The Dunster Castle Hotel, Dunster, Minehead

Gateway to Exmoor

Dunster is at the gateway to Exmoor National Park and all of its wonderful flora and fauna such as Exmoor ponies, herds of red deer and even nesting Peregrin falcons. The village high street takes you out of the south end of the village towards Tiverton via the beautiful ""Valley"" road following the river all the way. Places such as Snowdrop valley, Exford and Dulverton are a must see for visitors to the area.

Medieval Dunster is a superb base for exploring the dramtic North Somerset coastline, the pretty villages that pepper the moors with their old, thatched cottages and even older pubs and inns, and of course, the dramatic Exmoor of Lorna Doone legend.

Exploring the area

Every year, on the first friday and saturday of december,Medieval Dunster village turns its back on modernity and lights its streets with candles from one end to the other in a tradition which although only started in 1987, has been taken up by villagers and visitors alike and is an annual highlight.

To mark the beginning of the festival the street lights are replaced by candle Lanterns in a lighting procession that starts on Dunster Steep and continues through the village until all the lanterns in the streets have been lit.

The procession is accompanied by colourful stiltwalkers in fantastic costumes who put up the lanterns and their are street artists,
chestnut vendors and other such folk in attendance throughout the festival.