It’s Rabbie Burns week and we’re salivating at the prospect of haggis as well as black pudding on the menu in the obligatory Wetherspoons for pre-crawl breakfast. And, with Exmoor Beast on the bar surely the dream ticket.
But, it’s only 9 o’clock and we have many hours on buses to look forward to into the wilds of Dartmoor.
Exeter Bus Station’s wait is 40 minutes. Time to check out the recently opened St Sidwells Point, Exeter’s shiny new leisure centre. Then round up the group and head off to the Country Bus ‘Bus Station’ up the road in Sidwell Street. ‘Round up’ from where - swimming, jogging, or the weights area? Na, coffee and cake for all of us in their excellent new café!
The Globe Inn So eventually we’re in Chagford, and first up the Globe Inn where we enjoyed Otter Bitter, Jail and Dartmoor IPA, and topped up The Three Crowns their display of ever popular News & Brews magazines. Then on to the Three Crowns Hotel next door with Jail, Proper Job and Tribute in a packed bar – once again we’re on the tail end of a wake but there’s beer left for us and all in very good order - St Austell gets it dead right with this one.
The Ring O’Bells was disappointingly shut according to their Winter hours. On a recent evening visit the pub was extremely busy so the new-ish landlord is settling in nicely. This recent member of the Inns of Cornwall and Devon family is well worth a return trip. The Chagford Inn Next up was the Chagford Inn, where a solitary Otter Bitter was waiting for us, although in first class condition.
Back on the bus to Moretonhampstead and straight into The Union Inn. Gone are the ‘own label’ beers on the bar (we knew them as Red Rock variants) to be replaced by locals and nationals and a great pint of London Pride was enjoyed. Then the sumptuous bars of the White Hart Hotel to for a pint of Jail.
Eventually back in Newton Abbot and for one of us a crawl in preparation for the assault on the mountain on the way home.
A great day out and not one suspect beer. Well done, Chagford and Moretonhampstead publicans!

Andrew Thomson TheUnion Inn The White Hart