Two Bridges Hotel

Destination dining on Dartmoor

Consider this your tip-off on a great escape in the wilds of Dartmoor where you can also eat extremely well.

The cosy interiors at Two Bridges Hotel are perfect in this setting: roaring fires, grand old clocks and paintings, polished brass and copper and a well-stocked bar are just what you’d hope to discover after a day tramping over the moor. Even in the bleak midwinter the attractive hotel is an oasis of hospitality.

However, it’s not only ramblers and hikers who flock here for a taste of old-school conviviality (although you’ll find a fair few in summer) as the rural hotel also enjoys a fine reputation for its food.

Talented executive chef Mike Palmer has built a loyal fan club of foodies who visit to delight in his creative cooking. Start a meal with a board of homemade breads and flavoured butters, before indulging in exceedingly good multi-course menus. The dishes are carefully crafted with ingenuity and served in a charming panelled dining room with stained glass windows.

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 fireside after a bracing Dartmoor stomp.

Those looking to stay over will find comfortable bedrooms with four-poster beds and antique furniture.