Exmoor Blueberries FB

28/08/2026

Its been a long tiring day, but this message is urgent for those planning to come this weekend:

We are sad to have to declare:
The formal PYO season here is over.

Nature has, as usual, its own timing, and catches us - with our calendars, habitual thinking, and expectations - on the hop.
Everything happened MUCH earlier this year.

The last thing we want is for people to come and be disappointed. So we will take down the main signs tomorrow morning, leaving only the ones that direct those to us who want to come anyway.

For now, just Know: there are about a hundred late plants still with berries on. Many have already been picked. But These plants have ~80% ready, some berries though are green or pink still. FOR dedicated PYO pickers, it will not take long to clear them, so- first come first served, and please do not be disappointed.
"Nice to be in the fields anyway" is the right attitude if you come.(And Please: ask for field directions if you want to get the last berries - Jim's phone no. is in the reception hut.)

Anyone who still wants to come just to enjoy the space is welcome, so we will remain open for them through this bank holiday.

There is more to say about this season, and we will post comments in due course over... a while(😁).
A final close and thanks will also follow.

Meanwhile, remember we offer camping, and..... the Exford Flower show is on tomorrow (Sat 29th Aug '26), and a Big Bowlful of the very last (sheez they are utterly Deee-lishus!) Brigitta blueberries are in the raffle. 😛
Happy bank holiday!😁

21/08/2026

There are ~11,000 plants in our plantation, in 9 varieties. Some varieties were "outliers" - good qualities but borderline for this environment's short season, so Br, Oz and Ch we only planted 100 of each. Experience has shown that Toro is also borderline for our season, though we planted ~1,300 of them.

Toro, Brigitta, Ozark Blue, Chandler are usually so late ripening, that there is not enough sun to sweeten them.
This year, here we are in August still, and they are all ripe! Their exceptional tastes are worth enjoying. Note that Toro is in larger quantity (more berries!) than the 3 minority varieties.

Due to the good weather, this is the first time I have tasted the full ripe flavour of Toro and have named it "sweet chestnutty". I haven't yet got a name for the flavours of Brigitta, Chandler or Ozark Blue, but they are deep and complex - Delishusss!

But how do YOU find them among 11,000 bushes?
There is a map of the fields on the outside of the receception hut, which most people proably never notice.

So we are posting details inside the hut with expanded views of each field, showing EXACTLY which rows have which (colour coded), and highlighting with felt-tip these key rows.

Look at the maps and take photos to help you find what you are aiming for. :-)

The season is SO early, we are priveleged to offer these (usually) late ones already, but the flip side is the season may end sooner too.

So come and grab some while you can, and pay attention to the field guides in the hut. :-)

17/08/2026

Three new sets of Big berries (and most delicious)- Chandler, Brigitta and Toro) are on stream now, in the far field. These rarely get enough sun in September to sweeten, so they are a Treat! In addition, good old wide ripening big-berry Bluecrop (like in South Gully field) are on stream over there.
Though early come, early go this year, you are not losing out as those that rarely come are now in the frame, in ABUNDANCE.😁
Some photos today. Gorgeous mouthfulls...

11/08/2026

Hello Blueberry pickers. :-) - Please note:
We are closing the PYO for picking EARLY tomorrow (Wednesday 12th Aug '26).
You need to have gathered your berries and left by 5:00pm - or face an onslaught of Thousands (lol- joking;...we think..? ) of vehicles flooding up the lane for our Eclipse and Peak Shooting stars event. You may have difficult leaving for at least an hour or more otherwise.
Alternatively, you could plan your day to Pick and then stay on! :-)

For options for our "event", see our last post, or go to

Pick your own organic blueberries in the heart of Exmoor. Camping in fresh air and views like no other, off the beaten track.

11/08/2026

Special event at Exmoor Blueberries camping :-)

One of most awesome and impactful phenomena that all of nature over large parts of the world experiences together... is an Eclipse of the sun. Birds go to roost and all fall silent... The abnormal twilight seems to have an eerie atmosphere to it...

