North Molton Ridge

About North Molton Ridge

Situated on the south-western fringes of Exmoor, this long upland spine offers a quieter alternative to the park’s busier central moorland. Rising above the village of Twitchen, the terrain consists of open grazing and rough tracks, providing expansive views south across the Bray Valley towards the distant heights of Dartmoor.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is derived from the Old English 'mal' (a meeting place) and 'tun' (a settlement or farmstead), referring to its position near the historic village at the head of the River Mole.
• •The area surrounding the ridge was a hub of industrial activity in the 19th century, with the Bampfylde Mine nearby once serving as a productive source of copper and iron.
• •The summit provides a clear line of sight southward across the rolling Devon countryside to the distinctive, jagged horizon of northern Dartmoor, specifically the granite heights of Yes Tor and High Willhays.
• •Walking this ridge offers a genuine sense of being on the 'edge' of the moors, where the wilder, heathery plateau of Exmoor begins to transition into the softer, pastoral valleys of North Devon.
• •If you find yourself entirely alone on the summit, it is likely because most other walkers are several miles north at Dunkery Beacon, looking at the same clouds from a more popular angle.