Experience the primeval roar and clashing antlers as Exmoor's iconic stags meet in ferocious combat during the annual red deer rut this October.

Exmoor National Park is hosting a weekend for visitors to witness the ancient instincts that drive the stags into fierce and sometimes fatal combat to win over a female companion.

Charles Harding, a deer stalker and warden for the National Trust, said: "This is the first time that Exmoor has ever hosted a weekend for visitors to witness this raw conflict at close quarters.

"We are offering people the chance to visit the stunning hills, secret valleys and wild moorland, to experience this awesome but exhilarating natural phenomenon. It's an experience they'll never forget."

The weekend visit will be on October 20 and 21 and costs £195 per person, which includes two nights' bed and breakfast, two red deer walking safaris led by Exmoor National Park Ranger, Richard Eales and Nigel Hester, countryside manager for the National Trust, and a dinner and talk with ranger Richard Eales supported by National Trust naturalist Charles Harding.

The weekend will host a maximum of 36 guests.

Guests need to be able to walk a minimum of three miles.

Bookings can be made through Porlock Visitor Centre on 01643-863150 or e-mail PorlockCI@somerset.gov.uk for more information.