The Tradesman's Arms

The Tradesman's Arms sits in the tiny hamlet of Scorriton, tucked against the southern edge of Dartmoor National Park — three miles from the A38 and seemingly a world away from it. This 14th-century pub was saved from closure when a group of locals who had long drunk there bought and restored it, and it has been going from strength to strength under the ownership of Kevin and Suzanne ever since.

It is one of those genuinely rare things: a traditional country pub that has resisted the temptation to become a restaurant or gastro-pub, while still producing honest, carefully cooked food from local produce. The menu changes regularly, with home-cooked dishes using local meat and seasonal ingredients alongside a well-chosen selection of real ales (including Dartmoor Brewery and Hunter's) and local Thompstons cider.

The interior retains full country-pub character: an L-shaped bar with an open fire, a snug set around a large communal table, and a conservatory that opens onto the main bar. The beer garden looks across the beautiful Little Combe Valley — one of the quieter, greener corners of Dartmoor.

Crucially for walkers, the pub is directly on the Two Moors Way long-distance trail — at the end of the challenging Ivybridge-to-Scorriton section — making it a natural endpoint for the day's walk. Four en-suite B&B rooms are available for those wishing to make it a base, and packed lunches, pick-ups and luggage transfers can be arranged for walkers on request. Open Tuesday to Sunday; dogs welcome throughout.