The Best Pubs in Dartmoor National Park

The Rugglestone is a traditional Dartmoor pub, complete with wooden beams, an oversized hearth with a roaring fire which burns year-round and a long history of coachmen and their antics. The food here is hearty and delicious – just what the doctor ordered after a long day in the great outdoors – and the beer garden is a pretty wisteria-clad backdrop, perfect for afternoon beers. The Rugglestone has no WiFi; they want to evoke the feeling of the past for as long as possible.

The Plume is Princetown’s oldest building, and it feels like it. But that’s not to say that that’s a bad thing. This traditional historic pub is perfectly placed for walkers, hikers and tourists in the area and is decked out in proper granite walls and wooden beams. The beer on tap is local and delicious, and the staff are very friendly.

This award-winning pub which sits at the gateway to the Moors in Bovey Tracey is a comfortable and friendly spot for beer drinking. Rooms are available, and the food here is great, but, as a village pub, the atmosphere is second to none. Log burners keep the place toasty in the colder months, and the sunny lawn is popular in summer.

The Post is another one of those traditional Dartmoor pubs from the 16th century. It’s a formula that works well in these parts, and this pub is a warm welcome from the often hostile Dartmoor elements. There are tons of local ciders, beers and ales on tap, as well as a big menu which is sure to not leave a single soul hungry.

The Bearslake is what we call a real pub, and by that we mean that locals don’t even have to ask the bar staff for their next drink. The restaurant here is of exceptionally high quality, and a good selection of beers are available. Bearslake is believed to have once been a working farm that dates all the way back to the 13th century, so there’s a hell of a lot of history in these walls!

The New Inn is just about everything you could wish for from a country pub. Full of character, great beers, better food and a welcome atmosphere. The kitchen is run by Master Chef’s Malcolm Whybrow, his wife Karen and Michelin-trained Matthew Buscombe. As such, all aspects of this menu are beyond excellent, especially the puddings.