Exmoor National Park contains a variety of magnificent landscapes and the central plateau of open moorland is remote and spacious. To the north the moorland terminates in towering cliffs above the Bristol Channel. Rocky headlands, steep wooded ravines, plunging waterfalls and jumbled heaps of fallen rock make this an area of outstanding scenic beauty; it is defined as a HeritageCoast.

Inland, the grass moorland is surrounded by heather-clad rounded hills mostly over 300 m (900ft). Dunkery Beacon is the highest point on Exmoor 519 m (1704 ft).

The Ride venue (Exford Show Field) is situated on the B3223, just south of Exford, marked on the OS map no 181, as Hernes Barrow (Grid ref.852369). This superb venue, with space for parking, warming-up, marquees, trade stands and arena displays, gives us almost instant access to open moorland, with very little roadwork, and a gentle start (although not such a gentle finish) for the Golden Horseshoe Ride.