I visited the medieval Somerset village with a fairytale castle and coastal walks ...Middle East

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Nestled in between the Bristol Channel and the Brendon Hills of Somerset, sits the quaint English village of Dunster. With a 900-year-old church, a 16th-century dovecote, and the remains of a Benedictine priory lining its streets, this well-preserved medieval village is a glimpse into English countryside charm.

On the edge of Exmoor National Park, Dunster is also home to the octagonal Yarn Market, the trade which formed the wealth of the village. Atop the hills, lies an 11th century castle, and its 59ft folly – Conygar Tower.

The National Park Centre has recently been refurbished, and is open 10am-5pm, seven days a week. Pop by to grab a map and some top tips before heading out to explore the picturesque village of Dunster.

Particularly pretty are the thatched cottages on Park Street and the Dream Garden, which is in the grounds of the National Trust-owned Dunster Castle. Rainy days can be spent among its strong collection of shops and tea rooms.

In late winter, the stargazing is great across Exmoor’s dark skies, while in early spring daffodils and gorse start to bloom across its grounds.

Quick guide

The best places to stay

If you are going to lean in to Dunster’s medieval roots, The Luttrell Arms Hotel is the place to stay. This 15th-century pile oozes character, from its hefty stone porch to its various nooks and snugs, including the guest lounge with its 17th-century plaster ceiling and the dark, oak-beamed main bar. There is an unexpectedly large and gorgeous garden out back, too, with views over the rooftops to the castle beyond. It was once owned by the influential Luttrell family, who were in possession of Dunster castle for a period.

The hotel’s 28 rooms range from comfy and traditional to lavish, period-detailed and storied: it is said that Oliver Cromwell gathered his troops in Room 17 and beheaded the carvings on its beams for firewood before laying siege to the castle.

It is atmospheric year-round, but especially so during the colder months when the fires are lit. Doubles from £150 B&B; no rooms are fully accessible, some are dog-friendly.

There are accommodation options with accessible rooms in Minehead, which is around a 10-minute drive from Dunster. Among them is Premier Inn Minehead, where accessible doubles start from around £60 a night, without breakfast (£8.99 extra per adult per day).

The best places to shop

Interesting independents line the High Street. The Deli is the place to pick up pies, cheeses, chutneys and local tipples. The Medieval Gallery showcases artworks inspired by the Middle Ages, while The Crooked Window specialises in rare, antique and modern jewellery.

Around the corner on Church Street, Hummingbird stocks lovely homeware, as well as clothing and accessories. Continue to West Street to browse collectables at Chatelaine Antiques and locally thrown pottery at Made in Dunster.

The best days out

You can’t miss Dunster Castle, a crenellated fairy tale in red sandstone, rising above the village from its wooded knoll. There has been a defensive stronghold here since Norman times, but it has been much altered over the years. It was sold to the Luttrell family in 1376, converted into a Jacobean mansion and sacked during the Civil War. The current building is a glorious 19th-century family home that mixes lavish rooms, a modern kitchen, a rare leather gallery (it includes a leather hanging depicting Antony and Cleopatra’s love story), terraced gardens and a working watermill.

For something wilder, Red Stag Safari runs four-wheel-drive trips across the moor year-round. There are up to 3,000 red deer on Exmoor, but roe, fallow and muntjac also roam here. As for raptors, kestrels, hen harriers, merlins, peregrines and hobbies have been spotted. Free-roaming ponies are perhaps Exmoor’s most charming inhabitants.

Three places for a drink

It is hard to drag yourself out of The Luttrell Arms, with its big fires, cosiness and admirable drinks selection, including local Wicked Wolf Gin.

However, the 15th-century Stags Head is a good place to hunker down with an Exmoor Ale. Or head to The Foresters Arms near the castle, for a pint and a game of skittles – there is an alley at the back.

The best places for dinner

Psalter’s is the Luttrell Arms’ restaurant, a smart space serving classics very well: perfectly cooked sirloin, pan-fried guinea fowl, a succulent Asian-inspired duck breast with soy, wasabi and ginger. Daily changing specials add variety. Meals can be taken in the cosy bar if preferred.

Simpler fare, such as hearty pies, is served at the Stags Head. And keep an eye on Reeves – this much-loved, family-run restaurant suffered a fire in September 2025, but is working to reopen soon.

The best winter walks

All of extraordinary Exmoor beckons. From the village itself, starting at Dunster Steep car park, stroll to the beach (a three-mile round-trip) taking in part of the Riverside Jubilee Walk and the Coast Path en route, or try a six-and-a-half-mile classic, crossing the Gallox packhorse bridge to top the Iron Age hill fort of Bat’s Castle.

Three things you might not know about Dunster…

1) In the 12th century Dunster was a port, but the sea has retreated, leaving the village two miles inland.

2) Dunster Museum has a collection of more than 1,300 dolls.

3) England’s tallest tree, a 63m-high Douglas fir, lives in Nutcombe Bottom, just outside Dunster.

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