As a small charity owned Bunkhouse we operate on a minimal budget to keep costs down for our users. It is our main aim to make staying in the wilds of Exmoor available to as many young people as possible. One thing we don’t have is a publicity budget so we are looking at alternatives to traditional advertising for next year.

We have written articles for magazines and papers in the past for publicity. If you are an editor who feels your readership would be interested in either staying at our bunkhouse or hearing of the story of how we came about and what we have done fore the past 45 years then please get in touch. You are also welcome to use any photographs on this website as page fillers if you give our website a credit and let us know.

We would love to hear from anyone who can help us get as many people visiting us as possible next year.

Will  Bowden

I got a report that the temperature was down to -2degC across the moor a few days ago which set alarm bells ringing. We usually get our first serious frost at the beginning of November at The Exmoor Centre but its early this year, we have the potential for frosty mornings for seven months of the year!

When the woodburning stove is raging the bunkhouse is toasty and warm no matter what the weather but left unheated the temperature drops and being in a deep combe high on the moor some days the temperature struggles to get above freezing.

Our main winter problem is the water system; it soon freezes solid potentially causing damage to the delicate gas water heater and the shower mixer, both of which were damaged last year. A couple of years ago we altered the water system a bit to allow it to be drained down quickly, all we need do now is turn a couple of valves and open the taps. Refilling is also straight-forward meaning we can fairly easily turn the system on and off. The exception is the shower which cannot be drained without several hours work so we tend to leave it off during the winter unless groups are staying for several days.

Snow is our other problem, it covers our solar panel meaning the batteries soon run down. If you are at the bunkhouse during a snowstorm remember to clear the panel as soon as the snow stops falling.

Chopping wood is a relentless task in the winter, we try to get a good stock of wood together through our ongoing woodland management around the property and the local farmers are good enough to allow us to collect wood from hedging etc, we even raid builders skips on a regular basis for free firewood. Most visitors are good enough to leave plenty of wood ready for the next visitors to get a fire going without too much work.

For all the extra work winter brings it really is the best time to be at The Exmoor Centre and we have a hard-core of regulars who come to Mountain Bike and Hike the hills throughout the winter. Pack you winter waterproofs and book yourself in, you might get lucky and get snowed in!

Yesterday we had a meeting with Neil and Christel from Experience Exmoor to thrash out some ideas about events for 2013. We are hoping to put together a series of daytime and night-time wild-Exmoor experiences making the most of our facilities at The Exmoor Centre and Neil and Christel’s business ‘Experience Exmoor‘.

Daytime events may include Bushcraft days with the emphasis being on creating something unique using natures resources that you can take home as a momento rather than the usual ‘Survival’ focus of Bushcraft days.

Night-time Experiences will make the very best use of Exmoor Dark Skies exploring one of the remotest Valleys of Exmoor to soak up not only the nightlife of the Beasts of the moor but also the wonders of the whole Universe.

Stay tuned for more news and please get in touch if this has whet your appetite and we will  keep you update directly and you may even get the chance to be a guinea-pig on our trial days and nights!

There are some great photos of Neil and Christel’s last trip to see us here