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Detail Pages
The Royal Oak Inn, Watchet
Luxborough
Postal town: Watchet
TA23 0SH
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 9 of 10) see review guidelines
E TA left this review about The Royal Oak Inn
As stated by Trainman, below, this is a rare rural gem in a discreet village on the edge of Exmoor. It’s an old inn with 14th Century roots, its age evinced by architectural features such as original stone floors, an inglenook fireplace and cobblestones in some areas. There is a small car park next to the pub, but parking in the village can be problematic. The building has evolved, rather than being planned. They still offer B&B, a facility popular with walkers on the Coleridge Trail. The landlord was knowledgable, sociable and very flexible when it came to opening hours. There is a car park nearby and a pleasant garden at the back. It’s cosy and atmospheric, and the landlord ensures everyone gets a genuinely warm welcome. Four handpumps on the bar, two with Porlock Vale ciders, one with Dartmoor Jail Ale and one which had just run out of Fine Tuned Summer Sesh, which was immediately replaced with Glastonbury’s Lady of the Lake. Both the Glastonbury and Dartmoor ales were in perfect condition. There was only one keg option on, Proper Job, which remained unsampled. It’s on the 2025 Somerset CAMRA Ale Trail, which is why we visited this time, but having found it I’m very keen to come back. Well worth the effort to find.
On 21st August 2025
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3617 recommendations about 3580 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
train man left this review about The Royal Oak Inn
A gem of a country pub. The rooms beyond the immediate (fairly small) bar area are mostly dedicated to eating, but that does not detract from a warm welcome and a good selection at the bar itself and if you do also eat here you are in for a treat. The excellent Exmoor Gold was supplemented by beers from Otter & Palmers, and also local ciders.
I had an overnight stay in the very comfortable accom, in a room overlooking the rapidly babbling brook coursing under the little stone bridge outside the window; b&b £75 for 2 pers, breakfast choices incl full english, haddock fishcakes, kippers, fruit compote.
Dinner was approaching restaurant price but easily justified by its quality; starters~£7, mains~£14, all six dishes eaten at our table were very, very good, all slooshed down with some decently priced sauvignon & merlot.
Probably a pub that you would usually aim for if eating or staying in the area, but the beer was great too, and an all-round thoroughly pleasant visit.
On 4th September 2007
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 412 recommendations about 411 pubs]