A proper village pub with rooms and great food in the green heart of Devon
There are some pubs that get just about everything right, and the Lamb Inn, just outside Crediton, bang in the middle of the green heart of Devon, comes pretty close. It's a proper village pub, for a start, with plenty of locals popping by just for a drink; but it serves excellent food too and has a handful of rooms upstairs to tempt you into staying overnight. No surprise, then, that it has featured in the Daily Mail's '20 Best British Country Pubs', has won 'Best Devon Pub' and was voted the i-newspaper's 'Best UK Summer Pub a couple of years ago. Clearly this is no ordinary village boozer, although we're pleased to say that it still has the feel of one.
The Lamb is actually a 16th-century coaching at heart, but its eight guest rooms are not by any means stuck in the past – crisply refurbished in a contemporary style, with luxurious king-size beds, flatscreen TVs with Freeview, good wifi, tea- and fresh coffee-making facilities and complimentary water, recently updated bathrooms, some of which have giant baths to luxuriate in. There's good wifi and a scattering of newspapers in the bar downstairs to make you feel at home, and overall the feel is both cosy and comfortable, but with the sort of service and facilities you expect from a decent hotel.
The pub itself is furnished in a traditional style, with a roaring fire in winter and a pleasant beer garden to enjoy in summer. The food is excellent – a short and fairly traditional menu but with innovative touches and really good cooking; there's plenty for vegetarians and their Sunday roasts are superb. Like all good pubs, the Lamb is also dog-friendly, with dogs welcome throughout the pub and in all guest rooms.
Finally, The Lamb is an easy place to reach – just outside the small Devon market town of Crediton, not far from the M5 and just off the main north-south Exeter to barnstaple route. Dartmoor is a short drive away, as is Exeter and the coast beyond. All in all a terrific place for a a short but indulgent countryside break.
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