Nestled in North Devon, this picturesque town is the ideal seaside getaway with so many gorgeous views it’s been compared to Switzerland.
Lynton & Lynmouth is known for its stunning natural beauty, and Brits frequent the town to get a taste of its environment, which feels a far cry away from other places in England. In fact, its outstanding waterfalls and sweeping landscapes are straight out of a mountainous European town, not one you’d expect to find on the British coast.
These views can be enjoyed from the renowned Lynton & Lynmouth Cliff Railway, which offers families the chance to ride high into the mountains. Unlike any other railway, this is multi-award-winning, since it first opened in 1890 as the steepest and highest completely water-powered railway in the entire world.
The cliff railway itself garners lots of attention and draws in tourists, as it sits in the heart of Exmoor National Park. This connects both of the towns, Lynton and Lynmouth, perfectly in the middle and offers coastal views that will remain firmly on your mind forever.
Its legendary structure is just one of three of its kind in the world and remains a grade II listed structure. As it consistently operates throughout the day, the wait times are expected to be minimal, and the costs are affordable at just £3.75 for adults and £2.25 for children.
A traveller took to TripAdvisor to share their experience, writing: “Had an amazing time here, Lynton is a town with shops and beautiful scenery. You have the cliff railway to Lynmouth village that took my breath away. It was an overwhelmingly little village that definitely had little Switzerland feel.”
Another said: “Excellent village and fantastic view; you can feel like you’re in a small village in Switzerland, and the village is absolutely free compared with Clovelly, where you have to pay to see the village.
“When you get to Lynton, you have to go by Cliff Railway, which will cost you around 11 pounds for a family of four but is absolutely worth it.”
The twin villages are set within Exmoor National Park, a space that offers tranquillity and peace. Whether you’re hoping for outstanding views of streams and deep valleys or wanting a sense of adventure, the national park offers both.
Lying within the park are a number of glorious waterfalls, similar to those found across dreamy landscapes in Switzerland. There are two particularly famed ones, such as Watersmeet, lying quietly within woodland and coastal trails, but to see them in their full glory, they’re best visited following heavy rainfall.
A visitor wrote on TripAdvsior: “A walk down steeply wooded paths, with many seats along the way to stop and admire the place, to a magical meeting of two rivers and waterfalls. A charming house, now a cafe, offers delicious food, and there are many trails to explore.”
