Holne and Scorriton
Arriving at Holne from the south eastern slopes of Dartmoor on the Two Moors Way or Dartmoor Way, you are presented with a delightful small village which is home to about 250 people, bounded on two sides by river valleys, the Holy Brook and the stunning infant River Dart.
It has long been a place of settlement, with a well preserved Iron Age fort at Holne Chase and finds of Greek silver coins and iron “currency” bars at Court Farm dating back to the 1st century BC.
Its medieval history is also evident within both the church of St Marys and the village pub dating from the 12th century, when the Church House Inn was built by the stonemasons working on the church to provide their board and lodging.
The Church itself has a superb carved pulpit, medieval window and a hollow yew tree in the churchyard also dating from this time. The vicarage next door was the birthplace of Charles Kingsley, author of The Water Babies and Westward Ho! Originally the Priests House, The Church House Inn is the only place to eat here, but as it prides itself on serving local produce to eat and drink and welcomes walkers, you can be assured of being made welcome and comfortable.
Close by, and another choice for an overnight stay, is the village of Scorriton, again just a few houses nestling in the moor but boasting an excellent pub with rooms - The Tradesman’s Arms. A traditional "country pub" with modern styling and a very friendly welcome, listed for its quality real ales by CAMRA as well as provider to the hungry walker of good home cooked food this is a good overnight spot.
The pub itself is a community success story, now owned by four drinking pals who were so upset when their local pub closed that they decided to get together and buy it raising £230,000 to reopen it. One a Council officer and another a train , all four gave up their jobs to save for and work in their local watering hole! Finally, if you see anything strange whilst taking the air after an evening in the Tradesman’s you are in good company. In 1965 one of the West Countries most famous UFO sightings took place on the down just above the village. Local man, Arthur Bryant not only saw a large saucer shaped craft but indeed claims to have met three aliens and had a conversation with them outside the village.
Before you dismiss it all too quickly the next day pieces of metal, machinery and a glass cylinder full of silver sand were recovered from the location. "The Scorriton Mystery" is fully documented in the book by Eileen Buckle and has now become a very different type of Dartmoor folklore.