As Lesley’s son Jamie is a boarder at Mount House School in Tavistock we find ourselves regularly driving passed The Warren House Inn on Dartmoor about halfway between home and school. It’s reputed to have an open log fire which has never been out since the pub opened in 1835 (but I know 2 highly spirited now also former Royal Marines who decided to extinguish it for a laugh some 30 odd years ago and served 2 weeks in Jankers shortly afterwards for their efforts!!!!) – but anyway it serves excellent Real Ales as you would expect, Dartmmor Bitter and Jail Ale from the nearby Princetown brewery…………..just what’s needed!!!

Awaiting opening time at The Warren House Inn

Just a bit further on at Two Bridges is another wonderful ‘Watering Hole’ this time an old coaching house and still a hotel known as The Two Bridges Hotel…again good real ales and another lovely fire (no known RM extinguishers here mind!!!) – makes going to school sound like fun for a change!!

Two Bridges Hotel

Wow – the Two Bridges Hotel former access bridge at dusk – quite magnificent

Stephen and Sandie Clark (and friends) at the Hatherleigh Market

A J Pyle and Sons were advertising an auction of Sporting Memorabilia at their auction rooms in Hatherleigh and I took good friends Stephen and Sandie Clark along for fun and to share the experience. Hatherleigh is a lovely old market town in a very agricultural part of Devon and has its own charm and character. On market days a whole host of stalls and outlets spring up throughout the extensive area of undercover sheds and has a buzz of eclectic characters buying, selling, gossiping and mooching about bargain hunting.

We firstly went to the Auction House by the Bridge Inn………having registered and got a purchase ‘Number’ and Lot Listing catalogue for £1.50 we then squeezed through the keen early ranks of bidding locals well over 30 mins after kick-off – the young and cheerful auctioneer was already on lot 70 something and seemingly selling yet another fishing reel……………there were then another 100 odd reels to go followed by what looked like about 200 fishing rods, then nets, waders, priests, and assorted tackle in the first 2 rows of assorted lots…………..then there were 2 more for shooting paraphernalia and then racks of guns and bayonets and swords attaining lots between 300 and 700 before finally various rows of assorted junk all with a loose sense of belonging to the theme ‘Sporting Memorabilia’………….I say loosely because the only item that took my fancy was an old metal railway sign depicting an interesting threat along the lines of “Anyone caught leaving this gate open…(or words to that effect)……………is liable to a fine not exceeding 40 shillings” !!

Realising that some 700+ lots would take all day at 100 lots per hour and this sign was lot 600 odd I left a bid (not expecting to be successful as I’m sure others will also have a use for this sign!!) and we then took a leisurely stroll through the town browsing in an artists shop, buying goods and foods various in the food market and taking in the atmosphere of the other main auction rooms selling local brick-a-brack before falling into The George Inn for a couple of pints of Spitfire and a prawn baguette by an enormous open fire…………..and then drove home. A fun day albeit without any ‘Bargains’ this time round!! I love Hatherleigh and will return for a brace of Duck at their Christmas Game Auction shortly!!

Sally and Colin chill out on the local brew – Jail Ale in our village pub

Mustang Sally as she’s known by her running and cycling colleagues adores real ales and together with her boyfriend Colin, a local railway driver they regularly sample and scupper a few jars of the best local Real Ale brews in the county…………and Devon has lots of really good beers. This one is my personal favourite know as Jail ale (simply because it’s brewed in Princetown where the Dartmoor Prison is located……!!!) and is  a smooth 4.5% excellent pint………..and you can find it in lots of pubs in the district and certainly in The Royal Oak, The Teign House Inn and The Manor Inn all 3 pubs being in the upper Teign Valley and easily reached from Orchard Barn B&B………….. spoilt for choice really!!

Drink up Colin……………you’re astern of station here, I’m on my third already!!