Holidays
HF Book Club: Literary Exmoor

HF Book Club: Literary Exmoor

4 nights

78kg CO2

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Groups of 10+

020 3974 8865

Whether you’re continually diving into a page-turner or simply want to rediscover your passion for reading, our book club breaks are a great way to meet like-minded people. Staying at our characterful country house in Selworthy, you’ll be invited to explore texts, discuss story ideas, and discover Exmoor’s literary connections. You may even find inspiration to pen your own novel. To complement the texts, you’ll enjoy guided sightseeing visits to places relevant to that genre. These holidays are perfect for solo travellers looking for friendship-forming experiences as well as book clubs seeking an enriching group getaway.

What You’ll Love

Meeting like-minded book lovers
Discussing a range of literary works
Enjoying guided sightseeing visits
Exploring the surrounding landscape on foot
Guidance from our expert leaders

What's Included

Free-flowing literary discussions throughout your holiday
Transport to and from venues on your excursion day
Comfortable en-suite accommodation in our country house
Cream tea on arrival day
Cooked or continental breakfast every morning
Daily packed lunches
Three-course evening meals, plus tea & coffee
Easy-to-follow routes, maps, and information available in our Discovery Point if you want to explore independently

Itinerary

All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. While we make every effort to adhere to the described itinerary, we may take alternative routes or adapt the running order for weather and/or operational reasons.

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Check-in at the hotel is available from 16:00. If you are a member you can arrive at the house from 14:00. Enjoy a complimentary cream tea at 16:30 and meet other guests.

Spend the day exploring the historic landscapes surrounding the country house. There’ll be time to stop for lunch and to visit locations with connections to the books in our reading list.

This weekend break will focus on delving into works that explore Exmoor’s literary roots and connections. Your group leader will facilitate discussions about the themes and topics featured in their chosen titles and there’ll be an open forum to discuss opinions. The reading list for this holiday is shown below:

Lorna Doone by R.D. Blackmore

A timeless tale with its roots deep in Exmoor’s wild landscape, R.D. Blackmore’s novel charts the life of farmer John Ridd, and his romance with the eponymous Lorna Doone. Throughout the book, his prose paints a vivid picture of rural life in 17th-century Exmoor, exploring themes of love, family, and revenge in the process.

To Serve Them All My Days by R.F. Delderfield

To Serve Them All My Days follows soldier-turned-teacher David Powlett-Jones as he navigates the personal and political challenges of post-war life at the fictional Bamfylde School. Delderfield’s narrative skilfully explores themes of duty, redemption, family, and loss, offering a poignant portrayal of the journey towards healing and fulfilment.

A House Unlocked by Penelope Lively (paired with Going Back)

In this autobiographical memoir, Penelope Lively traces her own story alongside those of the 20th century. Revealed in snippets linked to objects found at Golsoncott, her grandparents’ home, the book explores wartime politics, family life, and pacifism. Going Back, a short story also written by Lively, is seen as a fictional parallel to A House Unlocked.

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way home.

Download trip notes

Accommodation

Holnicote House

There’s plenty to look forward to at this beacon of Somerset hospitality near the impossibly pretty village of Selworthy. The location couldn’t be more perfect; within rolling-out-of-bed distance from Exmoor National Park and an easy drive from Dunster Castle, Coleridge Cottage, the twin villages of Lynton and Lynmouth, and the sandy delights at Porlock and Minehead. The walking opportunities here are standout, too, not least for the trails around the Quantock Hills, Dunkery Beacon, Bossington, and a section of the England Coast Path that takes you on a glorious journey along the county’s coastline.

A warm welcome
We want you to feel comfortable from the moment you arrive. You’ll find a welcome pack in your room with guest registration forms, menus, order forms for dinners and picnic lunches, the Wi-Fi password, and the front door code. Our houses are locked at night, so we recommend noting the Duty Manager’s number on arrival in case of an emergency (or getting locked out).

Evening entertainment

While evening entertainment varies from house to house, HF Holidays Inter-House Quiz night held after dinner on Wednesdays is a weekly staple. Your HF Holidays leader may be around for tips on guided and self-guided waking routes as well as visit-worthy local attractions.

Walks talks
Our HF Holidays walk leaders host guided walking information briefings before dinner on guided walking holiday arrival days. This is followed by a group Walks Talk for information on the following day’s guided walks (held before dinner every evening). Self-guided walking guests are, of course, welcome.

