Royal Oak

In the heart of Exmoor, this is an exceptionally enjoyable place to stay for a few days and there are memorable nearby walks in the wonderful surrounding countryside; the Coleridge Way is popular. There's always a really good mix of chatty locals (often with their dogs) and visitors and you can be sure of a genuinely warm welcome from the landlord and his helpful staff. The compact bar, which has the most character and a relaxed, cheerful atmosphere, has lovely ancient flagstones, several rather fine settles (one with a very high back and one still with its book rest), scrubbed kitchen tables, lots of beer mats on beams, a cart horse saddle and a huge brick fireplace with a warm log fire; a simpler back room has an ancient cobbled floor, some quarry tiles and a stone fireplace. One room just off the bar is set for dining, with attractive old pine furniture and horse and hunting prints, and there are two dining rooms as well. One is green painted and a larger end one has stuffed fish in glass cabinets, fish paintings and fishing rods on the dark red walls, leather and brass-tack dining chairs and more formal ones around quite a mix of old tables, with turkish-style rugs on the black slate floor. Exmoor Ale and Gold and a couple of guests such as Cotleigh Tawny Owl and Old Hooker on handpump, 14 wines by the glass and Thatcher's and Rich's farmhouse cider; darts and board games. There are some seats out in the charming back courtyard.