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The Ring o' Bells, Chagford Food Review
Food review Ring O' Bells, Chagford, Dartmoor.June 12th 2009 Tel 01647 432466 website
Way back in March we called in one Saturday morning to have our lunch at The Ring o' Bells in Chagford.
It was our day off so I didn't assiduously note down prices of what we had, but I did take a few pictures as we
relaxed in this black and white pub that overlooks the busy Square in Chagford.
Apart from the odd gin and tonic at a Chagford Show committee meeting I hadn't been to sit in the pub for an
age. That morning we'd queued in the Post Office, shopped around the town, and quickly nipped in to see which
noble charity was running a coffee morning in Endecot House. There is a coffee morning in the town every week,
the layout of the public room always seems the same and the cakes on the cake table always
seem to be identical to those of the preceding week ..... the raffle tickets go into the same plastic bucket, the
coffee is served in the same 'staff room' crockery and honestly I wouldn't have it any other way......
The retired folk of the village congregate each week to gossip and whoever has a few extra pots of stuff raised in
the greenhouse has a worthy way of passing it on. I don't go each week, but it'sawfully reassuring to know that it's
there waiting for me the day I quit the desk and start to do real Grandmotherly things....
When I do get to pensionable age, and supposing that there is still a pension worth having, then I think I could
cope with going each Saturday to start my weekend in The Ringers... There's a group of locals hunched over the
Times crossword (the landlady e-mailed on the 19th of May to say that actually it's the Telegraph !!) at the bar,
with the young friendly barmaid offering wordy,but as far as I can tell, still welcome, suggestions.
In the window seat, three hardened walkers tuck into their pie and pint, obviously gearing themselves up for the
next gruelling leg of their trek; two ladies who lunch strain to see what's going on outside in the Square and
discreetly whisper behind their hands. To our right, a grownup family party grows in size as first one set of relatives arrive and then another before they can place their lunchtime orders for a meal. The older couple at the table beyond
the coffee machine seem to know the form. She knows what she wants without consulting the menu, he double
checks the blackboard, and then plumps for the same as her after all. There's another older couple by the door
with an ancient fat labrador sprawled out taking up most of the floor space, but rather than chastise them for
bringing their darling pet into the pub, the barmaid gives it treats from a jar behind the bar.No wonder the three of
them enjoy coming in each week. It's all a very British scene and as we study the menu, Fran the landlady arrives
back from a walk with her own dog. 'O.K. Fran ?' She recommends the tuna steak, so I go for it and Rob being Rob and almost as close to the golden years as me, plumps for something cheesy with chips. Comfort food with a handful of mixed salad to show willing. Just what we need. When the pudding arrives, I forget to take a photo. Rare indeed for me.
I must be relaxing. 2 coffees later and we are out of the door with we say, plans to go and tackle the garden. On the pavement, I ask the now departing hikers what they thought of the meal break? "Great, good ale, nice food, enjoyed it.... yep, just what we needed. We'll call in again next year.... will that make us regulars?"
I ask if I might take their pictures and they happily oblige before setting off downhill towards the Teign.
The Ring o' Bells, Chagford. A pub to relax in. Back to the Food Page. Back to Home Page
"Hi, I'm Jill Pendleton, 
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