Come and experience our deepest eclipse until the next in 2081 - most of use won't get to live that long, so this is special.
Exmoor Blueberries camping fields are blessed with being high (1,200 ft) and looking perfectly toward the eclipse in a way that allows a wide spread of people to all see it.
It is remote and secluded - no crowds. We are also in Europe's first Dark Sky reserve, so the number of stars you can see increases exponentially compared to much of UK. Awesome in itself… But there is more… (see further below).

Our camping fields are open for booking, on www.pitchup.com . [NOTE: make sure you choose either the "Eclipse view" pitch type, OR the "Meteor and Eclipse" type.
[Remember: Bring special solar eclipse glasses- looking at the sun is very dangerous for your eyes, even close to sunset. The same goes for your phone camera - it can be damaged; there are filters you can get for this.]

We are offering:
A. Perfect viewing of the Eclipse from your tent as one option,
B. A different positioning if you ALSO want to get the best view of the Peak Perseid shooting star showers - which are due from midnight on - in this rare dark night caused by the moon setting with the sun at the same time this night. This combination of eclipse, dark moon night, and peak Perseid meteors will not occur again in all of this century - so, again: an extremely special opportunity.
C. A drop-in viewing option, where you park your car in the field nearby and walk out to sit on your blanket or rug. (This option is not available on Pitchup, but you MUST book with us if you want to come - we have to manage traffic in a single track lane). Contact Simon at Exmoor Blueberries. Contact details here or on www.exmoorblueberries.com .

Please note that for traffic management there is going to be a TIMING SCHEDULE for coming and going. NOBODY wants to have to reverse a third of a mile in a narrow lane in the dark!!
Follow us for the next post giving the Timing schedule.

The eclipse we are going to have tomorrow will be 96% of the sun blocked by the moon. This is called a deep partial eclipse.

The next deep partial eclipse will not be until September 2081 (99% sun covered ). No other eclipse will even come close to these 2 until 2090 when we will have a TOTAL eclipse of the sun.

We look forward to having you, and maybe enjoying a chat round the communal camp fire we will make to see us through to midnight when the crescendo of shooting stars begins to ramp up :-)

Pick your own organic blueberries in the heart of Exmoor. Camping in fresh air and views like no other, off the beaten track.

10/08/2026

Book your spot for the best view of the eclipse followed by a night of shooting stars here:

Book Exmoor Blueberries in Somerset from £20/nt. Low 15% deposit. Dogs allowed, campfires allowed and toilet block. Best prices, easy booking, no fees with immediate confirmation.

07/08/2026

Date for your diary... Next Wednesday!
We invite you to join us and our spectacular view of the solar eclipse, then sundowners around a campfire followed by a rare meteor shower in some of the darkest skies in Europe!
Booking is compulsory to avoid traffic on the narrow lane and please arrive before 6pm...
Link below, make sure to select an eclipse view pitch if you'd like a really special night 🌙 🌟 🌠
Link for booking: 👉 https://shorturl.at/jquoa

28/07/2026

Just saying:
A common refrain we hear: "I MUST get up there and pick some this year; I keep getting distracted and miss out because I postpone and then forget till it is too late"...

So - a nudge if that is you: Make a date with yourself NOW, preferably THIS week, to focus your mind.

This week is a good week to do it; 4 varieties, at least (out of the 9 we grow) are ripe.
That is literally, 1,000s - yes, Thousands- of Bushes) and the weather is perfect.

Come on up and get it DONE. :-)...
then you can come again in a week or two because you will have eaten a lot of them fresh, and now want to secure your year's supply in your freezer before it is too late and you have to wait another year :-)

27/07/2026

Quote of the day today:
"We have never seen the berries in this field (Folly field) SO abundant"
Another quote: I'd picked a few in South Gully, but when I went to Folly, I filled my container with just 2 bushes!"

Our regulars know the fields almost as well (if not better - vested "picker interest"!, lol) as we do.

Have YOU looked at the maps? Do YOU know the field names?
We have THOUSANDS of berries waiting, ripe, for YOU to come and take your fill.
Most locals know they are literally worth picking for a year's supply, and they DO...
:-)

25/07/2026

Just fyi - The berries are full on now, so come on up while the picking is good :-)
Ripening happens when temperatures are at 15C or above. It is certainly that at the moment.