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Crown Estate

The Dunster Estate surrounding the historic medieval village of Dunster comprises over 9,900 acres and has largely belonged to the Crown Estate since the 1950's.

The forests and woodlands within the Dunster Estate extend to over 3,500 acres and consist of a mixture of native deciduous trees and other species including pines and cedars.

Within the Estate are several Iron Age sites, evidence of human settlements in the area two thousand years ago.

A little more recently local chain saw sculptor Mike Leach has created timber statues from tree stumps alongside the more popular tracks near Nutcombe Bottom.

Although used for recreational purposes the woodlands are also managed for commercial timber production. The diverse landscapes include open moorland, woodland glades and streams forming a variety of habitats and supporting a wide diversity of animals and plants.

The Dunster Estate has an extensive network of paths, tracks and trails criss-crossing the variety of landscapes. By arrangement with the Crown Estate, Barle Valley Safaris now has access to the best tracks throughout the Dunster Estate.

Our Safaris departing from Dunster and Minehead transit fascinating areas of the Dunster Estate on the way to the wider open areas of Exmoor. The routes through the Estate have been chosen with care to show the diversity of the landscapes and habitats and to pass by sites of archaeological and historic interest.