On our second day, we visited Tarr Steps. At 50 meters long the Tarr Steps is the oldest and longest “Clapper bridge“ which is a bridge built using very large slabs of stone without any cement or mortar. The bridge is officially listed belonging to Medieval period, however some date it as far as Bronze Age. The bridge was built by strategically placing various size slabs of stone that support each other, creating a path across the stream. The bridge has been damaged multiple times over the years, mainly by the heavy rainfall during storms as well as debris floating down the river into the bridge. Since then steel cables have been positioned up river to catch any debris that might damage the bridge. After crossing the bridge we took Berry on a lovely short circular walk along the river Barle. We walked along the riverbank, then crossed the footbridge and returned to Tarr Steps from the other side. The loop took us about an hour and we enjoyed some spectacular views and incredible selection of mosses, which thrive on clean damp air around the riverbank.
From there we headed to Dulverton a small market town, about 15 minute drive from Tarr Steps. Our original plan was to hike a circular trail from Tarr Steps to Dulverton, however as the weather was not in our favour, and it was scheduled to rain on and off all day we decided to drive. The town is nestled in a wooded valley where river Exe meets river Barle. Crossing river Barle is the oldest medieval bridge in Exmoor, right next to which you can find a dog-friendly pub called Bridge Inn. For our lunch, we chose multi award-winning bar and restaurant called Woods. We have read rave reviews of the restaurant and we are lucky to get a table without reservation. Berry was very welcomed and had so much attention from staff and other customers. We loved the eclectic and rustic interior, especially many different pieces of art that included dogs. The staff are very friendly and accommodating and food was absolutely delicious. We had some chicken liver parfait to start with, followed by steak and roasted plaice. We opted not to have the desert, however we visited a cute independent fruit shop where we bought freshly baked scones and local clotted cream and raspberry jam. After sharing a photo of the scones with our friends we had so many request to get some to bring back to London, that we had to stop at Dulverton the next day en route home.
Before returning home, we could not miss an opportunity to enjoy some fine dining in Exmoor. So on our way home, we stopped for lunch at the Masons Arms, which has one Michelin star. The masons Arms is a wonderful family run restaurant, situated in a tiny rural village of Knowstone.
The restaurant is located within a quaint 13th Century Inn and has held one Michelin star since 2006.We reserved our table ahead of time and let them know that we will be coming with a dog. They were incredibly accommodating and arranged that dog-friendly table for us in the pub section of the restaurant. The meal started with a selection of freshly baked breads and little nibbles. Mike and I both chose the scallops and squid starter which was beautifully repaired. Four mains I opted for Exmoor beef fillet and Mike chose local venison. Both were prepared perfectly and we were pleasantly surprised to see very generous portions. To finish a lovely meal off before we headed back to London, we ordered a selection of desserts and local cheeses. It was a perfect end to a wonderful few nights away in Exmoor.
