After months of being at home, what better way to find freedom than by escaping to explore the glorious South West, a region endowed with stunning scenery and some of the best dining and drinking experiences in the world?
Like anywhere, it pays to research before you go. That’s why, for the past 28 years, the Trencherman’s Guide has been the go-to guide for foodies seeking out exceptional places to dine and stay from Cornwall to the Cotswolds (discover the guide’s history).
Every hotel, restaurant or pub in the guide must meet an extremely high criteria to be included – two AA rosettes and above – or similar from Michelin or the Good Food Guide.
Get it right and a road-trip into Trencherman’s Country will beat any foreign destination hands-down for authentic and delicious eating out experiences in exceptional places.
Nobody, of course, would blame you for making an initial beeline to the spectacular cliffs and azure seas of the north Cornish coast, where culinary greats such as Nathan Outlaw and Rick Stein fashion dishes from the best locally landed seafood.
Look inland however, and you’ll also find plenty of gastronomic riches to be explored on the wilds of Dartmoor and Exmoor. These vast rocky plateaux offer miles of wide open spaces, big skies and ancient pubs and inns that serve creative twists on pub classics. The uber authentic Pyne Arms and The Mason’s Arms on Exmoor, and Dartmoor’s Two Bridges Hotel and The Horse are just two of many.
The region’s cities offer a fascinating window on UK history and you can extend the experience with a stay at a nearby country house hotel. Exeter is just a short jaunt from the likes of Lympstone Manor and Lewtrenchard Manor, while visitor’s to Bath will find glamorous delights and exquisite dining at The Bath Priory, Lucknam Park, The Queensberry and Dan Moon at The Gainsborough.
Those looking to escape to a rural idyll amid Fresian-filled fields and thatched villages, will find a host of delightful pubs (try The Lamb at Longdown near Exeter and The Bell near Marlborough), alongside smart country restaurants with rooms such as Somerset’s Little Barwick House and Cotswold splendour in the shape of Lords of the Manor Hotel.
As you navigate the site you’ll find the Trencherman’s Guide an unbeatable as a source of exquisite dining venues (many of which also offer accommodation), which have been visited and written about by experienced food and hospitality journalists who also live in the South West.
Discover curated ‘Take 5’ collections of venues on a theme – from our pick of the Beachside Beauties where you can dine right by the sea, to insider’s finds for a Glamorous Weekend Away .
Over the coming weeks we’ll be adding new Gourmet Getaway itineraries which will make it super easy for you to create a hand-crafted top-end foodie break in the South West. Sign up to get the Trencherman’s email newsletter and we’ll email them to you whenever a new one is published. You can also sign up to register your interest in downloading the new Trencherman’s app when it’s ready.
Enjoy your adventures in Trencherman’s Country.
Jo Rees loosens her corset and revels in drama and dinner at one of the South West’s most historic country house hotels
Michael Caines’ country house hotel has been wowing reviewers and diners since its launch. Jo Rees visited to ‘experience the exceptional’.
The thought of splashing £200 plus on dinner for two might make you wince, but every penny is well accounted for in the uber luxe Lucknam Park experience.
We’ve been sunning ourselves at the Sea Side this month, checking out St Moritz Hotel’s revamped easy-going eatery
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