Bearslake Inn provides stunning inn accommodation in devon for those who wish to relax and take in the beautiful Devon scenery and savour our selection from our Devon Inn Restaurant food or stay for a beer in our Devon Real Ale Pub or Inn.
Location
How to find us
Bearslake Inn is situated on the A386 between Okehampton and Tavistock, three miles south of the junction of the A30 and the A386.
Leave the A30 and head south. Drive through the village of Sourton, past the Highwayman Inn to your right. You will soon reach a sign in the middle of the road saying Lake.
Bearslake Inn is 500m past this sign on the left hand side at the bottom of the hill.
GPS Location: Lat = 50.680846 Lon = -4.084806
Dartmoor National Park
Dartmoor National Park covers an area of 368 square miles - the largest and wildest area of open country in southern England. Throughout the year Dartmoor is an exceptionally beautiful place to visit, with deep wooded gorges, beautiful lake-like reservoirs and tumbling rocky rivers. Find out more by taking an interactive virtual tour of Dartmoor at www.virtuallydartmoor.org.uk.
All of Dartmoor is owned by someone but there is legal public access to over 47,000 hectares of open country and 450 miles (730km) of public rights of way, providing miles of unspoilt spectacular scenery to enjoy. Nearly half of this is open moorland, with a further 11% covered by forests and woodland. The National Park Authority helps to look after Dartmoor's natural beauty, cultural heritage and the economic and social well-being of the 33,400 people who live and work on Dartmoor.
Lake
Lake; best described as a small hamlet nestling to the West of Deep Valley on the North West fringe of the Dartmoor National Park, consisting of one farm, three houses and Bearslake Inn and Restaurant. Total population 16.
If you are travelling along the A386 you could easily blink and miss it all together but if you do manage to stop and take in the scenery around us you will not be disappointed.
Lake and the surrounding area is predominately farm land and National Park. At one time everyone who lived here would have been involved in the farming industry, a combination of arable and livestock.
The name Lake is reputed to come from the time of the English Civil War. The Battle of Sourton Down was fought on a wet April night in 1642. The Roundheads dealt the Royalists a bitter blow as they retreated toward Bridestowe and reputedly so many men were killed that the area ran like a lake of blood; hence Lake.
Bridestowe
Bridestowe is an ancient village in West Devon England, that has been famous in history, right back to the bronze age B.C. In previous times, the main trunk road from London to Penzance passed through the centre of the village. That situation ended in about 1972 when a by-pass was built around the north of Bridestowe. It is interesting to note that an old nissan hut that General Eisenhower signed some important papers in, became the old hall. The village name is pronounced 'Bridd-is-tow' and not 'Brides-towe' No one it seems is able to answer the question... why?. It appears that the first part comes from the famous Irish Saint 'St. Bridget' to whom the parish church is dedicated, and stow usually attests to a church of ancient origin. It comes from the early days of Christianity, meaning 'holy place'
Many different spellings have appeared over the centuries, 'Bridestowe', Brydestou', 'Byrightstowe', 'Brithtestawe', 'Briztesowe' 'Breddestawe' to name but a few. The settlement can be traced back to the Bronze Age. It is mentioned in the 'Domesday Book' that in 1086 the village consisted of 20 farms, and a church. Today is has exploded to comprise over 500 residents and includes several areas within its boundaries.
Sourton
Sourton Village and Parish centred on the A386 SW of Okehampton includes the hamlets of Boasley, Thorndon, Bowerland, Prewley, Week, Lake and Southerly.
In 970 it was recorded as Swuren-Tune meaning the farm by the col or neck) and in 1086 it was known as Suritona. In 1851 it was described as a "township, scattered village and parish with a population of 615 and an acreage of 5018"
Mainly a farming area the most exciting event in Sourton's history was the battle of Sourton Down in 1642 when a Royalist Army under General Hopton encountered a Roundhead force on a stormy night in April. The Royalists were forced to fall back to Bridestowe losing much equipment on the way.
In September 1874 a Mr. James Henderson approached the Duchy of Cornwall with a view to leasing Sourton hill for the purpose of collecting naturally produced ice throughout the winter months. This particular spot was ideal in so much as the nearby railway station at Bridestowe provided ideal access to both Plymouth and Exeter. Plymouth at this time had a thriving fish market supplying by rail and boat the cities of London, Bath, Manchester and Bristol and it was this industry that used large quantities of ice to preserve the fish during transit. In addition there was the household market in both the Plymouth and Exeter areas.
Henderson produced and sold ice between 1875 and 1886 reaching a peak of 300 tons in one year. Eventually a combination of mild winters and competition from a company making artificial ice meant that the business had to be wound up.
The ponds were filled in although if you climb to the top of Sourton Tor you can still make out where they once were.
Little since has disturbed the tranquillity of Sourton leaving its inhabitants to live and work in peace among the tors and valleys of their beautiful parish.