Weekend - 2 night singing workshop with Ian Chesworth with an afternoon public performance on the last day. Also a programme of walks and activities.

December
Dunster by Candlelight – special packages available for this annual event where Dunster steps back in time, the streets are lit by candlelight and the shops are open late. Street entertainment, brass bands, carol singing and more! Book early.
Murder Mystery night – An evening of great entertainment, enjoy a 3 course dinner and watch as sinister plans unfold – can you solve the mystery by the end of the evening?
Christmas at the Yarn Market Hotel – enjoy 3 days of festivities with gala dinners and a package of walks and activities.
New Year – the hotel is open during this period and can also be booked for a large group subject to advance notice.