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Dunkery Beacon

Dunkery Beacon is the highest hill on Exmoor, and the highest point in Somerset, England.

The site is part of the North Exmoor Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), is part of the Dunkery & Horner Woods National Nature Reserve and is a candidate for Special Area of Conservation, Section 3 Moor and Heath and Common Land status.

History

Dunkery is composed of Devonian sedimentary rock, as can be seen in the red soil.

There are several Bronze Age burial mounds at or near the summit, two of the larger ones are Joaney How and Robin How. However these have been damaged over many years and plans have been made to restore and protect them.

Dunkery Beacon was given to the National Trust in 1935 by Sir Thomas Ackland, Colonel Wiggin and Allan Hughes along with the rest of the Holnicote Estate an event commemorated by the summit memorial cairn.

Location

At Dunkery Beacon is the highest geographical point in Somerset, however the tip of the Mendip TV Mast, is higher above sea level at . Based on the formula 'distance of hill from its nearest higher neighbour in km squared, multiplied by its height in metres', Dunkery is ranked 23rd in the UK in terms of dominance, and is a Marilyn The nearest higher hill is Yes Tor away.

It lies just from the Bristol Channel at Porlock. The shortest route of ascent goes from the car park at Dunkery Gate, and is just long. There are extensive views from the summit, including both the Bristol and English Channel coasts, the Brecon Beacons including Pen Y Fan, Bodmin Moor, Dartmoor, the Severn Bridges and Cleeve Hill away in Gloucestershire.

Ecology

The hill is blanketed in heather and in the summer this gives it a deep purple colour. Ling and bell heather, gorse, sessile oak, ash, rowan, hazel, bracken, mosses, liverworts, lichens and ferns all grow here or in surrounding woodland, as well as some unique whitebeam species. Exmoor ponies, red deer, pied flycatchers, wood warblers, lesser spotted woodpeckers, redstarts, dippers, snipe, skylarks and kestrels are some of the fauna to be found here and in nearby Horner Woods. Horner Woods are also the home to 14 of the 16 UK bat species, which include barbastelle and Bechstein's bats.