The walking day
Prior to setting off on guided walks, your HF Holidays Leader will run you through a short safety briefing. There’s also an up-to-date weather forecast on display at the house to ensure you have appropriate clothing and footwear. If you choose to do your own walks or are on a self-guided walking holiday, we ask that you please complete an Independent Walker Card each day. These can be found near the Discovery Point in the house.

• 32 well-appointed guest rooms • Exclusive occupancy: 40 guests minimum • Check in from 4:00pm • For members check in from 2:00pm • Free Wi-Fi • Free on-site parking • Boot room and drying room • Travel cot & high chair • Discovery Point offering a wide range of local area maps, route guides, and information for self-guided walks • Books and games to borrow • Licensed bar • Two lounges • Garden with croquet lawn • Well-behaved dogs welcome on self-guided holidays • Electric vehicle charging point - Please note, you will need to bring your own cables to use this EV charging point

Check in & check out

You are welcome to check in from 4pm at the earliest. HF Members can check in earlier, from 2pm. On arrival, you’ll enjoy a complimentary cream tea and get to meet your fellow guests, our HF Holidays Leaders, and the rest of the friendly team. Check out 10am.

Seasonal dining, tailored for you

Our team of skilled chefs design our dinner menus to showcase the best of each season, from warming winter comfort food to vibrant summer dishes, including vegetarian, vegan and high-protein options. We also source fruit and vegetables within a 40-mile radius of each house, open every break with a Chef’s Special menu inspired by dishes and flavours of the local area, and are able to adapt dishes to suit special dietary requirements.

Welcome Cream Tea

What better way to start your stay than with a cream tea, served fresh on arrival to make you feel instantly at home. A quintessentially English tradition, our scones are baked in-house and served with preserves and clotted cream, providing the perfect opportunity to meet fellow walkers.

A hearty breakfast to start the day

Start the day with a freshly-prepared cooked breakfast and a wide choice from our continental buffet, including hot drinks, juices and fresh fruit. Our team offer a quick and friendly service, leaving you fuelled and ready for your day’s adventures.

Our famous picnic lunch

Our personalised picnic lunches are perfect for a day out walking, ready to enjoy when hunger strikes. Choose from a large selection of fresh sandwiches and salads, freshly baked cakes and snacks, including the ever-popular Freddos chocolate bar! Everything is designed to fit neatly into your rucksack, and all of the packaging we provide is recyclable or compostable.

3-course evening meals

Our à la carte evening menus feature a wide choice of starters, mains, and desserts, made with seasonal ingredients and, wherever possible, herbs and vegetables from our own gardens. Shared around sociable tables, dinners are relaxed occasions, with drinks available to order at the table or from the bar, and a traditional Sunday roast to round off the week.

Designed with your comfort in mind, Holnicote House has 32 well-appointed guest rooms available in three categories: Classic, Premium, and Superior.

Classic Rooms are comfortable en-suite guest rooms, ideal for a peaceful night's sleep. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, and shower gel), and a TV.

Premium Rooms are more spacious en-suite guest rooms*. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel), and a 32-inch TV. Extras include bathrobes, slippers.

Superior Rooms are even more spacious en-suite guest rooms offering upgraded views of the surroundings*. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel), and a 32-inch TV. Extras include bathrobes, slippers.

We love: The rooms in the main building or the thatched grounds, especially Rooms 1 and 4. The first floor rooms have fabulous views across Crawter Hill and Dunkery Hill.

The Choose Your Room service is available at our UK country houses, allowing you the option of choosing and confirming a specific room for an extra charge of £30 per room. This is subject to availability. Upgrade supplements apply.

Room supplements

Superior	Premium single	Premium double/twin	Choose your room
£25 pppn	£20 pppn	£20 pppn	£30 per room

*Views and layout reflect each properties unique character and location

For accessibility and assistance information, please contact our expert team on 020 3974 8865 or view the accessibility information online for Holnicote House

View more details View holidays here

More Information

Carbon Footprint - 78kg CO2

We see it as our responsibility to minimise our emissions, not just for this year but every year to come. Our work with sustainability experts, ecollective, has enabled us to measure our carbon footprint and create a strategy to reduce the carbon intensity of our product by 5% each year. Our ambition is to be net zero by 2040 – earlier if we can.

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HF Book Club: Literary Exmoor

What You’ll Love

What's Included