Exmoor Magazine

09/09/2025

Coming very soon! Book now via our website. It’s going to be a corker!

09/09/2025

Lovely news from one of our stockists, Exmoor Deli - wishing the team lots of luck x

08/09/2025

Love this post by Guy

What a sunrise morning today out shooting landscapes of lovely trees surrounded by water. Always love a day out with the and testing new tripod!

08/09/2025

It’s that Arts Festivals time of year! Art Weeks soon but first 10 Parishes Festival, which I so love because much of the work is inspired by my home patch. Sometimes it almost feels like I can climb inside certain paintings, smell the hedges, drink in the contours. I’m lucky to have two paintings, bought years apart, by , one of the Scillies and one of Porlock Bay, two of my favourite places in the world. Now, I’m also the proud owner of a Brendon Hills painting by Rachel Byles.

Rachel Byles is new to 10Parishes festival. A life-long familiarity with the farmed landscape of the West Country gives an abundance of inspiration, particularly through the autumn and winter months when she’s always excited to see what the cast of a low sun reveals. She is exhibiting at Hele Farmhouse, Brompton Ralph, throughout the Festival except Weds 10th.

Rachel has had work selected for a range of open exhibitions including this year’s Society of Graphic Fine Art’s Annual exhibition in London. Last autumn she was included in the 2024 South West Academy Annual open exhibition held at Kennaway House in Sidmouth and was delighted to have had a work chosen as the winner of the inaugural Modern Art Distillery prize.

Please note that you won’t find her in your printed brochure but here are directions: Hele Farmhouse, Brompton Ralph TA4 2SG - from Forche’s Cross near Clatworthy, turn towards Brompton Ralph, after approx 500 metres take 2nd driveway on the right
///resembles.warnings.loudly
07790 854228
www.rachelbylesart.co.uk

Pictured here are my Tess Armitage works; she is also part of 10Parishes this year.
Each artist has their own page here: https://10parishesfestival.org.uk/
Good luck to everyone taking part in 10Parishes and Somerset Art Weeks. It feels so good to have local art on my walls.

All framing here by the team at & , who you will find in the mag.

08/09/2025

Morning all! An exhibition at Somerset Rural Life Museum offers a new appraisal of the work & life of Exmoor writer & artist Hope Bourne. Running 27 Sept-10 Jan, ‘A Life Outside: Hope Bourne on Exmoor’ is created by the South West Heritage Trust in partnership with the .

This exhibition considers Bourne’s status as one of the West Country’s most significant nature writers. It draws on new research by writer & Guardian Country Diarist , who also writes for this magazine & whose book, A Life Outside: Hope Bourne on Exmoor, will be published in 2026. Sara is co-curating the exhibition with Kate Best, for South West Heritage Trust.

Hope Bourne (1918–2010) spent almost 60 years recording the landscape, wildlife, history & changing rural traditions of Exmoor. Lisa Eden, a trustee of the Society – who we are also lucky enough to number among our contributors – said, “The Hope L. Bourne Collection consists of over 700 books & pamphlets, more than 2,000 sketches and drawings, published & unpublished manuscripts, a mass of cuttings & jottings, photographs & other personal belongings. This vast & fascinating collection offers a window on the life of this remarkable woman & is an irreplaceable record of a place in time.”

Among the objects on loan for the exhibition are Bourne’s paraffin lamp, her Roberts radio, compass, binoculars & Swiss Army knife. There are displays of the detailed landscape sketches she made, sometimes on the backs of envelopes & cereal packets. Her personal journals & published works also feature. Sara Hudston said: “Hope Bourne was one of the twentieth century’s greatest nature writers, whose work has been unjustly overlooked in recent years. Her ecological awareness, rejection of materialism, & close relationship with the natural world are of increasing relevance.”

Various events are also happening: A Walk around Withypool with on 4 Oct, a talk about the Hope Bourne archive with Lisa Eden on 7 Nov, a nature-writing workshop with Sara Hudston on 14 Nov, & an evening exploring Women Outside with Sara & author Meg Clothier. W: swheritage.org.uk/events.

Hope Bourne at Home, November 1993, Colour photograph taken by Caroline Seward, 1993 (© Estate of Caroline Seward, Courtesy The Exmoor Society).

