Superb pub nestled on Dartmoor has optimum country vibes

Continuing my quest to find the most quintessentially Devon of Devon country pubs I book lunch at the Castle Inn on Dartmoor. You know the ingredients that make a great country pub - glowing fire, a bit of history. ceilings that make you feel tall, ruddy locals, pies with gravy.

There may be nobler pursuits but few of them involve a pint. An autumn visit to a never-heard-of-it place ending in combe or barton is right up there for me. And I do like pies.

The Castle Inn Lydford is on the Tavistock side of Dartmoor, about 35 miles down the A30. The spectacular Lydford Gorge gushes away nearby and the village, though small, is popular with tourists. The pub gets its name from the brooding medieval building on the hill next door. It was once a prison with a lousy reputation.

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Fortunately for me Elizabeth has agreed to drive. I tell her that injustice has stalked these lands since 1262 and many a martyr suffered in the jailhouse for the greater good but she's already walking away from the car park.

The Castle Inn won a gold award in last year’s Devon Tourism Awards - its third accolade of the year. It strives for a “proper pub experience”, nothing elitist, just quality local produce for its menu of British classics.

First impressions on entering the old building, it’s been here since the 16th century, are quest-positive. It has the snuggest of snugs connecting the restaurant and the main bar. If you are looking for optimal country pub vibes with wonky walls this would be the prime spot.

The restaurant end of the building looks like a more recent extension. It is a larger, lighter and pleasant enough space. Pointy agricultural tools prop in corners and etchings of country scenes hang on the walls. It's a busy atmosphere with most of the tables taken and staff are very welcoming, happy to make suggestions and bring drinks to table.

There are seven of us today. We’re accompanied by a collection of my in-laws. Despite that, I have high hopes for my afternoon.

Three bowls of nibbles are first to arrive. Warm halloumi fries in sweet chilli, sweet and spicy chicken wings, confit garlic hummus with tortilla chips.

I could eat a hatful of the warm chips. The chicken bits are clawed away in predictably greedy fashion by the rest of the table but the ones I grabbed were first rate. I’ve only ever eaten tortilla chips from a packet but these slivers were evidently made in the kitchen and have a curly, pointy crispness.

The menu has a good balance. There are 10 main dishes with interesting additions like venison haunch, gnocchi with pumpkin veloute and tofu burger, as well as the standard meat burger and fish and chips. Top billing goes to a tomahawk steak. One of these days I'll be able to afford one.

There’s also a weekend special’s menu on the day I visit which includes hearty dishes of shepherd’s pie with seasonal greens (£20) and baked hake (£18). There are helpful wine pairing suggestions.

“I think I'll have the pie.” I say, pointing to Hilary’s steak and ale (£19), with mash and seasonal greens. I don’t know who Hilary is but the pie is a fine example of the genre.

It arrives as a wedge, clearly cut from a larger whole, thin and crisp short pastry to the top, bottom and rear, a crowded house of steak, edging towards slightly dry but saved by a rich pouring gravy.

The mash is on the meagre side but flavoursome and smooth. I've paired the meal with a pint of Jail Ale in my left hand and a glass of house red wine to my right. There is a bit of grumbling from some corners of the table about the house white having an off-putting yellow hue but you can't please everyone.

It’s hard to please in-laws at the best of times but there’s a general contentment around the table. The superfood salad with crumbled goats cheese has "lots of crunchy, nice things" the "I thought it might be a bit small" venison turns out to be a fair portion after all.

The star dish is the hake. It comes with a dill potato cake and swims in a shallow pool of delicately punchy wine wine sauce. Flaky and cooked with care.

The bill, for nibbles and main only comes in at £33 a head. Very reasonable.

The Castle Inn has a nice blend of the traditional and homely with superior standards of food. The licensees at this St Austell's brewery pub clearly take pride in what they have achieved and they should be very proud.

It's not as easy as you might think to find a reliable and characterful pub on Dartmoor but there’s lots to like here. It's the hobbity, snug area that work best for me. It feels like the owners have stayed true to a vision of what they want it to be - elevated food, good service, a meeting place for Sunday lunch or a special celebration, something for everyone.

I scuttle out by the main bar where the locals are chirping away by an open fire. It does the soul good to step off a windswept moor and enter such a scene. The Castle Inn does Dartmoor proud.