Whether you’re looking for a luxurious base from which to explore the moor or a cosy bolthole with roaring fires and superb dining, this hotel and two-AA-rosette restaurant amid the wilds of Dartmoor offers a guaranteed great escape.

The classic interiors at Two Bridges Hotel are perfect in this moorland environment. Ornate fireplaces, grand old clocks and paintings, polished brass and copper and a well-stocked bar are precisely what you’d hope to discover after a day tramping over the tussocky hills. Even in bleak midwinter the attractive hotel is an oasis of hospitality.

Within this characterful setting, talented head chef Josh Chan crafts dishes packed with the very best local ingredients. The team try to use as many hyper-local suppliers as possible to curate Dartmoor-centric menus featuring the likes of guinea fowl with asparagus, morel, butterbean and lime jus, and duo of Devon pork (honey-glazed belly and loin) with cinnamon carrot and smoked pomme puree. The hearty favourites on the lunch menu are just the thing after a bracing stomp, while in the evening guests can upgrade to the four-course signature menu for an elevated experience.

Fine wines complement the cooking, and the hotel often hosts wine-pairing dinners. The Two Bridges Devon cream tea is equally noteworthy and best devoured in the garden.

Trencherman’s tip

Stay over in one of the comfortable bedrooms, complete with four-poster bed and antique furniture.