Hope Bourne sketching, 1976, photographer unknown (© The Exmoor Society).

Hope Bourne, pen and ink drawing of beech hedge on used envelope, c.1972 (© The Exmoor Society).

Hope Bourne, Exmoor Harvest Cart, October 1956, watercolour and pencil (with permission of The Exmoor Society and Halsgrove Publishing).

December Sunshine, Lower Blackland, watercolour, coloured pencil and pencil, 1969 (with permission of The Exmoor Society and Halsgrove Publishing).

Late summer Autumn 89, Ferny Ball, The garden and the back of the caravan, looking towards the hill, 1989, colour photograph (©The Exmoor Society).

07/09/2025

We were so sorry to hear about the horrible fire at Reeves Restaurant Dunster and wish Claire, Justin and family smooth passage on their recovery and return to business. Thank goodness for our outstanding emergency services and close-knit community in West Somerset.

07/09/2025

Here’s our Sunday Girl, Revd Ann Gibbs. This week her Reflection is called Unexpected blessings. Photo by Jane A. Mares.

"Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons." (Ruth Ann Schabacker)
It is often said that we should count our blessings and I certainly think that is true. We are too good at complaining instead of being grateful for all that we do have.

Blessings are wonderful and bring so much happiness and fulfilment. In many cases we can anticipate blessings to come – this week I have presided at two weddings and all the preparation and excitement beforehand meant that the joy of the day was a true blessing. I pray that those two couples will continue to find daily blessings in their lives together. The arrival of a new baby can also be a time of great blessing after the months of waiting and I am sure you can think of many more examples of times when we can look forward to events that are likely to make us feel truly blessed.

But today I am thinking more about those times when blessings might be hard to find – or at least we are failing to see them. “Blessings sometimes show up in unrecognisable disguises." (Janette Oke) When we are finding life particularly challenging blessings may arrive in the most unexpected ways and mean all the more because of that. Sometimes we just need to be ready to see them and take pleasure in them.

I have been talking to two or three people in the last few days who were telling me about the highlights of their summer, which sounded wonderful. There have been holidays, family visits, fun days with friends, glorious weather and some surprises, and indeed they did feel blessed. My summer was not quite the one I expected. After an accident at the start of June I have not been able to do many of the things that I hoped to do during this summer and I would be lying if I said that that has not occasionally made me a little sad.

However, “When we lose one blessing, another is often most unexpectedly given in its place.” (C.S. Lewis) Yes, there were activities that I could not do but I have found so many blessings in the kindness of others, in having a slower pace of life, in having to rest more often. I have been delighted more than once to be given flowers or find a meal left on my doorstep. Beautiful weather meant that I was able to sit in my garden and really appreciate the plants and insects sharing my space. My dog became even more of a blessing in a way I had not expected as she is a livewire and, I suspect, is related to Tigger from the Winnie the Pooh stories – but she has adapted to my shortcomings remarkably and often just comes to sit with me, her head resting on my lap. We have enjoyed many companiable silences admiring the scenery. It hasn’t compensated entirely for the fact that I couldn’t have my usual long walks but it has opened up a whole new facet in our relationship.

Of course, I could have had all these things anyway but, at my usual pace of life, would I have done? Would I have even noticed? I’m not too sure but I am grateful that I have had so rich a summer with so many blessings. “Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing.” (Camille Pissarro) Given the opportunity and the will we can find blessings, wherever and whatever the circumstances and in the most unexpected ways.

Most importantly, when we experience and benefit from the blessings that come our way, hopefully it inspires and encourages us to bring blessings to others.
“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:8)

06/09/2025

September has washed the dusty face of summer and the light is so much cleaner and deeper now. Let’s hope for clear skies tomorrow at moonrise for the eclipse. (Details here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8739rrez23o.) This morning’s photos are by Sarah Hailstone Exmoor with Jack - ‘Autumn’s early mornings are starting to show themselves - mellow mists and fruitfulness.’

05/09/2025

Work is so bonkers busy for our packed Winter Issue - or H is so lazy? - that I’ve had to take on an intern for the weekend. Do girls work harder than boys I wonder? 🧐 He says not 🤥. Time will tell 😅 ✍️ Have a good one everyone!

05/09/2025

If you are heading to Porlock Carnival here is some important info :)