Dartmoor visitors flock to Omaze-style pub in fairy tale setting

The pub can be found tucked away on the side of the A386

An autumnal walk isn't quite complete without a pub stop and on Dartmoor, you're spoilt for choice. Nestled near the very top of the famous national park is a cosy gastropub with a real cottage feel about it.

The Bearslake Inn started life as a farm in the 13th century, later becoming cottages. These days, it's a popular choice for hungry Dartmoor walkers looking for somewhere to hunker down for a meal.

The pub can be found tucked away on the side of the A386, less than a mile south of the village of Sourton, DevonLive reports. General manager Luke Fearon, who has a hospitality career which spans nearly two decades, said he couldn't resist saying yes when offered the job.

"It was such a stunning venue, I couldn't help but stay," he said. "It's such a stunning property and had all the potential of one of the country's best gastropubs."

Luke paints a glorious, almost fairy tale-like picture of the setting, with the moors in the background and stream running through the garden. He even compares it to the idyllic properties seen in the Omaze prize draws.

He said: "It's a thatched roadside inn, nestled against the backdrop of Dartmoor so we've got moors and tors in the background. We've got a garden out the back with its own stream running through it.

"If you've ever seen one of those Omaze houses in Devon, it's exactly like one of those. It's beautifully nestled in all the flora and fauna of Dartmoor."

Inside, he says pubgoers can expect a classic inn with low beams, big fireplaces and a flagstone floor. He said: "It's a 13th century inn and used to be a farm in its first life. Then it was turned into cottages so inside you get all of that character.

"We've got three big fireplaces, low beams, it's very much a 'mind your head' kind of place. We've also got a fantastic bar area, flagstone floor. Everything that you might expect from a cosy Devon inn."

The pub has been owned by Julian Tarrant-Boyce and Lisa Jenkins since 2018, who maintain an active role in running the place. Luke says the pair have worked to maintain the charm of the historic inn, making only minimal changes such as decoration.

He said: "There's 15 of us in total and the owners are very much hands-on. Julian still pops up at the bar and does all of the line cleaning. Lisa runs all of the accounts and the day-to-day things.

"They've been trying to preserve it. As you can imagine, there's always going to be maintenance needed at a property like this. It's Grade II listed so other than decoration, there's not much that's been changed."

Given its location along the Granite Way cycle route, the pub sees many walkers and cyclists stopping by. Although Luke says this picks up during the summer, he says the place also offers a cosy retreat for winter walkers.

"We see a lot of walkers and cyclists in the summer but less in the winter, unless they're really brave," he said. "With our log fires and other bits and pieces, we are such a cosy place. We're super dog friendly as well."

As for the menu, the manager says the pub is keen to keep it as local as possible, including serving Devon ales. The food menu includes classics such as fish and chips, burger and steak, as well as some more luxurious options.

Luke said: "We only use Devon ales. We work really hard to make sure our supply and produce is local. We run our lunch and dinner menu between Wednesday and Sunday at present because we're into our winter hours.

"The menu is in line with top quality gastropub food. We've got a selection of five or six starters and we've got some snacks. You'll find classics like fish and chips, our take on a burger, a Chateaubriand Dartmoor raised beef for two.

"Desserts are as you'd imagine, we've got sticky toffee pudding which outsells everything else, a fantastic cheese board, a chocolate dessert and a tart of the day."

Currently, the pub is running its winter hours until March 31. It is open 12pm to 3pm and 5pm to 10pm from Wednesday to Saturday and 12pm to 10pm on Sundays.

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